May 5th, 2009
Wireless HD update: Sony drops price on DMX-WL1 Wireless Video Link, In-Stat says 802.11n Wi-Fi will win
The wireless transmission of high-def video from the source to an HDTV is still a bit of a Holy Grail, as technologies like Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI), WirelessHD, and Ultrawideband (UWB) are struggling to gain any traction. One example: Sony has just slashed the price on its DMX-WL1 Wireless Video Link (pictured), which uses WHDI, from $799.99 to $499.99. Market research In-Stat predicts none of these technologies will emerge as the victor in the space, concluding that 802.11n wireless networking will win out instead.
In-Stat concludes that WHDI and WirelessHD are too expensive and power-hungry to make major inroads and that UWB manufacturers will be bailing on the standard in the near future. While still expensive itself, 802.11n has a couple of key factors in its favor: 1) its widespread adoption for home networks and 2) its ability to transmit video from Internet services, which should become increasing more popular over time.
Chipmakers won’t go down without a fight, however, as evidenced by Amimon’s introduction of its second-generation WHDI chip. Specs include 1080p/60Hz HD video transmission, range that exceeds 100 feet (including through walls), and support for HDCP 2.0 copy protection. Amimon claims the new chipset is a “low-cost” solution ($45 for both transmitter and receiver in production quantities), though we’ll see how that translates to the final price of devices that use it.
Sean Portnoy spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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