Difference Between USB and FireWire

USB (Universal Serial Bus): USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, is a standard type of connection for many kinds of devices. Generally, USB refers to the devices or connectors used to connect external devices to computers.

The Universal Serial Bus standard has been extremely successful. USB ports and cables connect hardware such as printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, flash drives, external hard drives, laptops, etc.

USB was developed in 1990 in an effort to simplify the connections between computers and other devices. It has become popular due to its compatibility with many platforms and operating systems. USB has a low-cost implementation and it is easy to use.

There are various types of USB Connector:

• USB – A
• USB – B
• USB – C
• USB Micro-A
• USB Micro-B
• USB Mini-B (5-Pin)
• USB Mini-B (4-Pin)
• USB 3.0 A
• USB 3.0 B
• USB 3.0 Micro B
• USB Micro – AB
• USB Mini- B (Fuji)

FireWire: FireWire is an I/O interface developed by Apple Computer. It is also known as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394, which is the technical name standardized by the IEEE.

FireWire is a high-speed real-time interface for serial bus and isochronous/synchronous data transfer between enabled devices. FireWire is a high-speed data transfer interface that was used to connect personal computers, audio and video devices, and other professional and consumer electronics.

FireWire bus can connect up to 63 devices. Windows Operating System(98 and later) and MAC OS (8.6 and later) both. FireWire was developed by Apple in the 1990s. It came with some extraordinary features that the other connectors doesn’t provide at that time.

FireWire

Difference between USB and FireWire: 

S. NO.	Parameter	USB	FireWire
1.	Basic Definition	A plug-and-play interface that allows a computer to communicate with peripherals and other devices.	Apple version of a standard, IEEE 1394, high-performance serial bus for connecting devices to personal computers.
2.	Capacity	USB capacity 1.5-60MB/s	FireWire Capacity is 50-400 MB/s.
3.	Number of devices	The number of devices in USB is 127.	The number of devices in FireWire is 63 per host controller.
4.	Speed	USB speed is 2.5GB/s.	FireWire speed is 6GB/s.
5.	Year Created	USB is Created in 1996.	FireWire is Created in 1990.
6.	Create by	USB was created by Intel, Microsoft, etc.	FireWire was created by Apple Computer, Inc.
7.	Maximum Voltage	The maximum Voltage in a USB is 5V.	The maximum Voltage in a FireWire is 30V.
8.	Maximum Current	The maximum current for USB 2.0 is 0.5A and for USB 3.0 is 0.9 A.	The Maximum current is 1.5A.
9.	Maximum Length	The length varies from 2 to 5 meters.	The length is 4.5 meters.
10.	Uses	USB uses the packet data.	Firewire uses the data signals.