Microsoft-Google-Dell-HP-Intel-blah, blah, blah
If you’ve been listening to John’s Tech5 podcast [as you should], you’ve heard the beginnings of his analysis of this coalition and their project – and their testing with the FCC. I just hunted up the hardware.
When Dell, Earthlink, Google, HP, Intel, Microsoft and Philips got together to create a prototype “white space” device—that is, a box capable of two-way high-bandwidth wireless communication in the frequencies now occupied by analog TV signal—you would have thought the combined muscle would ensure success. But the White Spaces Coalition has failed its first test with the FCC, with two prototypes that don’t seem to know [their ass] an occupied channel from [their elbow] an empty one.
If you’re feeling geeky enough, the .pdf of the tests, etc. is over here.
Wide band is cool, and the tech could lead to some interesting things…
But they are going to need to be Fully digital.
AS many users can use it, AS LONG as each signal is encoded to the USER.
But in this LOW range to frequency, there are MANY MANY problems…
Including your computer, your Toaster, your electric Heater, Your microwave, Your Frig, YOUR FAN, your air conditioner…ALl of these spike, in that range… AS WELL as most of your Battery and POWER tools….
Lets watch and see what happens…
Microsoft: FCC tested broken white spaces device, neglected backup unit [edit: pls use tinyurl] http://tinyurl.com/2xt2z3
>>Microsoft: FCC tested broken white spaces device
Woopsie!
LOOk at the list…
THIs is GOOGLE, MS, INTELL, HP, and Phillips….And probably OTHERS…
You guys are looking at this topic all wrong.
Say the technology did work. What makes you think the FCC would let it fly? They’re going to phase out VHF soon and sell off the majority of the spectrum to the highest bidder. This technology represents, from their point of view, an unnecessary roadblock in that plan.
This shit isn’t going anywhere, regardless of if it works or not.
FCC not reallocating all VHF TV spectrum: in some places TV stations are keeping (or returning) to their VHF neighborhoods. Plus the subject devices are vying for white space in all the TV spectra, are they not? Since these devices are much lower power than the kilo- to megawatt signals of broadcast TV they don’t need to worry about interfering with distant signals. Perhaps the oh-so-public-minded NAB really wants this public resource kept in its own industry’s back pocket to use when they feel like developing the technology.
5,
you are right, AND CAN YOU GUESS, whom is going to buy it…
DUH.