What distinguishes FireWire 800 from FireWire 400?

FireWire 800 is distinguished from FireWire 400 primarily by its higher maximum data rate of 800 Megabits per second. This improvement allows for faster data transfer, making FireWire 800 suitable for applications that require high bandwidth, such as video editing and large data file transfers.

FireWire 800 achieves this increased speed through the use of an improved protocol and a different signaling method, specifically using two additional data lines compared to FireWire 400. As a result, devices utilizing FireWire 800 can handle twice the data throughput of their predecessor version.

While FireWire 800 does offer compatibility with older FireWire standards, this is not what primarily distinguishes it from FireWire 400. It also does not change the power supply capabilities significantly or involve the use of USB connectors, as both FireWire standards maintain a distinct connector standard that differs from USB. Therefore, the key distinguishing feature remains the enhanced data rate provided by FireWire 800.