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WiGig hits version 1.1, adds wireless HDMI to its arsenal to celebrate

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:59:00 EST

To this point, not much has come of this whole WiGig thing, but the coalition is marching forward and expanding the standard's capabilities with the introduction of version 1.1. The latest specification makes several tweaks to the 60GHz wireless protocol, but the big news is that the Wireless Gigabit Alliance has signed up with HDMI Licensing, LLC -- adding the ubiquitous video jack to its arsenal, which already includes cable-free DisplayPort. WiGig display adapters are still expected to hit the market by the end of the year but, for now, our dream of input agnostic wireless HD video streaming is just that -- a dream. So don't start tying up your old newspapers with those HDMI cables just yet.

Continue reading WiGig hits version 1.1, adds wireless HDMI to its arsenal to celebrate

WiGig hits version 1.1, adds wireless HDMI to its arsenal to celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic shrinks WiGig for cellphones, sets our hearts a flutter

Terrence O'Brien — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:39:00 EST

Tri-band WiGig in a laptop? Yawnsville. Now, put that 60GHz connection in a high-end smartphone and we're all ears (and sweaty palms). Panasonic is the first out the gate with a 802.11ad compatible chip for mobile devices and, despite its head-spinning multi-gigabit speeds, the company's creation draws less that 1W of power. It'll be sometime before WiGig makes its way into your Droid or iPhone, but when it does you can look forward to wirelessly syncing entire seasons of Good Eats (in 1080p, of course) to your phone in mere minutes. Until then, you'll just have to make do with the tantalizing PR after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic shrinks WiGig for cellphones, sets our hearts a flutter

Panasonic shrinks WiGig for cellphones, sets our hearts a flutter originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm unleashes tri-band WiFi and new mobile wireless chipset

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:38:00 EST

Qualcomm might be all juiced up about getting its Snapdragon processor in 250 upcoming devices, but that doesn't mean the company has forgotten its wireless roots. The San Diego-based chip maker announced that its partnership with Wilocity has finally bore fruit in the form of the AR9004TB chipset. This tri-band wireless setup adds 60GHz WiGig to the usual 2.4 and 5GHz dual-band 802.11n formula for "multi-gigabit in-room performance." Though far from finalized, the 802.11ad standard being pushed by the WiGig alliance should be able to hit speeds of 5Gbps -- more than enough to blast several HD video streams around your home. It also packs Bluetooth 4.0 for your less bandwidth intensive (and more battery sensitive) computing needs. Going smaller scale, Qualcomm also unveiled the WCN3660, a wireless chipset to complement its Snapdragon CPU in smartphones and tablets. Inside this sliver of silicon is a dual-band Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth 4.0, and an FM radio. It also supports Wi-Fi Display (not to be confused with WiDi) for beaming video to a WiFi-enabled TV or monitor. Head on after the break for more PR than you can shake an antenna at.

Continue reading Qualcomm unleashes tri-band WiFi and new mobile wireless chipset

Qualcomm unleashes tri-band WiFi and new mobile wireless chipset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silicon Image buys up SiBeam, what's next for WirelessHD?

Richard Lawler — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:12:00 EST

Despite years of tech demos, promises and new specs, wireless HDMI products have failed to set the world on fire, and now WirelessHD backer SiBeam has been acquired by HDMI chipmaker Silicon Image. The $25.5 million deal is expected to close in the second quarter and both parties seem to be interested in pushing the 60GHz WiHD standard forward. We'll see if Silicon Image's hardware prowess can get WirelessHD in more boxes and displays, but the most likely outcome is that we'll still be plugging in the same old wires this time next year.

Continue reading Silicon Image buys up SiBeam, what's next for WirelessHD?

Silicon Image buys up SiBeam, what's next for WirelessHD? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rocketfish serves up 4-port WirelessHD kit, wireless headphones

Darren Murph — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:35:00 EST

Remember the FlyWire? Time to fuhgettaboutit it. While Belkin saw fit to kill the flagship wireless HDMI product of the last decade, a number of other firms have moved forward with similar ideas -- thankfully for far less cheddar in many cases. Take this guy, for instance. Best Buy's in-house Rocketfish label has just introduced a four-port WirelessHD kit, which consists of two separate pieces that work in unison to pipe 1080p content from up to four HDMI sources (one at a time, obviously) to a single HDMI-equipped display. It's utilizing the same 60GHz WirelessHD protocol that's been hanging around for years, and supposedly it can operate with around 33 feet of space between boxes. There's support for 3D video, CEC remote functionality and surround sound, and it'll even auto-sense which HDMI socket is active and change over to that one for you. At $299.99, it's definitely one of the cheaper ways to cut an HDMI cable from your setup, but only time will tell if artifacting is an issue. In semi-related news, Rocketfish is also debuting a set of wireless cans at $119.99, with the full details on those waiting just after the break.

Continue reading Rocketfish serves up 4-port WirelessHD kit, wireless headphones

Rocketfish serves up 4-port WirelessHD kit, wireless headphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiGig's 60GHz WiFi prototypes slated for 2011, real products for 2012

Sean Hollister — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:01:00 EST

The second half of 2010 is nearly behind us, and we're afraid we're not seeing a whole lot of 60GHz modems on store shelves. So, when will WiGig's 1.5Gbps wireless transfer speeds forever shape our content-consuming lifestyles? The inside word is 2012. TrustedReviews sat down with VESA chairman Bruce Montag -- who also happens to be on the WiGig board -- and was told that the wireless DisplayPort products made possible by the recent WiGig / VESA partnership are due in "the first half of 2012." You won't necessarily need to wait that long to read about how they're going to make mothers of young, video gaming children jump for joy -- should all go according to plan, we'll be treated to glimpses of the first prototypes early next year.

WiGig's 60GHz WiFi prototypes slated for 2011, real products for 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiGig and VESA team up, promise wireless DisplayPort gear

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Tired of going at it alone, eh WiGig? The aforesaid Alliance has just teamed up with yet another organization -- a mere six months after doing likewise with the Wi-Fi Alliance. For those unaware, WiGig's 60GHz multi-gigabit technology has already begun to penetrate the higher-end AV market, particularly in devices that shoot 1080p from source-to-display sans cabling. But as we've seen, the adoption rate there isn't anything to write home about, and it seems as if the entity is branching out in an effort to broaden its potential profit portfolio. The newest partnership is with VESA, and the most important aspect of it (from a consumer standpoint, anyway) is summed up here: the two will be working to create a certification program for wireless DisplayPort products. The goal, as you may imagine, is to create a new spate of products that'll connect PCs and handhelds to monitors, projectors and HDTVs, all without wires and with gobs of bandwidth. Sadly, no time table is being revealed just yet, but we'll be cautiously expecting a few prototypes at CES. Right, dudes?

Continue reading WiGig and VESA team up, promise wireless DisplayPort gear

WiGig and VESA team up, promise wireless DisplayPort gear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe

Darren Murph — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:59:00 EST

The amount of dual-band products (you know, those that support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands) is slowly growing, but already a pair of companies are thinking about the next big thing: tri-band. Atheros and Wilocity have both been eying that 60GHz stuff that the WiGig Alliance is pushing around these days, and now they're announcing a collaboration to "build tri-band wireless solutions that combine the ubiquity and coverage of WiFi with the multi-gigabit performance of the Wireless Gigabit Alliance's 60GHz technology." The new gear would enable all sorts of backwards compatibility, and while there aren't too many details being shared just yet on exactly what kind of kit is in the pipeline, we do know of one particular tidbit. That tidbit, of course, is wireless PCI Express, or wPCIe. Developed by Wilocity, this black magic would essentially enable PCIe devices to be docked outside of the desktop and have their signals beamed to a receiver card within the desktop. Think external graphics, storage arrays, etc., all sans cabling. It's being reported that wPCIe can push data at up to 5Gbps, and if all goes to plan, the spec should scale easily to 7Gbps. Be sure to give the links below a visit for a deeper dive, and get ready to give that SFF machine you've often overlooked... well, another look.

Continue reading Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe

Atheros and Wilocity embrace 'tri-band' wireless wares, 60GHz wireless PCIe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS debuts WirelessHD-equipped G73JW and G53 laptops, we go eyes-on

Darren Murph — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:52:00 EST

We already took a closer look at ASUS' minty fresh ROG G53 gaming laptop earlier in the week, but it was the outfit's 17-inch version (the G73JW, predictably) used to showcase a new partnership with SiBEAM. The aforesaid rigs are the world's first laptops to integrate SiBEAM's 60GHz WirelessHD technology, essentially doing exactly what Intel's WiDi does. For those unfamiliar with either technology, it enables the laptop to beam 1080p content directly to a receiver box (that tube you see above, which will be attached via HDMI in theory) from up to 30 meters away. Both machines are slated to be slinging HD sans cabling this Fall, though pricing for the upgraded beasts wasn't available just yet. Still, we were treated to a demonstration over at the outfit's Computex booth, and while it was dangerously close to the receiver, HD content still was streaming without a hitch. Granted, we've seen nothing but great things from other WirelessHD applications in the past, but it's still lovely to see it humming along so nicely within a full-fledged computer. Have a look yourself just past the break.

Gallery: ASUS G73JW WirelessHD laptop at Computex 2010

Continue reading ASUS debuts WirelessHD-equipped G73JW and G53 laptops, we go eyes-on

ASUS debuts WirelessHD-equipped G73JW and G53 laptops, we go eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig sync up for 60GHz WiFi

Darren Murph — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:01:00 EST

We already heard that Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba would be delivering 60GHz wireless products in the latter half of this year, but it looks like a whole heap of other companies will be as well after this bombshell drops. The Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig (which just nailed down a final spec in December) have finally got their respective ducks in a row, and thanks to a new partnership announced today, 60GHz WiFi products are now possible. For those unaware, 60GHz airwaves are typically reserved for high-bandwidth applications -- think streaming a Blu-ray flick from a player to an HDTV sans any cabling. The two will be working in unison in order to create a next-generation certification program for products operating in the 60GHz band, and best of all, a "significant portion, if not all, of these devices are expected to also support traditional WiFi networking in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands." There's no mention of when exactly the first 60GHz WiFi wares will begin to ship, but we can certainly say we're eager to update this here tutorial when tri-band becomes reality.

Update: The rival WirelessHD alliance (updated to 1.1 today with support for 3DTV, HDCP 2.0, data applications and data rates in excess of 10Gbps) says it will support WiGig with dual-mode WirelessHD/WiGig silicon now available from SiBeam for sampling. Hey, what would a standard be if we didn't have options?

Continue reading Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig sync up for 60GHz WiFi

Wi-Fi Alliance and WiGig sync up for 60GHz WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Vlad Savov — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:05:00 EST

You've probably seen sketches like the one above promising you complete cable independence since what, 1996? We're not about to tell you this is the one technology that finally delivers on that utopian dream, but it's surely one of the zanier attempts at it. By converting "ultra fast laser pulses" into radio frequency waves, the researchers claim they've overcome a significant hurdle to making wireless communications ubiquitous -- signal interference. The rapid (each laser burst lasts a mere 100 femtoseconds), pulsing nature of their approach purportedly makes their signal extremely robust, while intended operation at around 60GHz means their microring transmitters (diagram after the break) will be able to operate within spectrum space that does not require a license -- neither from the FCC nor internationally. Applications for the microrings would include things like HDTV broadcasts and piping data into vehicles, although we won't be seeing anything happening on the commercial front for at least another five years. Typical. If you just can't wait that long, a few Japanese companies you may have heard of are preparing their own 60GHz wireless devices for the second half of this year.

Continue reading Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires

Microring transmissions are sure to resonate with people who hate wires originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba to deliver 60GHz wireless products in 2H 2010

Richard Lai — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:25:00 EST

The year's 2010, yet we're still leering at the dusty pile of cables behind our AV equipment and wondering, "O UWB, where art thou?" Well, the folks at Tech-On have got a little update for us: Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba are reported to be delivering products donning 60GHz wireless chips -- which sip little juice but churn out 7GHz of colossal bandwidth and 1.5Gbps of data rate -- in the second half of this year. While none of the manufacturers are directly pimping either WirelessHD or WiGig, it appears that Hitachi and Panasonic are siding with WiGig's extra functionalities like media access control (MAC), and the latter even envisions "embedding the functionality into portable gear" for downloading digital content from kiosks. Either way, it's nice to see some progress here -- we don't want things to drag on any longer, do we?

Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba to deliver 60GHz wireless products in 2H 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIZIO's 2010 XVT LCDs go up to 72-inches with 3D, LED, WiFi & WirelessHD

Richard Lawler — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:02:00 EST

Remember VIZIO's LED backlit 55-inch XVT LCD with WiFi and widgets that debuted for two grand last year and seemed like such a value? Great, now go ahead and forget it because the company's top of the line model in August will switch over to a monster 72-inch 480Hz LCD (above) with 3D, WirelessHD, VIZIO Internet Apps widget platform and Wireless-N for $3,499. If that's too big to fit your budget (or in our case, tiny shoebox apartment) there will also be 55- and 47-inch versions available, with all the same features plus a new antireflective panel for those of you who like to keep the lights on during, they'll cost $2,499 and $1,999, respectively. These 3D displays feature SENSIO technology and Bluetooth-synchronized active shutter LCD glasses from XpanD, while a VIZIO XVT Pro Wireless HDMI Adapter is available separately with 4 HDMI inputs to blast HD signals across the room on the 60Ghz band. Cinema enthusiasts also have something to look forward to, check the gallery below for shots of the 58-inch ultrawidescreen 21:9 aspect ratio XVTPRO580CD, no word on a ship date or price but when it appears later this year you can kiss black bars during movies goodbye. We're sure we'll see more models from VIZIO before CES is out for the smaller, less 3D friendly homes, but right now it doesn't look like the company plans on giving up its LCD sales crown anytime soon -- these combinations of features and pricing may prove very difficult to say no to. PR with other details is after the break.

Gallery: VIZIO XVT LCDs for 2010

Continue reading VIZIO's 2010 XVT LCDs go up to 72-inches with 3D, LED, WiFi & WirelessHD

VIZIO's 2010 XVT LCDs go up to 72-inches with 3D, LED, WiFi & WirelessHD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD 2.0 spec speeds up to 28 Gbps to make room for 4K, 3D, portable devices

Richard Lawler — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:04:00 EST

Two years after finishing up version 1.0 WirelessHD (WiHD) is still trying to come out on top of the no-cables-necessary high definition streaming dogfight, and it's going to get a boost in that effort now that the 2.0 standard is available. Backwards compatible with existing WiHD hardware, the bandwidth has been upped to 10 - 28 Gbps (up from initial specs of 4 Gbps with a theoretical 25 Gbps limit) - enough to handle 4K resolutions, Deep Color, a newly specified 3D over WirelessHD set of standards, HDCP 2.0 DRM and even 1 Gbps file transfers between devices. Out of this world specs are just a matter of course for new hardware, but our focus is still on the group's ability to get the price down this time around if it ever plans on going mainstream. With an investment from Best Buy just announced and a spot in VIZIO's LCD lineup already confirmed, existing cable manufacturers may want to start developing Monster Air (10x higher transmission speed due to special platinum ionized molecules, of course) to sell sooner rather than later.

WirelessHD 2.0 spec speeds up to 28 Gbps to make room for 4K, 3D, portable devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIZIO adding WirelessHD to top of the line HDTVs

Richard Lawler — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:46:00 EST

We might have to take the WirelessHD group's claims of mass adoption pricing more seriously now that VIZIO has made plans to integrate 60GHz chipsets from SiBEAM into its XVT line of LED backlit LCDs. SiBEAM is also planning to demo some the no-wires hookup at its off-site CES location, but since we've seen the technology at work, the only big question is how cheap can it get? The top of the line Panasonic Z1 made our gift guide despite a high price, but for VIZIO to send its first products onto Wal-mart and Costco shelves later this year it'll have to start at somewhere below the $6k mark.

VIZIO adding WirelessHD to top of the line HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiGig Alliance completes multi-gigabit 60GHz wireless specification: let the streaming begin

Darren Murph — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST

The WiGig Alliance captured our imaginations back in May, but now it seems that the world of multi-gigabit streaming is so close, we can taste the data slipping over our tongues on their way to the next access point. Put simply, the specification that the group has been toiling on over the past few months is finally complete, and while some of its members have been prototyping wares along the way, this 1.0 announcement effectively opens the flood gates for partnering outfits to implement it into their gear. In case you're curious as to how 60GHz will help you, have a listen: WiGig enables wireless transfer rates more than ten times faster than today's fastest wireless LAN, and it's completely backward compatible with existing WiFi devices. As we've already seen with those totally bodacious dual-band (2.4GHz / 5GHz) routers, having another band with this kind of speed potential can only mean great things for the future.

We had a talk with Dr. Ali Sadri (the group's chairman and president) as well as Mark Grodzinsky (board director and marketing work group chair) in order to get a better idea of what's at play here, and frankly, we're anxious to see this get implemented into... well, just about anything. WiGig v1.0 supports data transmission rates up to 7Gbps, and if living in a house full of WiGig-enabled devices, you could finally envision streaming HD content from a bedroom PC to an HDTV and a living room netbook without any wires whatsoever. In the case of the netbook, there's even a chance that the embedded WiGig module could support faster transfer rates than the sockets around the edges, which would simultaneously enable wireless to be faster than the wired (at least in this scenario) and your brain to melt.

Finally, the group has picked up four new members -- NVIDIA, AMD, SK Telecom and TMC -- though unfortunately, WiGig wouldn't comment on the future availability of 60GHz products. We were told that they would be shocked if anyone had a prototype 60GHz device on the CES show floor, but you can bet that won't stop us from looking. Oh, and if we had to take a wild guess, we'd surmise that companies interested in speeding up their own offerings will be jumping on this quick, so hopefully you'll be ditching 2.4GHz once and for all come next summer(ish).

Continue reading WiGig Alliance completes multi-gigabit 60GHz wireless specification: let the streaming begin

WiGig Alliance completes multi-gigabit 60GHz wireless specification: let the streaming begin originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD second generation hardware promises "mass adoption" pricing

Richard Lawler — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:19:00 EST

Two years after assembling a team to fight the tyranny of wires with 60GHz beaming and less than a year after entering mass production, SiBEAM has unveiled its second generation of WirelessHD chips, this time with the promise of low cost, mass adoption price points with an eye towards reducing overall costs and improving video quality. The new 65nm chips don't require active cooling, use less power and take up less space, plus integrate HDMI, HDCP and DTCP support and surround sound capability. Last year the premium was too steep for us to consider wireless HDTV as a serious option, but as costs come down and manufacturer support comes up it may be time to take another look at WirelessHD.

Filed under: Other hardware, Others

WirelessHD second generation hardware promises "mass adoption" pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic Z1 wireless HDTV appearing in US retailers

Nilay Patel — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:20:00 EST

Hey, look at that -- it's Panasonic's super-hot one-inch thick Z1 wireless HDTV, just cold sitting out for sale in a San Jose Magnolia store. No official availability announcement yet, but we're guessing it's coming soon, right on time for the Z1's planned summer debut. Everyone got their $6,000 ready?

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Panasonic Z1 wireless HDTV appearing in US retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic Z1 wireless HDTV appearing in US retailers

Nilay Patel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:02:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, Panasonic, Plasma

Panasonic Z1 wireless HDTV appearing in US retailers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG LH-series wireless HDTVs hit the FCC

Nilay Patel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:02:00 EST

LG's LH-series wireless HDTVs just made their debut in South Korea last month, and it looks like they're on their way to a Stateside launch soon -- there's the 55LH85, sitting pretty in Uncle Sam's FCC workshop. Of course, the real noise with these sets is the ASW1000 Media Box, which has three HDMI jacks, a pair of component inputs, antenna in, and VGA, all of which it can wirelessly send to your set from 10 meters (32.8 feet) away at 60GHz. Sadly, you can't just tuck it away, since it needs line of sight or close to it to work -- it'll bounce the signal off walls, but placing it right next to the TV won't work so great, according to the manual. Still, it's definitely cool tech -- let's hope ol' Sammy gets through with it soon so we can try it ourselves.

Filed under: Displays, Set-top boxes, LG, LCD

LG LH-series wireless HDTVs hit the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG LH-series wireless HDTVs hit the FCC

Nilay Patel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: HDTV

LG LH-series wireless HDTVs hit the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea

Richard Lawler — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:57:00 EST

With its 2009 LED-backlit LH90 LCDs already announced, LG has decided its LH80 line should be next up, its first of many -- following Panasonic's lead -- packing a Wireless HD media box to stream any HDMI, USB, or OTA content to the TV. Available in Korea is just this 55-inch model for about 5.1 million South Korean won ($4,008) but you can check out our CES '09 Wireless HD demo for a better look at the box and display while we wait for its LH85 branded U.S. cousin to make an appearance later on this year.

Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea

Richard Lawler — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:57:00 EST

Filed under: Displays, LG, LCD

LG's WirelessHD LH80 LCD TVs released in Korea originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Darren Murph — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Yes folks, we're back to the drawing board. Again. With a litany of wireless technologies floundering about and struggling to find real traction in the market, a cadre of market powerhouses have joined up to take wireless streaming to the next level -- or so they say, anyway. The newly formed WiGig Alliance aims to use unlicensed 60GHz waves in order to stream just about anything you can think of: HD video, images, phone contacts, instant messages, audio, etc. This "unified" approach differs from most other alternatives, which generally pick one niche (1080p video, for instance) and stick to it. If the more than 15 technology firms have their collective druthers, the WiGig specification will find its way into everything from set-top-boxes to telephones to home stereos, ready and willing to stream to other WiGig-enabled devices at a moment's notice.

The group consists of household names such as Microsoft, LG, Dell, Samsung, Marvell, Nokia, NEC, Intel and Broadcom (just to name a few), and when we spoke to executives about the announcement, they told us that plans were to have the specification available to member organizations in Q4 of this year. The sad part is that this likely means we won't see shipping products with the WiGig logo for another year after that -- if we're lucky. We can't argue that some stability would be nice in this volatile sector; after all, we've been waiting for promising products like Belkin's FlyWire to ship for well over a year. The execs we spoke with couldn't speak on behalf of the partner firms in terms of what WiGig products were looming on the horizon, but as we alluded to earlier, the playing field is wide open. Honestly, we'd love for this to take off and finally give high-bandwidth wireless applications the support it needs to flourish, but as we've seen over the past few years, the road ahead ain't an easy one to walk. The full release is after the break.

Continue reading Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other formats

Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Darren Murph — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Continue reading Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Wireless

Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers tout new 60GHz RF chip for high-speed wireless transfers

Donald Melanson — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:52:00 EST

It's not the only group toying around in the 60GHz frequency range, but a team of researchers from Georgia Tech's Georgia Electronic Design Center seem to be a bit further along than most, and they say that their new 60GHz RF chip could pave the way into a whole host of new, speedier wireless devices. Apparently, the chip is the first 60GHz embedded chip designed for multi-gigabit wireless use, and the researchers have already pushed it to some pretty impressive lengths, reaching speeds of 15Gbps at a distance of 1 meter, 10Gbps at 2 meters, and 5Gbps at 5 meters, while also maintaining the lowest "energy per bit" to date. What's more, while it's been flying a bit under the radar, the industry group Ecma International has already announced a new standard for chips capable of sending RF signals in the 60GHz range, which is apparently expected to be published as an ISO standard later this year.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Wireless

Researchers tout new 60GHz RF chip for high-speed wireless transfers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SiBEAM's WirelessHD chipsets enter into mass production

Darren Murph — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:58:00 EST

Given that SiBEAM was on hand at CES showcasing a number of WirelessHD-enabled products, we can't say this tidbit is surprising in the least. Still, it is great to hear that its WirelessHD chipsets have entered into mass production, and better still, it's now prepared to "broadly expand partners' product development activity." It's hoping to broaden the technology's reach from wireless video area networks (WVANs) and AV transmission to consumer electronics applications (wireless iPods, anyone?) as well as PC virtual docking applications. We know it's still early to say, but we just might have our final two contestants in the forever long wireless high-def war: duke it out SiBEAM / AMIMON, and may the best transmitter win.

Filed under: Other formats, Other hardware

SiBEAM's WirelessHD chipsets enter into mass production originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD hands on & recklessly-interfering

Richard Lawler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:02:00 EST

After some demo time with WirelessHD and Chairman / President John Marshall, it appears 2009 will finally be the year cable-free TV connections roll out in a big way. Expect products to launch towards the end of Q2, according to the Gefen rep on hand, their adapter will go into production towards the end of Q1 and hit shelves for about $700, while WirelessHD tech could add as much/little as 10% to the cost of a new TV like the demo units from LG and Panasonic. How well does it work for the money? Pretty well, with no untoward effects on the picture, and easily switching from source to source automatically. Walking between the display and source didn't cause a problem but even millisecond-switching 60Ghz hardware was no match for being picked up and fumbled around by a photo snapping Engadget editor. Check out pics featuring Gefen (fear not, the final models will have RS-232), LG & Panasonic prototypes plus OEM hardware we're likely to see soon in one form or another.

Gallery: Wireless HD hands-on

WirelessHD hands on & recklessly-interfering originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD hands on & recklessly-interfering

Richard Lawler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:02:00 EST

Gallery: Wireless HD hands-on

Filed under: CES, HDTV, Home Entertainment

WirelessHD hands on & recklessly-interfering originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wireless HDTV products backed with cash, still barely available

Darren Murph — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:56:00 EST

ABI Research definitely put its thinking cap on for this one, as it recently found that wireless HDTV vendors are still pouring cash into products, yet few are available for consumption in North America. It's a trend we've watched develop, and we cringe to think that it's not getting better. Chances are we'll see a new wave of cord-free HD products at CES 2009, all while we wait patiently for cord-free wares from CES 2008 to make it out of the testing phase. Sadly, the report doesn't actually mention anything we didn't already know -- companies are still out there trying to prove their format is superior, all while actual manufacturers dillydally around and miss one opportunity after another. And really, with prices like $1,499 for the Belkin FlyWire, we wonder if there's any mass market appeal even if the shipments do begin to flow.

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other formats

Wireless HDTV products backed with cash, still barely available originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung developing WiFi variant for TVs, testing elusive 3D rendering chip

Darren Murph — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:50:00 EST

There's no telling what kind of off-the-wall gear Samsung is apt to unleash at CES, and we'll be honest -- we're pretty jazzed about the possibilities. At a recent tech forum, Samsung confessed that it was working with both 60GHz wireless technology (read: WirelessHD) and "its own variant of WiFi" in relation to cord-free TVs. This news is particularly bad in two respects: first, it doesn't signal very much confidence in WirelessHD, and moreover, the last thing we need is yet another proprietary wireless HD / HDMI standard to slow down the already glacial pace at which it's being adopted in the industry. Moving on, we're also told that the outfit is "internally testing a stereoscopic 3D rendering chip for its TVs that could be released as early as the second half of 2009," which would "help translate 2D video to 3D and interpret 2D content with embedded depth information." Something tells us we best get used to wearing oddly tinted glasses.

[Image courtesy of MyDigitalLife]

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Other formats, Samsung

Samsung developing WiFi variant for TVs, testing elusive 3D rendering chip originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic, Samsung step up SiBeam WirelessHD investment

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:03:00 EST

The WirelessHD group has been making noise all year in what looks like run up to big things in 2009, so two of its biggest supporters, Panasonic and Samsung, are putting their money where their mouth is, with a "strategic investment" in developer SiBEAM. No word on exactly how much cash was laid out by the two, but the 60Ghz band chip maker is spinning it as a clear show of confidence from two of the world's biggest consumer electronics manufacturers that will help it roll out product in the future. With more than a few variants of cable-free technology on shelves or on the way we'll need to see actual hardware for sale before lining up as true believers.

Filed under: Other hardware, Panasonic, Samsung

Panasonic, Samsung step up SiBeam WirelessHD investment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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60GHz wireless chip promises 5Gbps of throughput, instant tumors

Ryan Block — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:33:00 EST

So this team of über-nerds -- NICTA -- out of Australia's Information and Communications Technology Research Centre of Excellence (or ICTRCoE for "short") announced the preliminary results of their Gigabit Wireless Project. Here's a hint: they were able to transmit gigabits of data -- five of 'em -- per second wirelessly over 60GHz / millimeter-wave CMOS-based transceivers. Of course, range on a system with that high a frequency isn't very far, but feel free to enjoy this moment of fantasy-future news for what it is. Oh, and NICTA crew -- hate to break it to ya, but your countrymen at CSIRO broke the 10Gbps wireless barrier a couple years ago (as did the U of Essex), might be time to up the ante.

Update: Bonus! Apparently these will be ready to ship in a year, and would cost $10 per component, which is still a little expensive for a single wireless chip but not bad at all.

Filed under: Wireless

60GHz wireless chip promises 5Gbps of throughput, instant tumors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD version 1.0 is complete

Richard Lawler — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:41:00 EST

WirelessHD (WiHD) is back, originally announced in late 2006, the 1.0 spec has been pronounced fit for consumption and will be released later this year. What's changed in the last 14 months? HD dream team Intel, LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), NEC, Samsung, SiBEAM, Sony and Toshiba have added 40 other companies as well as approval from DRM watchdogs MPAA and DTLA for their 60Ghz-based standard. Move over cable vs. satellite, downloads vs. disc and HD DVD vs. Blu-ray, with UWB-equipped HDTVs already on the way, a battle to replace the still-tricky HDMI connection is the new HD battleground for 2008.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Wireless

WirelessHD version 1.0 is complete originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD version 1.0 is complete

Richard Lawler — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:41:00 EST

Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, LG, Others, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba

WirelessHD version 1.0 is complete originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SiBEAM details WirelessHD-compliant WVAN technology

Darren Murph — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:16:00 EST

We'll bet you aren't alone if you were starting to wonder if you'd ever hear from SiBEAM again, but after an extended pause, the company is back to fully unveil its WirelessHD streaming solution. Reportedly, the company has developed 60GHz chipsets for non-line-of-sight applications, and has also stated that its OmniLink60 wireless semiconductor technology would be WirelessHD-compliant and "deliver AV connectivity for wireless applications at the 60GHz band." Built using standard CMOS manufacturing techniques, this system will purportedly allow users to enjoy Wireless Video Area Networking (WVAN), which could consist of an HDTV, HD DVD / Blu-ray player, HD DVR, etc,. and while specific integration details were solely absent, the firm seems quite adamant that its newfangled technology will have no issues fitting in (whenever it actually ships, that is) with your current setup.

[Via ExtremeTech]

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers

SiBEAM details WirelessHD-compliant WVAN technology originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SiBEAM details WirelessHD-compliant WVAN technology

Darren Murph — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:16:00 EST

Filed under: HDTV, Wireless

SiBEAM details WirelessHD-compliant WVAN technology originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WirelessHD group plans to replace cables using 60GHz band

Richard Lawler — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 11:35:00 EST

Six of the world's largest consumer electronics companies have joined with startup SiBEAM to form the WirelessHD interest group. They expect to complete the WiHD spec by spring of next year, using the unlicensed 60GHz frequency to stream digital information at multi-gigabit rates. The advantages of using SiBEAM's solution is that such chips can use higher power levels without overlapping other frequencies, yet are limited to a short range and won't penetrate walls. With the backing of LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), NEC, Sony and Toshiba, this standard could easily overtake WiFi- and UWB-based solutions others are working on. Its backers expect HDTVs, DVD players, receivers and other devices based on the technology to start rolling out in 2008, leaving us wondering: why can Sony and Toshiba cooperate on this high definition standard, but couldn't make Blu-ray and HD DVD work together?

[Via Yahoo News]

Filed under: HDTV, Wireless

WirelessHD group plans to replace cables using 60GHz band originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Oct 2006 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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