Wi-Fi and UWB to play leapfrog in home entertainment
14 July 2004
News
Technologies for networking home entertainment equipment will compete for dominance over the next five years, but ultimately Wi-Fi will use 802.11n to continue its early lead, according to a new study by ABI Research. The report identifies three candidates for wireless home entertainment networking: powerline networking, Wi-Fi (802.11x) and ultra wide band (UWB). The research group believes that the real contest will be between Wi-Fi and UWB.
Phil Solis, ABI Research senior analyst, points out that although the official data transmission rate of the 802.11a and 802.11g protocols is 54 Mbps, the actual throughput is only about half that, due to the communications overhead required.
The UWB standard will offer theoretical speeds up to 480 Mbps, he says. However, the first generation of UWB chipsets coming off the assembly lines in 2005 and into actual equipment in 2006-2007, will only offer 100-200 Mbps, and that does not take the required overhead into account. Meanwhile the standard for the next member of the 802.11 family - 802.11n - will have been ratified. The result?
"Wi-Fi will continue to work its way into home entertainment networking, and will become entrenched," says Solis. "By the time UWB comes out - or just a little later - 802.11n solutions will start to appear."
That may spell trouble for UWB, because 802.11n will offer actual throughput of 100 Mbps, after wireless overhead is accounted for - enough for multiple high-definition video streams.
"In the end," concludes Solis, "UWB will wind up being faster, and the chipsets will be cheaper. But if it is going to compete with Wi-Fi in home entertainment networking, it will probably be in non-realtime data transfer, such as moving video from a camera or camcorder to a PC, where distance is not an issue."
www.abiresearch.com
Further reading:
Rooibos heads to space
News
A South African scientific initiative linking agriculture and space research has officially launched today with the Rooibos in Space programme at Parklands College’s Innovation Centre in Cape Town.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Local can be international
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
Welcome to the July 2026 issue of
Dataweek. As you can see from this introduction,
Dataweek’s regular editor, Peter Howells, is on extended leave and I am filling the void in his editor’s column – hopefully without being too boring.
Read more...
Landis+Gyr EMEA introduces new company name: EYKON
News
EYKON is the new company name of Landis+Gyr EMEA, formerly part of the Landis+Gyr Group. The company supports electricity, gas, water and thermal utilities in managing increasingly complex networks, improving operational efficiency and enabling more sustainable use of resources.
Read more...
Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services News
Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX 2026, the Expo for Electronics Manufacturing, in Stuttgart from 6-8 October 2026, how advanced surface-mount automation helps companies grow their business and increase productivity.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: The art of measuring the truth
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
All electronic measurements are a lie. The trick is making the lie as small as possible.
Read more...
TSE has relocated
News
The Technology Station in Electronics (TSE) has entered a new chapter with its relocation from the CSIR campus to TUT-owned building at Ditsela Place in Hatfield.
Read more...
Innovative MyLegrand app
RS South Africa
News
Legrand SA is set to launch the MyLegrand mobile application, a digital platform designed to strengthen engagement across its professional network.
Read more...
Kulani Energy acquires critical assets from Optipower
News
Kulani Energy preserves engineering, procurement, and construction capability and positions a wholly women-owned firm at the forefront of South Africa’s grid expansion.
Read more...
From Cape Town to Johannesburg
News
Würth Elektronik South Africa has taken a significant step forward with its recent relocation from Cape Town to Johannesburg, marking a new phase of growth and ambition for the company.
Read more...
Lesley Havenga: Building partnerships for Africa’s electronics future
Editor's Choice News
As Würth Electronik expands its footprint across South Africa and the broader sub-Saharan region, Havenga’s blend of manufacturing expertise, supply chain knowledge, and people-centred leadership appears well suited to the task.
Read more...
printer friendly version