Windows 8 will no longer support the 1394 interface! ?

According to the Windows 8 development plan leaked at the end of last month, Microsoft's new operating system will provide support for new peripheral interfaces such as USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0+HS, and the “old” IEEE 1394 interface does not mention anything. and. Some media have speculated that Windows 8 is likely to give up support for IEEE 1394.

IEEE 1394 interface standard promulgated in 1995, presided over by Apple to promote, but most of them technical standards from Texas Instruments, Sony, DEC, IBM, STMicroelectronics enterprise. Apple and Sony are the two major supporters of the IEEE 1394 interface, which are also called FireWire FireWire (Apple) and i.LINK (Sony).

Today, many digital camcorders still use the 1394 interface, and the audio and video equipment market is also the most popular area of ​​the interface. There is still a heated debate about the advantages and disadvantages of USB 2.0 and FireWire. 1394 supporters believe that FireWire has a dedicated processing chip that can reduce CPU usage and prevent video transmission from dropping frames. USB supporters believe that the current CPU performance can fully meet the needs of high-definition video transmission, while USB has the advantages of better versatility and lower cost.

As USB 3.0 devices go to market, the speed advantage of IEEE 1394b (FireWire 800) no longer exists. The subsequent standards of 1394, such as FireWire S1600/S3200 and IEEE P1394d, are still inconclusive. Once a strong supporter, Apple has abandoned the FireWire interface in MacBook, MacBook Air and other models. Of course, losing the built-in support of Windows 8 doesn't mean that we won't be able to use FireWire devices, and the interface can still survive on third-party drivers. Just from the current situation, the future of this "niche" interface is indeed not very bright.