Philips developing wireless HD capability for its Connected Home
Philips have announced that it has signed a deal with Metalink for use of their WLANPlus wi-fi technology in its Connected Home project.
The system uses the 802.11n Wi-Fi protocol, which boasts theoretical speeds of up to 540megabits per second, and improved multi-input/multi-output (MIMO) operation. Due to the heavy use of the 2.4GHz bandwidth by broadband routers, phones, and all those other wireless gizmos, 802.11n uses the 5GHz frequency - if you really care?
What it means practically is the Metalink's chip can deliver multiple streams of HD content to any wireless-enabled device within a 100-foot range.
Actual real-world speeds and operating range are sure to be lower (as I can testify when I get dropouts or reduced throughput on my home wireless network).
The manufacturers must be confident that there's enough overhead to cope with such fluctuations. A dropped connection in the middle of your favourite high-def sport or film when you're in the bath and can't go and boot the router will not be popular (you will be getting a wall-mounted HDTV in your bathroom, right?)
Not surprisingly, Philips are hoping that you'll buy their technology to get the perfect high-definition, wireless experience in your home: Philips' advanced TV, set-top box, and digital media adapter.
However, as this is standards-based technology, and there are predictions of a massive increase in the number of wireless consumer goods over the next few of years, you'll hopefully be able to connect any of your wireless devices together to create a tangle-free, house-wide entertainment system.
"We believe that in 2007, driven by the adoption of the 802.11n standard, WiFi chipsets will be widely used by consumer electronics manufacturers for products such as HDTV displays and DVRs," said Philip Solis, senior analyst at ABI Research. "We expect the number of WiFi ICs sold into consumer electronics to grow from 6.6 million units in 2004 to over 70 million units in 2007."
Philips semiconductor system solution portfolio using Metalink's WLANPlus chipset will be available from Q4 2006.
