Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Yet Another Wireless Standard: WiMedia
Posted by Janak Parekh in "HARDWARE" @ 07:30 AM
Jason mentioned WiMax yesterday, but wait! The IEEE has introduced yet another new standard - 802.15.3, dubbed "WiMedia" - designed for stable streaming media applications, including integration into consumer entertainment devices like TVs.
"The new standard, which shares the same chunk of airwaves as cordless phones, microwave ovens and other popular wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, would ensure fast, uninterrupted streaming media. Once a connection is made between WiMedia devices, the network automatically switches channels if it detects any interference from other technologies, said Robert Heile, chairman of the IEEE 802.15 working group and chief technology officer for wireless radio and software maker Appairent Technologies."
It's notable that WiMedia needs no base station, and that it supports high-bandwidth applications at a greater distance than 802.11a. However, we're starting to see specialization of WiFi-related technologies, and I'm afraid we'll start to see fragmentation as well. I'd love to see one or two unified high-bandwidth standards, but the market is going in precisely the opposite direction.
"The new standard, which shares the same chunk of airwaves as cordless phones, microwave ovens and other popular wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, would ensure fast, uninterrupted streaming media. Once a connection is made between WiMedia devices, the network automatically switches channels if it detects any interference from other technologies, said Robert Heile, chairman of the IEEE 802.15 working group and chief technology officer for wireless radio and software maker Appairent Technologies."
It's notable that WiMedia needs no base station, and that it supports high-bandwidth applications at a greater distance than 802.11a. However, we're starting to see specialization of WiFi-related technologies, and I'm afraid we'll start to see fragmentation as well. I'd love to see one or two unified high-bandwidth standards, but the market is going in precisely the opposite direction.
