Monday November 11, 2008 - Antonette Goroch
Hollywood holds the power when it comes to the future of FireWire. But is this fast transport technology too fast for movie studios afraid of piracy?
FireWire is technologically superior for moving video when compared to other available options such as USB or HDMI. Unlike the bulky, uncompressed video of HDMI, FireWire compresses the video, making it far more versatile and fast in its transport. Unlike USB, which is tethered to the computer or host in its use, FireWire allows device independence and does not require a computer to “control” the interaction between devices.
One might think these attributes would make FireWire a favorite of CE companies, but Hollywood’s cool reception and higher chip costs have resulted in a dwindling use of FireWire in TVs and other CE products. Because of this, USB and HDMI have become ubiquitous in digital video products across the spectrum of HDTVs to set-top boxes, computers and peripherals, while FireWire has remained confined to a niche of high-end professionals/prosumers who work with video.
The one exception to this is in the U.S. digital cable market, which carries an FCC mandate that FireWire (and HDMI) be included in all HD STBs. While all other deployments of FireWire in digital STBs have been halted, the U.S. market has been quietly amassing a rather large installed base of FireWire STBs. Indeed, between the FCC requirement and the aggressive promoting of HD by cable operators, DTC estimates than nearly half of the digital cable installed base currently has at least one HD FireWire STB. Despite this, FireWire remains largely unused in the majority of these households, except by enthusiasts willing to seek out the needed drivers to make it work (somewhat ironically, the most likely group to engage in piracy).
The looming question is whether or not cable MSOs in the U.S. will begin to seek out ways to eliminate the 1394 requirement with the FCC. After all, why should they include the extra cost if it is unused? To date, they have not shown an interest in pursuing that, but it remains an open question for the longer term.
In the meantime there are still those that would like to see Hollywood’s fears assuaged and the potential of FireWire in the home video context realized. The most likely scenario is through the High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA). The association, formed in late 2005, showed promise during 2007 with members such as Samsung, Cablevision, Charter, JVC, Mitsubishi, NBC Universal, Sun Microsystems, Texas Instruments and Warner Bros. throwing their support behind the HANA effort. Despite these efforts, no actual products have shipped commercially to date. A new reference design unveiled in August, which more tightly integrates Internet content delivery within the coax environment, could breathe in new life. A cornerstone of the new design is ASCCT, a copy protection technology from IBM, which allows security and managed copying among both new and legacy HD products.
One thing is certain, though FireWire’s attributes are clear, the ultimate success or failure of FireWire in the home video context will ultimately rest with Hollywood’s approval. If this occurs, the U.S. cable market may provide a model for interoperable, networked HD home video products in growing markets worldwide.
