Forum Discussion
TV White Space technologies
TVWS would operate in frequencies not operating between old analog channels 14 thru 52. If reception of digital tv on those frequencies in high-foliage, hilly terrain (such as here in central Virginia) is any indication, it won't work especially for those that live on the downslope of hills. UHF is NLOS, as they say, but only to a point and it degrades real fast because the phasing is critical. There are other terrestrial radio services similar to that, but I don't hold much hope for it for the same reasons.
If you really want to look up a real scary technology, look up using power lines for broadband transmission. Some power companies are already using it as part of a power monitoring scheme, but I can't really see it for widespread use. I mean, how are you going to filter out all the 60Hz harmonics to get high-speed data reliably modulated on power lines...
Sometimes I really hate being an engineer. It ruins things.
MarkJFine wrote:If you really want to look up a real scary technology, look up using power lines for broadband transmission. Some power companies are already using it as part of a power monitoring scheme, but I can't really see it for widespread use. I mean, how are you going to filter out all the 60Hz harmonics to get high-speed data reliably modulated on power lines...
You may not be aware of this, but Manassas had the first sizeable implementation of BPL in the country. It was a test, more or less. It was slow and expensive for the speed, but it worked. They eventually shut it down due to cost and lack of customers. Still, though it worked, it was never particularly viable.
It was started in the early 2000s, though I can't remember exactly when. I don't think it lasted more than seven or eight years before they shut it down.
