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LaCie Little Big Disk
User Manual
Your LaCie Little Big Disk
2.3. Cables and Connectors
2.3.1. FireWire
FireWire 400, also known as IEEE 1394, is a high-speed serial
input/output technology for connecting peripheral devices to a
computer or to each other, and FireWire 800 is the implementation
of the new IEEE 1394b standard.
Pushing the speed barrier to new limits, FireWire 800 offers in-
creased bandwidth and extended cabling distance between devices.
FireWire 800 is ideal for bandwidth-intensive applications, such as
audio, video and graphics. Benefits of FireWire 800 include:
• Resourceful architecture: FireWire 800 reduces delays in arbitra-
tion and signal distortion, and increases throughput.
• Backwards compatibility: adapter cables allow FireWire 400
devices to operate under the FireWire 800 port.
FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 also share the following features:
• Hot-pluggable: devices can be added and removed while the bus
is active.
• Isochronous data delivery: no dropped frames – FireWire sup-
ports real-time data delivery.
• Flexible: up to 63 devices can be connected on a single bus.
Please see 6.
FireWire questions and answers
for a more detailed
discussion of FireWire’s uses and capabilities.
FireWire Icons
Theses icons will help you easily identify
the FireWire interface. They appear on
FireWire cables, and next to the FireWire
port connectors on certain computers.
FireWire Icon
iLink Icon
DV Icon
IMpOrTANT INFO:
If you choose to interface your LaCie Little Big Disk via a
USB 2.0
connection, you will need to
connect the power adaptor (see chapter 2.3.3.
Optional A/C adaptor kit
for more information).
FireWire
connec-
tions provide enough energy to run the drive without the power adaptor.
