Microsoft Tinkers With 'White-Fi' Exploring the possibilities of white space technology It's been a little while since broadcasters (with the help of Dolly Parton) lost their fight against the Wireless Innovation Alliance, a coalition comprised of Google, Microsoft, Dell and other technology giants. The coalition is looking to use unlicensed and partially vacated spectrum created by the shift to digital television to create a new broadband delivery system. The companies have been tinkering with White Space Devices since being given the go ahead by the FCC last fall, and Ranveer Chandra talks with MIT Technology Review about the technology's progress and potential.
|
  DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA | This will not work in major markets Therefore it has limited potential as any kind of game changer.
This seems like a ploy by Googlesoft to get free spectrum. WiMax makes way more sense, techologically. | |
|  | | | Re: This will not work in major markets That's one hell of a pessimistic outlook. | |
| | | DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA Reviews:
 ·DSL EXTREME
| Re: This will not work in major markets Laws of physics are neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
Try this address (Bob's Big Boy):
4211 Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
»www.showmywhitespace.com/
You'll find that you have your choice of Channel 2, which requires a huge antenna and is very susceptible to impulse noise, or Channel 8, only slightly less sucky than 2.
If these people can't make it work in NYC, LA, SF, Chicago, etc., how will they catch any buzz?
| |
| | | |  aSicapplication specificPremium
join:2001-05-17
Wakulla, FL | Re: This will not work in major markets But then there are areas like my own, just outside of a town of 250,000, where a majority of "channels" are available for use. I would believe a large portion of the country falls into this category.
Who gives a rats ass about LA, SF and NYC? They already have decent access to broadband. Theres still a large swath of the country that doesnt, and thats the niche these white space devices should fulfill.
--
Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say. | |
| | | | |  DataDocMy avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
 ·Suddenlink
| Re: This will not work in major markets Exactly. We've got plenty available. | |
| | | | | DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA Reviews:
·DSL EXTREME
| One out of 4 Americans lives in a major metropolitan area.
As long as you don't need your "white fi" when you visit the big city I guess there's no problem.
Personally, I think that if you want big city advantages, you should move to the big city. | |
|
| | |  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by DavePR:Laws of physics are neither optimistic nor pessimistic. Try this address (Bob's Big Boy): 4211 Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505 » www.showmywhitespace.com/You'll find that you have your choice of Channel 2, which requires a huge antenna and is very susceptible to impulse noise, or Channel 8, only slightly less sucky than 2. If these people can't make it work in NYC, LA, SF, Chicago, etc., how will they catch any buzz? If they use that site they wil be sued. It is totally off. It says the only channels that can't be used are 3,4 and 37. Except that 5,8,10,15,21,23,27,33,36,39,43,44,47 and 50 are all used for TV. Hmmmm. | |
| | | | | DavePR
join:2008-06-04
Canyon Country, CA | Re: This will not work in major markets I suspect you fed it an address it didn't like. I'd try again. | |
|
| me1212
join:2008-11-20
Pleasant Hill, MO | I think it will do well in tw/att meter markets. | |
|
| | Website no more? Anyone go to the Wireless Innovation Alliance's website? it's been Suspended. LMAO!
Google didn't pay the bill? | |
| | | | Re: Website no more? no one would goto the web site so they cut it.  | |
| |  Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium
join:2002-03-03
USA
kudos:4 | said by hottboiinnc:Anyone go to the Wireless Innovation Alliance's website? it's been Suspended. LMAO! Google didn't pay the bill? Probably just a sockpuppet/shill/astroturfer group no longer needed by MS & Google. | |
|
 ARGONAUTgot ping?Premium
join:2006-01-24
New Albany, IN
1 edit | 'White-Fi' I see the GOP adopting this real fast. | |
|  aqk
join:2006-07-17
Elgin, QC
kudos:1
 ·Bell WiMAX
| Does this refer to the old TV channels 2 to 13? If so, your results may vary.
Canada is still using these TV channels for at least the next couple of years, so any installations less than (say) 60 miles from the Canadian border may have problems.
But I'm not sure if any Canadian TV stations are using channels 52 to 69....
And why does the above »www.wirelessinnovationalliance.org/ url say "THIS WEBSITE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED"? | |
| Markie
join:2003-07-26
Kalispell, MT | Grr.... There's a reason Dolly Parton opposed white space devices. Any musician, performer, broadcaster, church group, etc should be opposed to this. People on BBR are too one-sided.
The NAB gives plenty of things to hate, to be honest - I understand that. This isn't one of them. Their motive isn't political. The NAB has no interest in broadband pricing. People pay what it is now, this *DOES NOT* affect them or make broadband video more popular.
The NAB, and Dolly Parton (whether she truly knows it or not), and each of us who is an entertainer in any way should (and most of us who understand DO) have SERIOUS CONCERNS about the interference potential of white space devices. This isn't an economic concern, it's a tech concern.
Why? Well, the NAB is worried they'll cause TV interference to some degree but I'll tell you the much bigger concern we ALL should have - all entertainers, churches, and anyone who enjoys entertainment or attends church.
WIRELESS MICROPHONES. We use wireless microphones that run in the white spaces. And we do so with no license. Because the FCC *will not* license most wireless mic users. Why? So they can go back and claim there are only a few thousand users of wireless microphones. Which is nonsense, even in a small town on any given weekend night or Sunday there are sure to be hundreds of channels of wireless in use - thousands once you get to any place of a meaningful size.
Right now, we enjoy peace and quiet - and thus reliable, portable, flexible device use no matter where we go.
Our quiet is about to go away, and we're going to be lost in chaos and noise on the white spaces. Yes, the FCC is protecting us *some* in the final proposal. Why do you think that is? Their own good will? NO - the lobbying of these groups that I am *extremely* thankful for as a wireless mic user. And that you should be extremely thankful for if you enjoy concerts, church, sports broadcasts, rodeos, circuses, beauty pageants, live news, etc. Really just about any entertainment.
Our job as sound techs is about to get much harder. And thus, the shows you enjoy are about to start experiencing more technical problems, microphone glitches, etc. Without the NAB and other entertainment industry groups lobbying FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT - it would have got to be nearly impossible to successfully use white space wireless microphones.
C'mon guys, thank the NAB for this one - then go about hating them for their anti-competitive-broadband-video ways  | |
|
| |
|
|
