July 15, 2013

10BaseT - what a long strange trip it's been

I remember when commercial computer networking first got started. There were a lot of systems based on various topologies of coaxial cable and then this new critter came into being -- 10BaseT. Ethernet over twisted pair. Able to support 10Mbits/second. Not quite as fast as Ethernet over Coaxial Cable but much easier to configure and you could make your own cables in a few minutes with a crimping tool. The parts were cheap too. It got bumped up to 100BaseT (100Mbits/second) and then Gigabit (or 1000BaseT). They keep coming up with new technologies to drive the existing infrastructure. From BusinessWire:
InfoComm 2013: HDBaseT Alliance Membership Tops 60 as HDBaseT Gains Adoption Worldwide
The HDBaseT Alliance (Booth #2889) at InfoComm 2013 next month will announce it has doubled in size in less than a year to more than 60 member companies. The HDBaseT Alliance InfoComm exhibit will feature dozens of new HDBaseT-enabled components across new categories including new projectors from Hitachi and NEC, displays from Panasonic and AV receivers from Pioneer.

The HDBaseT technology, powered by Valens chipset, enables all-in-one connectivity between HD video sources and remote displays through a single 100m/328ft CAT5e/6 cable, delivering uncompressed high definition 4k video, audio, Internet, control signals and up to 100 watts of power.
Ho Li Crap -- from 10Mbits/second up to full 4K HDTV plus Audio, broadband, and signaling. Talk about a growth of technology... Posted by DaveH at July 15, 2013 10:05 PM