Wi-Media - Airport Express II

jabbajabba
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Since Apple pulled off Wi-Fi with Lucent in summer '99 a few months before other computer companies, could they do it again for Wi-Media ?



Airport Express is nice for Audio, but video etc. needs more QOS.



This is where 802.15.3 will come in late 2004..Wi-Media. A good introductory article on Wi-Media:



http://www.wired.com/news/technology...,59959,00.html



For all the things mentioned (hangable diplays, iBox / set-top box...), this new standard could make a lot of sense.



May we see this at WWDC already ?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    What's the difference between this and 802.11e?
  • Reply 2 of 5
    jabbajabba Posts: 82member
    Quite technical (and maybe outdated):



    http://www.xtremespectrum.com/PDF/802.11eVs802.15.3.pdf



    In short, 802.15.3 seesm to have better support for ad-how networks (P2P), low cost and low power requirements.



    I couldn't find on exact market availability for both standards.



    802.15.3 was intended to be available in Q4 2004....but if Apple manages to get a headstart like last time (July 1999 for Wi-Fi and then software upgrade...), we could see something at WWDC.



    PS: Other posts from 'left field at WWDC' also got me thinking about a cord-less phone from Apple again (a la Vonage, but much better...) with Wi-Fi support, although that would probably be 802.11
  • Reply 3 of 5
    jabbajabba Posts: 82member
    An easier to digest article comparing the two...interesting is the link to Wireless Firewire AND support for DRM in 802.15.3...especially given SJ comments regarding HD-DVD and DRM issues:



    Quote:

    Unlike 802.11 connections, 802.15.3 is designed for peer-to-peer operation rather than routing data through an access point, whether that's a base-station or a client machine configured as one. Access points can become network bottlenecks.



    ..



    Products using 802.15.3 are anticipated to be available during Q4, according to the WiMedia Alliance, a Wi-Fi Alliance-style organisation formed to promote consumer multimedia PAN-based wireless networking. It was set up last September by Eastman Kodak, HP, Motorola, Philips, Samsung, Sharp Labs of America, Time Domain and XtremeSpectrum.



    ..



    Many of them are members of the 1394 PAL-defining working group.

    Interoperability with 1394 is key to ensuring compatibility with wired devices and supporting consumer electronics interconnection schemes based on 1394, such as the Home AV Interoperability (HAVi) standard. It also provides, through 5C, the level of DRM that commercial content creators are insisting upon and the consumer electronics industry will undoubtedly demand too. It's what takes 802.15.3 beyond being just another network.



    ..



    Source:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/05/08/team_targets/
  • Reply 4 of 5
    beigeuserbeigeuser Posts: 371member
    So 802.15.3 isn't backward compatible with 802.11. 802.15.3 is also designed for peer-to-peer and not as an access point. It seems like we're going to have to buy both (plus bluetooth) in order to enjoy true wireless freedom. How many different types of wireless signals do we need?



    I wonder if there's a way to increase the range & speed of 802.11 and add some sort of DRM support.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    Looks like 802.15.3 = Bluetooth Extreme.
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