The 1394 Trade Association has introduced the new 1394 Automotive specification for copper cabling media designed to optimize the use of the 1394 (FireWire™) standard in entertainment, environmental control, camera, and other in-vehicle applications. The new specification extends the original IDB-1394 Automotive Specification to include operation over cost-effective automotive-grade, high-performance copper cabling media. All of the features and mechanisms are provided for high-speed extensions with forward and backward compatibility enabling single-hop distances of up to eight meters through five or more in-line connectors. The specification covers the use of coaxial cable, shielded twisted pair, and shielded twisted quad media for critical non-safety vehicle functions such as multimedia and telematics applications at data rates of 400 Megabit/second or 800 Megabits/second. Significantly, this new specification is said to address the electromagnetic issues that had limited the use of copper in these automotive applications. For more information on this organization and the new standard, go to the 1394 Trade Association website. Electronics is automotive applications present ever more complex challenges. To access the expertise of Interference Technology readers just long on to the Automotive Forum.
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