GNU Radio

Max Hyre writes "Apropos (!= man -k :-) RIAA, web radio, and other such data-dispersal disagreements, here's a new way to do it your way: a fully software-driven radio receiver; just strap some off-the-shelf DAC hardware into a generic computer, and let the software do the rest. While I can just barely spell `sideband', this looks like it could be more fun than any set you ever had before, especially after those in the know build up some kewl apps for the great unwashed like me. They're also dreaming of GPS, cellular phones, &c.. My only gripe is that the web pages proper don't seem to have any cookbook recipes for the hardware; maybe that's in the docs with the source, or maybe this is strictly for the experienced, for now."

Comments

.. but software modems are evil?

[Anonymous Coward]

so why is a software radio getting the geek seal of approval?

I see some potential here.

[Innominate Recreant]

If the software is digitally creating the waveforms before conversion to analog and transmission, then encryption could be applied to the waveform, and decrypted with the appropriate key by the receiver (a radio version of PGP, anyone?). This could prove to be a very cool method of secure communication.

Hardware Geeks

[Alien54]

This looks like it very much as hardware geek think. very cool, very esoteric.

It is not pointless, however, but it is very bleeding edge. I can see this being more practical as processor speed improves.

Maybe eventually there will be something like a box with a firewire connection or something.

You know some companies will freak if people start producing software to receive HDTV, Satellite Radio, etc. HDTV is supposed to be the standard nation wide by 2006(??). This ties in with the ability in HDTV to block recording of certain programs, etc. if you have a digital recorder. This will also tie into that bill Sen Hollings introduced.

So this is all part of a somewhat larger picture.