CES NEWS: Wireless HD standard could spell the end of home cinema cables

Andrew Everard Thursday, January 03, 2008 13:11

WirelesshdlogoA new standard launched by a consortium of leading electronics manufacturers could open the way to all our home entertainment streaming around the house without cables.

Wireless HD, which operates in the 60GHz band, is designed to be a worldwide standard enabling devices including televisions, HD disc players, set-top boxes, camcorders, gaming consoles and adapter to communicate high-definition content, and the initial standard offers data throughput of 4Gbps with secure content protection.

The Wireless HD 1.0 standard is backed by companies including Intel, LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), NEC Corporation, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba, and has a large number of companies signed up as 'early adopters', including Meridian, Philips and Pioneer. The promoters say that the 60GHz band it uses is both unlicensed and available globally, making it possible to establish a world standard.

It should offer uncompressed streaming of high-definition audio and video content, scalable to take advantage of future developments in these areas, and simplified control of equipment linked using the system.

The system uses smart antenna technology to get over the line-of-sight constraints usually present in the 60GHz band, and high definition content protection to keep the likes of the major movie studios happy.

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Comments

LondonBen January 3, 2008 13:20

Just waiting for the announcement of Wireless Blu.

A competing format which is basically identical, but incompatible....

Perhaps I'm just getting cynical in my old age

Oldskool January 3, 2008 13:41

Oldskool said:

I will be watching this closely as it would be great to wirelessly connect my ceiling mounted projector and fill the holes in the ceiling. Range could be an issue, as could line-of-sight as mine are 6m apart with no direct sight line. Also, I suspect components will require "pairing" for any multiple source/display set-ups. If it has a good (whole house) range with an RF communication, it could be a fantastic solution.

Bazzer56 January 4, 2008 17:20

Wow Will be watching this very closer to. As I am totally fed up with the mass of wires that encompass my humble home. But this is still along way off from becoming available for the masses. But as they say in the press Watch This Space?

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About Andrew Everard

Andrew Everard, Audio Editor of Gramophone since November 1999 and What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision's Consulting Editor, read English at Queens' College, Cambridge a very long time ago! He started his journalistic career in 1982 on Haymarket's photographic magazines, and subsequently worked on What Hi-Fi?, High Fidelity, Audiophile and Home Cinema magazines, as well as contributing a monthly column to Japanese title HiVi.