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FCC Lets Wireless Devices Use Empty TV Channels
Dr X-ray writes, "The FCC has given its blessing to wireless devices that operate in vacant television channels; unfortunately, the devices can't go on sale until 2009, when all television broadcasters are required to switch to digital transmission. Even then, much of the spectrum won't be available. From the article at Ars Technica: 'Here's how the scheme will work: consumer electronics devices will be allowed to operate in the portion of the TV spectrum being vacated by broadcasters as they switch to digital broadcasts in 2009, with some restrictions. Channel 37 is out — it's used by radio astronomers. Channels 52-69 are also out, since they have been allocated for public safety use. Finally, channels 14-20 might be out (the Commission has asked for more information) because 13 US cities currently use parts of that spectrum for public safety communications.'"
What would I want to watch an empty TV channel for?
I used to be able to get a channel that had signal/jitter trace displayed on it with my old cable service. I'd often leave it on just for fun, especially if people were over. Since I hardly ever watched TV (basic cable comes with a cable modem) I was doubly amused when one of the ratings companies asked me to be one of their participants. For a few bucks a month I'd write in a few episodes of the Simpsons, some historical documentary, and a dozen hours of "oscilloscope channel." I'm sure they tossed that out when compiling their results, but it still amused me.
um....not really....The amount of IP bandwidth which could be pushed through this wide spectrum would easily support broadcasted (255.255.255.255) IP tv along with a general purpose internet connection.
Dont believe me? Think about it this way: we are switching to digital broadcast which will greatly shrink the need for a wide spectrum of frequencies. Now add a tiny bit of IP overhead (which would probably be cancelled out by newer compression technologies which would be a lot easier to distribute to these IP based boxes), and you have a general purpose internet line.
To address privacy concerns, the packets would be a UDP broadcast. No one knows what you are watching.
I fear the Y2038 bug
Sometimes when I'm stuck in traffic, I pick up XM/Sirius broadcasts on (locally)-unused FM frequencies because people with wireless FM transmitters are leaking signal for around 10-20 feet around their car.
The obvious application for these frequencies is going to be a wireless device that broadcasts analog TV from an NTSC input source, and it'll be advertised as a "wireless DVD/gaming console player" or "make your old VCR wireless" gadget, targeting nontechnical people who (a) don't want to buy a new TV, and (b) hate that messy tangle of cables behind the TV, and (c) don't want to worry about their kids mucking about in the rats' nest of cables every time they want to play a video game.
DRM won't even be an issue -- sure, there's an analog hole, but the quality will be so downgraded compared to DVD (let alone HD-DVD/Blu-Ray), that it won't even be useful for piracy.
You say terrible problem, I say interesting feature. As long as my neighbors' pr0n collection isn't too kinky (and even if it is :), it'll still beat the hell out of broadcast TV.
"Cable is dead. Low power TV, here and now. Network 21."
- Sigue Sigue Sputnik