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Belkin FlyWire Wireless Video Cable Does 1080p Across Nothin'
Posted by Brian Lam at 12:30 PM on January 3, 2008
We saw this Belkin wireless high definition video streamer in a blurry shot, but had little clue what it was. Months ago, we saw an impressive demo by Aminom of true HD over wireless, up to 1080p using a standard called WHDI, but it was nothing more than parts you couldn't buy. No more. Belkin and Aminom just got together to make this 6 input wireless video device, although details aren't that forthcoming, this is how it works:
One set enables uncompressed 720p and 1080i video to be transmitted over the 5GHz wireless band, using 20MHz of bandwidth and reaching distances up to 100 feet with the same quality as HDMI cable. Two of the chipsets ganged together send 1080p video wirelessly, using 40MHz of bandwidth.
Range is a theoretical 100 feet. Now we have no idea if these inputs are HDMI, component or other, but I'm guessing the WHDI interface is at least HDMI for the simplicity of handling AV through a single cable, and given the size of the box, you don't really have room for 6 sets of component cables using 5 jacks each. More as it comes, at CES [Thanks tipster, previously on Giz: Belkin and Amimom]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Murdermonkey
Posted 11:54 AM 3/1/08
WOWOWOWOW
Has anyone thought of the projector implications for this!!!!
PRO-JEK-TUR
IM A GENIUS
Murdermonkey
earthling
Posted 9:12 AM 3/1/08
The WHDI technology uses variable protection scheme where the signal is encoded in order of importance from the LSB up through the MSB. What this means is that your low frequency content (LSB) is less protected and uses less bandwidth than the MSB (high frequency) data. The real world result of this is that your picture will break up in a less noticeable manner when there is signal issues. Having said that however, this technology is no different than any other wireless technology from the perspective that when there is even moderate signal loss/congestion/interference the results will be disastrous. Thre is no getting around the fact that you are talking about pushing over 1.5Gb/s of data across 40Mhz of bandwidth, its wireless, and its wireless in an unlicensed spectrum so there WILL be interference at some point unless of course you live in a faraday cage. The question is really; will there be enough interference to be obnoxious.. ymWv
*your milage Will vary*
earthling
laiten
Posted 3:48 AM 3/1/08
I'm assuming that there is a receiver component, which isn't pictured.
I hope that it's able to simply pass through the digital audio signal from the HDMI inputs.
I wonder how HDCP fits into the picture with this...
laiten
ZX3Junglist
Posted 11:14 PM 2/1/08
@cabowah:
The article states that the 6 selections you see are inputs. Also, if you click the 'Belkin' Link in the article, it shows the device sitting on an HD-DVD player. I looks like about 12" x 5" x 2".
ZX3Junglist
scarbrtj
Posted 10:30 PM 2/1/08
I'll see it when I believe it.
scarbrtj
james-42
Posted 9:23 PM 2/1/08
I'll wait till Pear has a $6k antenna for it, that would be the bomb!
james-42
titan001
Posted 9:13 PM 2/1/08
I bet this would go great with a projector!!! Heh.
titan001
cabowah
Posted 9:12 PM 2/1/08
ohhh yes, but how big is the receiver...
And i hope those six channel is out, so We could hook it up with the multiple screens.
cabowah
tokiwartooth
Posted 9:11 PM 2/1/08
2.4ghz, typo.
tokiwartooth
tokiwartooth
Posted 9:10 PM 2/1/08
The few wireless video repeaters i've used (that rely on the 24.ghx band) and pretty good, but suffer easily from interference. ie, The microwave two rooms over will totally cut out any and all of the signal.
Bumping it up to a HD feed, what sort of interference might you expect to start knocking the quality of this around?
tokiwartooth
emanresu
Posted 9:09 PM 2/1/08
do you think this would be useful for a projector?
emanresu
Keebler
Posted 8:47 PM 2/1/08
Hmmm... if this (or something like it) were reasonably priced it could offer a great alternative to running wires through the wall or up the wall to a ceiling mounted projector.
Keebler
SecretAZNMan
Posted 8:40 PM 2/1/08
Doh, this would have been nice about a month ago when I set up my projector!
SecretAZNMan
SecretAZNMan
Posted 12:54 PM 3/1/08
Seriously?!?!
SecretAZNMan
lurgy
Posted 12:58 PM 3/1/08
There aren't many devices using the 5.8GHz band, so interference will be less of a problem. What will be more of a problem is that silicon is lossy at this frequency, so this would eat a some more power than a 2.4GHz device, and a lot more power than just a cable :)
lurgy
DarylO
Posted 2:07 AM 3/1/08
Wow ... if it comes with DVI, this would be great for connecting computers to HDTV's. I've been waiting for this technology for some time!
DarylO
lurgy
Posted 1:56 AM 3/1/08
@TOKIWARTOOTH:
Because there many fewer devices using the 5.8 GHz band than the 2.4 GHz one, there will probably also be much less interference than on 2.4 GHz.
Using 5.8 GHz has other drawbacks though. Inexpensive microwave circuitry (that is, on standard printed circuit board material) is much more lossy at those frequencies, costing you a good bit more $$ on your power bill. It's not likely that they used more exotic materials to build this, because they are significantly more expensive. Either way, this would cost you more money on your monthly power bill than cables.
lurgy