14 DAY TRIAL // At CES 2007 Philips introduced what they call a "wireless HDMI cable". Of course, the words "wireless" and "cable" should not be in the same sentence, but I guess Philips likes to play with words. Not only that, but the device itself is somewhat ground braking since - at the moment - it represents the only solution available on the market if you want to send uncompressed HD signal over a HDMI connection without having to use wires. However, as you're about to find out, it is not the first WHDMI solution.
"HDMI is an established cornerstone for the HDTV industry, and Philips is extremely pleased to see such significant advancements for picture and sound quality. Wireless HDMI presents an entire new category. For consumers who want the most advanced technology with the simplest connectivity, this is the only way to go," said Glen McIlmail, CEO of Philips Accessories.
The WHDMI solution provided by Philips can transmit the 1080p video stream without any signal loss. The lossless transmission is achieved by using the UWB standard. The wireless stream experiences no interference from other RF devices and can be placed anywhere within a 25-foot range (you can even place it in another room and it will still work). The cable is fully compatible with HDCP standard and it will be available in May with a suggested price tag of $299.99.
Philips claims to be the first manufacturer to produce WHDMI solution, but it is not the first that sent HDMI compatible stream through air. In September, Tzero Technologies and Analog Devices announced their own WHDMI solution, which was also using the UWB standard. However, the transmitters and receivers used a lossy encoding algorithm and the result was a drop in fidelity. Their device could only sustain about 480 Mbps (a 1080i signal uses 2.2Gbps).