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Ultrawideband and coax distribution announced from PulseLink
PulseLink has introduced a solution for combining 1394 (aka FireWire), coaxial ethernet, and Ultra wideband connections and distributing high-definition video throughout the whole home. It combines the wired technologies from the HANA and DLNA specifications, as well as UWB wireless tech for the "last mile" to compatible devices. As the connection between devices can be up to Gigabit speeds, PulseLink claims to be able to stream four 1080p HD signals at the same time, with wireless HDMI connections at the endpoints. The company's chipset will be available to manufacturers this quarter.
Broadlogic unveils TeraPIX, cable's "secret weapon"
While we all wait for fiber optics to start pouring gigabytes of data out of everybody's wall jacks for thirty bucks a month, there's always cable, and lucky for us there's peeps like Broadlogic working out fancy new ways to squeeze megabytes out of that ubiquitous coax. Broadlogic's new TeraPIX processor works by compressing those 80 legacy analog television channels -- which currently hog 500MHz of the available 750MHz in a coax cable -- down to a mere 50MHz, freeing up a whole lotta' bandwidth in the process. The compressed 80 channels are then decoded at the residential gateway and served up in tradition analog fashion to subscribers, along with a good bit more bandwidth for digital content and internets. The minimal infrastructure cost of all this could mean we see this solution sooner rather than later, and the chips are available now at $300 a pop for quantity purchases, but there's no actual word yet when our bandwidth salvation will arrive.[Via GigaOM]
EyeTV Hybrid
TV on a Mac is a foreign concept to most people, but EyeTV hopes to change that with the introduction of the minuscule (just a bit larger than an iPod Shuffle) EyeTV Hybrid USB TV tuner. Capable of receiving both digital (S-Video via an adapter) and analog (using the built-in coax plug or the included composite adapter) signals, the Hybrid can pick up regular run-of-the-mill standard standard definition TV, as well as up to 1080p HDTV over-the-air programming (if you have either a dual G5 or Core Duo). With that delicious combination of input options, I can hook up both my Xbox OR digital cable to my PowerBook, sit back, and relax. The EyeTV Hybrid goes for an extremely affordable $150. [via OhGizmo!]
Can cable keep up without big infrastructure expenditures?
The unsettling tension between cable, satellite, and now FTTH providers is growing ever tighter, and the delivery of HD channels, on-demand content, and internet services through aging coax pipelines is leaving little room for expansion. While some analysts are suggesting that cable companies should be prepared to spend big bucks in order to maintain their current service levels -- especially considering the seemingly imminent additions of HD content and higher-high-speed internet services -- they may not have to bust out that checkbook so soon. It's no secret that Verizon alone has spent $20 billion in fiber optic deployment in order to get FiOS services to various parts of the country, and cable providers can't exactly afford to sit around and get leapfrogged. Reportedly among the various suggestions (that don't involve just throwing down for a larger infrastructure) is one that focuses on changing the way channels are delivered entirely, requiring no expansion whatsoever. The (relatively) antiquated analog stations aren't doing cable companies any favors, and as they begin to (presumably) phase out in favor of the leaner, meaner digital flavor, the lines can start to breathe a bit easier. But probably more important than the switch to digital is, well, switched digital -- in a switched system, only the channel that's currently being viewed is sent out (much like current IPTV installments), thus freeing up loads of bandwidth. Apparently this efficient design allows for "hundreds of stations" to be available at any given time, while giving providers one less reason to crack open the piggy bank for fear of clogged pipes. It's fairly obvious that cable companies still have a firm, albeit loosening, grip on the television market, and until this newfangled FTTH thing can reach a few more folks (or Google breaks out a dark-fiber solution of its own), it's cable or bust for most of us.[Via Ars Technica]
1394TA and HANA to offer "1394 over coax via UWB" home networking
Although coax isn't the freshest medium on the block, there's still a good bit of potential yet to be realized in your household cable wiring. The 1394 Trade Association has teamed up with the High Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (aka HANA) in hopes of networking the electronics in your crib by tapping into the copious amount of cable you've probably already got installed. While turning all of your home entertainment devices into one big happy family has been a long-standing fantasy, these two organizations are hoping to bring the ideas to complete fruition via ultrawideband technology (UWB). Plans are to leverage the bandwidth in your home's coaxial cable to network HDTVs, PVRs, set-top boxes, HTPCs, NAS drives, DVD players, and whatever else you can throw in the mix by using hardware and software developed by PulseLink (which we've already seen in action), Freescale Semiconductor, and Samsung Electronics. The technology will reportedly play nice with your legacy programming, meet the current FCC mandates, and even support IP. As expected, 1394 over coax via UWB will support DRM, so even though content guardians of the world can rest easy, we could potentially endure a bit of headache in the "seamless networking" that we're led to expect. This promising application will supposedly feature "real-time QoS [quality of service]" and raw data rates "exceeding 1Gbps," which combined with its long list of attributes, sounds like a match made in heaven for those looking to network their currently disconnected entertainment devices. But until we see hard pricing and implementations beyond a trade show setup (i.e. some industry support), we'll continue to keep our fingers patiently crossed, and our coax patiently un-networked.
1394 is -- still -- coming to home theater
Things have been a bit quiet on the 1394 front since the HANA announcement, but they want us to know things are still progressing. This article from EETimes goes into the issues faced by the connector and why it hasn't taken off yet. We all want all of our devices to be able to talk to each other and share their content but so far that hasn't materialized. Helping get the ball rolling are planned 1394b support in a Vista service pack and the ability to send 1394 signals over ethernet or coax. Still, many CE manufacturers seem to be backing ethernet and the DLNA as a way of connecting devices, and this stalemate is even more complex than Blu-ray/HD DVD. As it is, most of us have cable or satellite boxes equipped with FireWire, ethernet and USB ports that are mostly unsupported, unless you like to tinker. Is the (easily) connected home 6 months or 6 years away?
Ethernet over Coax wars
We told you on Monday about Coaxsys and their butt-stompin' 200 Mbps TVnet 2x and it seems that some folks are firing back with even more speed. Engadget has the deets on a potentially faster pipe: can you say 270 Mbps? The Multimedia over Coax Alliance has an acronym that sounds like coffee (MoCA) so we figure that their solution will feel like a caffeine rush. MoCA is comprised of Linksys, Motorola and Panasonic, which has us begging to do some beta testing for them. After all, we used our piddly Linksys router to pump HD at 19.39 Mbps over WiFi. C'mon MoCA, let us in to play; we'll even buy you a cup of joe.
IPTV without speed limits from Coaxsys
Got the need for speed for high-definition programming all about the house? Do you have an "I can't drive 55" sticker on your home network? Buckle up and hold on tight kiddies, because Daddy is about to get Hemi power under the hood!Coaxsys just announced that their 200 Mbps Ethernet over Coax will be demoed at the Consumer Electronics Show early next month in Las Vegas. The new TVNet 2x technology will work over existing coaxial cable, so the beauty of the solution is no expensive rewiring.The actual throughput is expected to be at or around 197 Mbps, which in highly technical terms is SMOKIN'. Here we are trying to stream a 19.39 Mbps HDTV file over WiFi; Coaxsys, you can stop laughing at us now. Really.
