14 DAY TRIAL // Unless you have been living under a rock, you should be familiar with the Wireless HD (or WiHD) standard. WiHD is a a wireless high definition digital interface standard that operates on the 60 GHz frequency (much beyond the cellphone carriers' spectrum) and is alleged to spare the HD appliances owner the headache of using cables for interconnectivity.
"With the completion of the WirelessHD specification, consumer electronics manufacturers can focus on their WirelessHD-based product development efforts," said John Marshall, Chairman of WirelessHD. "This important industry initiative will change the way manufacturers develop and market devices, as well as reshape how consumers interface with these products."
The Wireless HD standard is maintained by Intel, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, LG, Matsushita and NEC. The companies have today announced the completion of the first version of the WiHD specification set. WirelessHD will deliver a data transfer rate of 4Gb/s via the 60GHz radio spectrum and is the wireless alternative to HDMI.
The specification set bundles the method of delivering HD content with other means of preventing it from illegal duplication. The WiHD-enabled devices are somewhat intelligent and can locate each other, then negotiate links between them, then share their feature set (each device will state what tasks it can perform). The same specification set covers an universal remote controller, too.
The WiHD specification set will not be made public. Instead, it will be shared with the companies that are either Adapters and Promoters, according to the WiHD group spokespersons. They will implement the technology into their products, then test their interoperability.
A somewhat blurry aspect of the new format is its utility. The need for the WiHD standard is questionable, since it has a PC equivalent, the Wireless USB, another work in progress. The Wireless USB technology has faced repeated delays, as cables are a cheaper, yet viable approach to data transfer. For in-house roaming enthusiasts, there is the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard that can pretty much do the same, with the only difference that it is real and ready to be used.