IrDA LastModified: Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Short for Infrared Data Association, a group of device manufacturers that developed a standard for transmitting data via infrared light waves. Increasingly, computers and other devices (such as printers) come with IrDA ports. This enables you to transfer data from one device to another without any cables. For example, if both your laptop computer and printer have IrDA ports, you can simply put your computer in front of the printer and output a document, without needing to connect the two with a cable. IrDA ports support roughly the same transmission rates as traditional parallel ports. The only restrictions on their use is that the two devices must be within a few feet of each other and there must be a clear line of sight between them.
Infrared Data Association (IrDA)  Home page for the IrDA, a standards body for wireless point to point IR. The site contains component and system resources, links to IR specific pages, and news items. IrDA Infrared Communications: An Overview  Provides an overview of the IrDA protocols with comments on their use in embedded environments. This articles is hosted by Counterpoint Systems Foundry, Inc., supplier of IrDA infrared communications software: protocol stacks, applications and drivers. ACTiSYS Corporation home page This site is the home page of ACTiSYS Corp., supplier of Infrared IrDA/ASK/TV-remote adapters and protocol software. Cable-free computing with infrared technology This information brief from IBM describes the use of IrDA infrared connections with their PCs, particularly their line of Thinkpads. Counterpoint Systems Foundry home page Counterpoint Systems Foundry is a supplier of infrared communications software based on the Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standards. Here you can find many links to their IrDA software products. Infrared data-transfer standard PC Magazine article, from June 25, 1996, on the infrared data-transfer standard.	related categories: Input Devices Miscellaneous Standards related terms: parallel port Shopping IrDA Products Compare Products,Prices and Stores Shop by Category: Cellular Phones 95 Model Matches PDAs 77 Model Matches Printers 5 Model Matches Sport and Outdoor 5 Store Offers Watches 1 Store Offers