60GHz

What is 60GHz and what does it mean for the future of the modern living room? In 2001, the FCC set aside a continuous block of spectrum for wireless communications referred to as 60GHz.  The spectrum is globally unlicensed, meaning anyone can develop innovative products using 60GHz without worrying about regulatory standards from country to country, or paying for a license to use the spectrum. Most importantly, 60GHz delivers the fastest wireless speeds on the market – twenty times faster than Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies! 60GHz offers 4Gbps of throughput, with future rates up to 25Gbps.  What does this mean in real terms? Huge data transfers, like movies, downloaded to a TV, computer, or handheld device in mere seconds.

As wireless connectivity becomes an increasing preference across many consumer electronics product categories, the conversation about the potential for 60GHz technology to transform the wireless A/V industry for home entertainment, personal computing and consumer electronics is picking up momentum. Consumers, industry enthusiasts and retailers are beginning to pay greater attention to 60GHz and understand its capabilities and importance.  While many companies are clamoring to jump on board the 60GHz wagon, WirelessHD is the first to offer real standards-based products on the market.

WirelessHD®

Unlike other technologies, WirelessHD uses lossless (meaning no data is dropped in transmission) HDTV video and audio signals that deliver the highest quality HD content. WirelessHD is easy-to-use, delivering a universal wireless link that connects all CE products based on the WirelessHD standard, at full HD quality, with even less complexity than traditional wired systems. For example, you can create an A/V network for the connection of flat panel plasma or LCD displays and multimedia projectors, video sources such as digital set-top-boxes, high definition digital video cameras, DVD players and future successors, and both PC-based and standalone media centers. 

The reason we have not seen more 60GHz wireless products on the market is because this technology is very new and very complex. One of the challenges is that a 60GHz wireless signal is directional in nature and requires line-of-sight.  However, WirelessHD products employ an unprecedented intelligent antenna beam-steering system for non-line-of-sight operation. For example, if someone enters the room and walks directly in front of the signal, it will quickly find a new path between devices with no noticeable disruption in the A/V.

People around the world are beginning to see products touting the WirelessHD logo on the shelves in the US, Japan and Korea and now Europe.  Panasonic’s Viera and LG Electronics’ LHX lines include the WirelessHD capability in their latest large screen consumer flat panels with more product announcements planned in the near future.

The HDTV Market – How is WirelessHD Making a Difference?

A new study from ABI Research forecasts that by 2011, roughly 20 million wireless networked TVs will be shipped worldwide, driven by the high quality of these displays and their super-thin designs along with the desire to connect more devices to their HDTV. As the amount of digital media content available to consumers increases exponentially, so does the demand for the ultimate entertainment solution to bring that content to HDTVs.

The availability of high definition wireless connections eliminates the morass of switches, HD-capable stereo receivers and other complexities traditionally needed to support the wide variety of devices consumers already have,, or are planning on buying, for their home entertainment system.  With high definition wireless links, connecting any source to any display is dramatically simplified by removing the need for a hard-wired connection.

WirelessHD is removing the guesswork associated with deciding which cables to buy or plan for when integrating new electronics devices. Individuals have the freedom to place a source, such as a Blu-ray player or DVR, and display device wherever it’s convenient and aesthetic pleasing to them, within one room. To top it off, users only need their existing remote controls to select which source is shown on the display or heard on the speakers.  That’s all.

Such a basic idea of simple and reliable high definition connectivity is facilitated by the many technologies that are part of WirelessHD.  This consumer electronics and personal computing industry standard is focused on doing all of the hard work necessary to make high quality, high definition multimedia wireless in the home very simple, very affordable and easily recognizable.