CoAir: world's first UWB chipset with wireless, coax and gigabit Ethernet

Sigma Designs has been dabbling in wireless HD technologies for eons, so we aren't going to get too excited until we see this here system-on-chip (SoC) actually hit some products that we care about. Still, the CoAir is a fairly sweet concept, wrapping integrated wireless, coax and gigabit Ethernet capabilities into one single chip aimed at whole home networking. Put simply (or as simply as possible), this chip is the world's first to "simultaneously deliver multiple independent streams of video and data over coax cable, Ethernet cable and wirelessly without compromising quality of service and throughput." Based on the WiMedia standard, it can reach speeds of up to 480Mbps with UWB (ultra-wideband) wireless streaming, and room-to-room linkage via UWB-over-coax can peg those same rates. What we have here is a great basis for building a whole home server on, but until said device emerges and performs flawlessly, we'll just smile and carry on.

[wazzupalex @ Jun 24th 2008 11:10AM]

Thing is, we still need to power all those remote wireless devices! Tesla Co? Are you listening? Do you even exist? (No, not the electric car company.)

[j_g_puff @ Jun 24th 2008 11:11AM]

Ho hum.

Pulse Link have been doing this for a while - and they also have a single chipset for wireless, coax, twisted pair and cat5 (which is what I assume is meant by 'ethernet'). They claim (and achieve) similar data rates.

Personally, I've never really seen the point. Why introduce all the complexity and cost of UWB when a few cables (and some well thought-out concealing of those cables) can do the same job?

[j_g_puff @ Jun 24th 2008 11:13AM]

Note: My brief rant was directed at UWB over air. I totally approve of UWB over coax/cat5.

[thedesolate1 @ Jun 24th 2008 11:51AM]

So will they be putting these babies in modems?

[Martin0641 @ Jun 24th 2008 2:04PM]

Do I smell a luddite?

*Personally, I've never really seen the point. Why introduce all the complexity and cost of UWB when a few cables (and some well thought-out concealing of those cables) can do the same job?*

Because there were no wires in Star Trek. I hate those "Neat Cabling Jobs" because invariably I need to move something or access something or add hardware or I wanna bring something downstairs or to a friends house and those cabling jobs with the zip ties end up being a pain in the butt. I have 3 PCs on/around my desk and the sheer number of wires is a nightmare.

I'm cool with a power cable for the main rig and screen, but I'd rather have everything else wireless. They even have wireless power systems now, for things like Keyboards, Mice, and Cell Phones. Radiation jokes aside, I'd rather have my phone and bluetooth ear piece get a charge just by making it into the house/car via my pocket rather than forgetting to hook it up and ending up with a dead device when I need it most. Chargers suck.

[moddestmike @ Jun 25th 2008 12:36PM]

......*waits for Qualcomm to file suit......