FireWire® storage includes hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD) using different IEEE 1394 standards. HDDs have various rotational speeds, while SSDs offer fast read times and shock resistance. FireWire® flash drives are also available, and transfer speed is dictated by the FireWire® version used. Different types of FireWire® storage use various versions of the IEEE 1394 standard, with higher numbers indicating faster transfer rates. Adapters are needed to use newer versions with older ports.
The different types of FireWire® storage include both hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD) and use different versions of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 standard. FireWire® storage devices that use traditional HDDs are usually available in various rotational speeds, such as 5,400 revolutions per minute (RPM) for normal use and 10,000 RPM or more for video editing applications. FireWire® SSDs are typically more expensive, but offer additional shock resistance and fast read times. Smaller flash drives that use a FireWire® connection are also often available. The operating speed of an external drive is also dictated by the transfer speed of the FireWire® version used, such as FireWire® 400 or 800.
FireWire® storage comes in many different configurations due to the wide variety of storage media available. A common type of storage often used with an external FireWire® enclosure is the traditional HDD. Data is stored magnetically on spinning platters, so it is important not to subject these drives to shock or strong magnetic fields. This type of storage may be suitable for general use or for more demanding applications such as video editing. For video editing applications, you typically need a FireWire® storage drive that runs at 10,000 RPM or higher.
Another type of FireWire® storage uses solid state drives. They are similar to FireWire® HDD drives; they tend to have very fast read and write speeds, offer less storage space, and can be very expensive. Instead of moving magnetic platters, this type of storage uses microchips to store data in a non-volatile way. Another similar type of FireWire® storage uses flash memory. These memory sticks look a lot like Universal Serial Bus (USB) thumb drives, although they are designed to connect to four, six, or eight contact IEEE 1394 ports.
Different types of FireWire® storage also use various versions of the IEEE 1394 standard. These versions are usually represented by the word FireWire® followed by a number, such as 400 or 800. The number indicates the transfer rate, so higher numbers are associated to external storage drives that can move data back and forth more quickly. These standards also use differently shaped plugs and jacks, although newer versions are usually backward compatible. To use a FireWire® 800 storage device with a FireWire® 400 port, you need an adapter.
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