DESCRIPTION The use of plastic optical fiber (POF) as a physical layer for 1394b (FireWire) is on the rise. Firecomms' FDK300S-101 Optical 1394b Transceiver Evaluation Kit allows the user to examine a data link over POF and to test the operation of the fiber optic transceivers. This evaluation kit includes two evaluation boards, two multi-region DC power supplies and a 10 meter Step Index POF cable with SMI plugs at each end. Each board includes a Tx-Rx pair in an SMI socket. A CD containing the data sheets and full design files for the PCB also is included. The PCBs have been carefully laid out and tested to demonstrate the performance of the Firecomms 1394b Transceiver FDL300E/D over POF. Each evaluation board carries the POF transceiver components in a through-hole SMI or IDB-1394 socket. The electrical input and output lines from the transceiver are brought out to SMA connectors. The input accepts an LVDS/CML or PECL data source such as a Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT), Pattern Generator, or other signal source.