Researchers report FireWire breakthrough

Japanese researchers have succeeded in operating IEEE 1394, or FireWire, over optical links at full speed, and over much greater distances than previously possible.

Until now, attempts to get 1394 to work over optical links have sacrificed the data throughput rates for cable length.

However, researchers at the Electronic Industries Association of Japan say they maintained the 1394 standard link speed of 400Mbps over cables up to 100m long - a length that would allow an entire house to be networked with optical FireWire cabling to let consumer electronics devices and computers interoperate.

The full story is available at www.theregister.co.uk.