[opendtv] Re: its a wifi world - Re: Re: Twang's
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 10:58:25 -0400
At 7:26 PM -0400 4/26/04, Kon wrote:
>Did you get permission to use that WiFi link from the house next door?
>If not, you're breaking privacy laws, and they could sue you. You fall
>into the same category as a hacker.
Obviously I did not get permission. But anyone who installs a WiFi
base station has the option to prevent public access. Many of us
don't bother, because there is no invasion of privacy, UNLESS we try
to hack into other computers via this connection. There is a question
of affecting performance for other users of this base station.
The decision whether to protect a node is primarily one of business
model. There were a bunch of paid WiFi nets operating at NAB.
And as stated earlier, we bought a base station the next morning so
that we would not need to share.
>
>See, this is one of the small sticking points that none of the 'WiFi
>can be used for broadcast' clowns latch on to.
>
>What defines that WiFi is not relevant for broadcast is:
>1. WiFi access points are *private*. Its not a free for all.
Correct, it is a business decision as to how any WiFi POP is accessed.
>2. WiFi access points are unicast. Nearly all vendor AP hardware is
>configured to squelch UDP traffic in favor of TCP traffic of any sort.
Again, this is a business decision. There is nothing to prevent Wi Fi
from delivering IP multicasts.
But I am not advocating such. I see it evolving as a two-way TCP service.
I think that we should deliver bits of interest to the masses using a
broadcast technology.
>3. There is no TV on the internet.
Who says that TV is the be all and end all? Why should the DTV
spectrum be used ONLY for linear entertainment. There is radio on the
Internet, and there would be TV there too, if not for the gatekeepers
who control TV preventing it. If I need the latest weather forecast I
don't go to the TV anymore; it is easier and faster to get it via the
Internet.
>4. You cannot roam transparently without service interruption between
>APs.
This is critical for true mobility. Largely irrelevant for
portability, which IMHO is a much larger business opportunity.
If we use an appropriate technology for broadcasting bits, then this
will not be a major concern. Last time I checked, you could roam in
COFDM based SFNs without service interruptions.
>5. IF you increase the service radius of a wifi network, your clients
>won't be able to connect back to it if they are out of their own
>operating range.
The whole point is that WiFi POPs are being created where people are.
It is not a matter of extending their range - it is a matter of
placing them where they will be used.
>
>The model is about as different from a television broadcast station
>model as you can get. Just because they both use RF doesn't make them
>equal in any way. But then again when I listen to some of the people
>spouting nonsense when comparing the two, its easy to conclude that
>they don't know what the heck they are talking about anyway.
>
>Just because someone broadcasts their SSID, doesn't give you any rights
>at all to use their link - even to the point of just grabbing a DHCP IP
>address.
>
>WiFi APs might be littered all over the place, but almost all of those
>are not for free public use. So its a moot point, really.
>
>So my response to Powell's comment would be - what are you smoking, and
>where can I get some of that?
I don't think Powell actually thinks that Wi Fi is going to challenge
broadcast DTV head-to-head. His point is that technology marches on,
and with it so do the customers. He noted that his son has a
completely different concept of communications than himself, which is
different yet that that of his parents. One to many is being
augmented with personalized communications. Kids do not sit down to
watch TV for hours anymore; they may have the TV on while they are
playing with their PS2 or surfing the net.
And speaking of irrelevant...seems that the current model of a TV
station is becoming antiquated in a world dominated by multi-channel
distribution. Not my words...this is what broadcasters were saying to
one another at NAB.
Did you hear about the press conference at NAB where Emmis announced
an initiative to pool broadcast spectrum to compete with cable and
DBS - they had about a dozen broadcast groups supporting the
announcement.
Regards
Craig
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