Holiday Buying and CES Show Will Indicate Wireless High-Definition TV’s Early Prospects
The end-of-year shopping season, followed by the annual CES trade show in January, will give the next indications of the likely short-term prospects for wireless high-definition television systems in the consumer space. Holiday sales of existing products and new product announcements at CES will help paint a picture as to which of several competing systems – if any – is likely to lead the charge towards wide consumer acceptance of wireless HDTV.
There are three contending technologies, loosely characterized as: 5 GHz, 60 GHz, and ultra-wideband (UWB). Small numbers of 5 GHz and UWB devices are currently shipping; demo products of 60 GHz systems are expected early next year. “Over the next two to three years, we’re going to see one or two of these wireless HDTV approaches emerge as the primary ones,” says ABI Research principal analyst Steve Wilson.
Two industry groups have emerged to promote 5 GHZ and 60 GHz solutions. Israeli company Amimon, around whose technology the 5 GHz platforms are based, took an initiative in July, forming the WHDI Special Interest Group, which has been joined by Hitachi, Motorola, Sharp, Samsung and Sony. Hedging their bets, the latter two vendors are also members of the competing industry body, WirelessHD, which is intended to promote the 60 Hz approach designed by SiBEAM, Inc. Other members of WirelessHD include Intel, LG Electronics, Matsushita Electric, NEC, and Toshiba. Samsung is said to believe that WHDI should be seen as a stopgap technology until WirelessHD becomes “the ultimate solution in the long run.”
But until then, says Wilson, “The WHDI group has the early momentum. Announcements at CES of systems using the 60 GHz band will give some indication of whether consumer products will actually make it to market in 2009. The coming year will be a very important period for the introduction of all types of new wireless high-definition TV products.”
Wireless HDTV Technologies Battle for A Million Installations in 2012
We’ve got wireless phones, wireless Internet and wireless home networks. Next, coming to a living room or commercial facility near you, is wireless high-definition TV. However, the market is still in its “incubation” stage, with fewer than 100,000 devices expected to ship this year. According to a new study from ABI Research, optimistic forecasts point to 2012 as the earliest year for the milestone of one million wireless HDTV installations worldwide.
Meanwhile, a “battle of technologies” is being fought. There are three contending systems, loosely characterized as: 5 GHz, 60 GHz, and ultra wideband (UWB).
“5 GHz technology is better understood and more proven,” says principal analyst Steve Wilson, “but achieving the required data rates requires new approaches and more complex solutions. UWB technology has bandwidth advantages at in-room distances but drops rapidly at greater ranges. 60 GHz allows high data rates, but so far only one company is even close to a viable solution.”
Small numbers of 5 GHz and UWB devices are currently shipping; demo products of 60 GHz systems are expected early next year. “Over the next two to three years, we’re going to see one or two of these wireless HDTV approaches emerge as the primary ones,” says Wilson.
Who would want wireless HDTV and why? Wireless will simplify some installations and allow more flexibility in positioning TVs. There are both commercial applications – digital signage, for example – and domestic applications such as wall-mounting a flat-screen HDTV. “The initial sweet spot in the market is where wired installation would be difficult or complicated,” says Wilson.
All the wireless HDTV silicon vendors are venture-backed startups and most established wireless vendors are waiting to see how the market evolves. Product manufacturers are moving forward with different strategies: some, like Westinghouse and Belkin are initially targeting commercial and custom installers where there is clear value-add. In contrast, some TV manufacturers such as Sharp and Hitachi are targeting buyers of their latest technology, offering design-oriented, elegant products that come with a wireless connectivity option. [ABI Research]
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