Firewire
Here you'll find:
Firewire - the base of mLAN
Features inherited from Firewire
Features of mLAN products
Further reading

mLAN is based on IEEE 1394, also known as "FireWire". This is a standard defined by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). It is being use to implement low-cost high-speed digital networks that connect computer equipment to consumer devices (audio equipment, video equipment, electronic musical instruments) or to connect consumer devices to each other.

Although "IEEE 1394-1995" provides for a maximum of 800 Mbps (megabits per second) data transfer between computer devices, the standard is being expanded to allow data transfer at speeds of 1.6 Gbps (gigabits per second) in the future. At a speed of 400 Mbps (which is the speed mLAN device operate with), it is theoretically possible to handle more than two hundred channels of CD- quality digital audio data simultaneously with MIDI-Data equivalent to more than 16384 MIDI channels and synchronization data.

In addition, the numerous types of cables required by a conventional system to carry different types of data such as video, audio, and MIDI are no longer needed, since all data is carried over a single type of cable connected sequentially.

In the case of audio devices, conventional systems were connected in a radiating topology where connections radiated from the AV amp to the various components (CD, MD, tuner etc.).

Conventional connection between various audio devices - the connections radiate from the amp to variuos audio devices

In contrast, Firewire allows a simpler method of connection in which a single type of cable is used to sequentially connect each device.

Using IEEE 1394 the audio-devices can be connected to the amp sequentially in a chain

No particular knowledge is required when making connections, and new devices can be added to the system simply by connecting them sequentially. This also applies to networks connected to multimedia computers, AV devices, and electronic musical instruments, making it extremely simple to create more powerful systems than ever before.

• Only one type of cable is needed, in contrast to the multiple varieties required by conventional systems. In addition, jacks have no distinction of input or output, making it easy to connect a system without special knowledge.
• Data transfer rates of 100/200/400/800 Mbps (Megabits per second) are supported. In the future, this is expected to be expanded to 1.6/3.2 Gbps (gigabits per second).
• Up to 63 devices can be connected. In the future, devices called "bridges" can be used to expand connections to as many as 63 x 1023 devices.
• Cables can be connected and disconnected without turning off the power ("hot pluggable").
• Since industry-standard IEEE 1394 (Firewire) is used, compatibility with a variety of devices is expected into the future.
• Isochronous transfer allows data to be transferred in realtime. This is ideal for transfer of realtime data such as video and audio.

• The current mLAN data transfer rate is 400 Mbps.
• Electronic musical instruments and audio devices can be connected even without a computer (once the connections have been setup on the computer), making it easy to construct a digital network.
• MIDI and audio signal flow can be routed freely without being limited by the actual cable con-figuration. Signal flow between nodes can be changed without having to physically reconnect the devices, and such configurations can be recorded.
• mLAN specifications will continue to be upgraded as new products are developed. mLAN supports future expansions of its functionality, and is an specification that will "continue to evolve".