Vista Won't Support 1394b at Launch

**Iria** · May 7, 2006, 11:44 PM

Source: Daily Tech
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The EETimes reports that Microsoft Windows Vista will not support IEEE-1394b, also known as Firewire-B, at launch. The EETimes claims a Microsoft representative attending a recent 1394b trade meeting announced that Vista wouldn’t support the standard at launch but would include support in a later service pack. A time frame for a Vista service pack is unknown, but judging from previous service pack releases it could take up to six months to a year to materialize.

Tipstaff · May 7, 2006, 11:59 PM

1394-b not only supports faster transfer rates (currently 800 and 1.6GB, but techologically it can go as high as 3.2GB later on), but longer distances (thanks to fiber optics and CAT5, however running on CAT5 will knock the speed way down), and it will be more efficeint.

But hey, who cares. If Microsoft doesn't support it directly you can be sure to see 3rd party support instead.

bug77 · May 8, 2006, 04:15 AM

Not if M$ has anything to say about it. Remeber Vista won't accept unsigned drivers...

Tipstaff · May 8, 2006, 05:22 AM

Wanna bet? You can create an install package that includes a test signature thereby tricking Vista into installing them. Plus, there are all sorts of documents out there on how to get by it.

However, what people don't know is that Microsoft will give you, for free, a PIC (Publisher Identity Certificate) which is used for signed drivers as long as you have a Class 3 Commercial Software Publisher Certificate. You can easily get one from Verisign, however it costs about $500 per year. This is peanuts for a hardware vendor selling a 1394-b card.