Wireless HD Coming in 2008

A collection of the biggest powers in consumer electronics, including LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and SiBEAM announced today that they are teaming together to ratify a standard for wireless high-def signal transmission. United as a technology group going under the name WirelessHD, the companies aim to have a finalized specification in spring 2007. The WirelessHD (WiHD) standard will allow for uncompressed, digital transmission of HD video and audio signals, essentially making it equivalent, in theory, to wireless HDMI.

The signal will operate on the 60 GHz frequency band and apparently will sport the bandwidth required to support both current and future HD signals. HDMI 1.3 currently rocks 10.2-Gbps, and it must be assumed that WiHD will aim to be even faster. A ubiquitous wireless HD standard would do a lot to improve interoperability among devices, and would also expand the capabilities of personal video players, PDAs, and other handheld devices. Continue >>