Next-Generation Wi-Fi Technology Set to Bring IPTV to Every Corner of the Home
Wi-Fi chip manufacturer Airgo Networks has announced that its latest wireless technology will be used to transmit IPTV signals from computers throughout the entire home.
The project is a collaboration with Caton Overseas, a Chinese company specializing in the production of satellite and cable digital receivers, and STMicroelectronics, a company that supplies chips to major digital receiver manufacturers like Siemens and Cisco Systems.
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| Source: DreamTheatre |
Airgo’s high-performance Wi-Fi chips utilize a technology called MIMO, which stands for “Multiple Input, Multiple Output.” This technology enhances the coverage range and signal strength of Wi-Fi. MIMO is currently the foundation of the latest Wi-Fi standard – 802.11n.
Performance Barriers
Airgo has adjusted its MIMO technology to ensure that all three factors—quality, coverage area, and signal stability—are sufficiently high to deliver high-quality video. The company’s latest chip, called True MIMO Gen3, offers data transmission speeds of up to 240 Mbps when tested in a model home spanning 300 square meters. This speed is fast enough to simultaneously transmit three high-definition TV channels.
Mobile networks, such as AT&T and Verizon, are investing billions of dollars to upgrade their systems to provide Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services to mainstream users. However, the vast majority of households currently do not have Ethernet cables, which have traditionally been used to deliver IP services.
This is why one of the barriers that mobile networks face when providing IPTV is finding a way to transmit this service to multiple TV screens at the same time.
An Alternative Approach
Wi-Fi serves as a good alternative to Ethernet cables, but until recently, this technology was not strong or reliable enough to handle the heavy demands of transmitting high-definition video signals.
“At this point, the only way for multiple TVs to connect to IPTV service is through wired connections. However, in the near future, wireless technologies will be able to take over“, said Airgo’s marketing director.
Another company, Ruckus Wireless, also specializes in optimizing Wi-Fi for video delivery. However, Airgo claims that Ruckus employs a different method: enhancing performance using older technology.
“Ruckus’s technology is like tuning up the engine of a dilapidated car. What we are doing is replacing the entire engine with a brand new, more powerful one“.
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