Wireless Firewire at DVinfo.net

Nik Skjoth · December 9th, 2008, 10:23 PM

Ever since 2004 there has been talk about making firewire go wireless. So where is it? Did I miss the release?

For a long time I have been looking out for a reliable compact and affordable sollution for wireless video assist or recording to my laptop.

Ive seen Sony's Jet product, but since in only works within an inch range, it's pretty useless.

Firestore just released their FS-5 which has Wi-Fi connectivity. How dificult would it be to write an interface that would allow you to transmit the footage live while recording, enabling your laptop to function as a field monitor?

There have been quite a few products coming out such as Wevi and The Boxx, which both use some variation of WI-FI. Now the question is, why is there no equivalent for USB and firewire on the market yet?

I would love to use Adobe onlocation without cables. Is that possible in any way?

Tripp Woelfel · December 10th, 2008, 06:10 AM

You're not asking for the moon, but apparently no one sees the business case for doing so. Although it's not technologically impossible, it's not a trivial task to create wireless communications that will reliably transfer every packet of data at 1394 speeds.

The real challenge is probably in dealing with error correction. If a packet transmits with errors, the receiver will need it sent again. If this happens repeatedly, the communications could get so far behind that it could actually lose data. This would be a deal-breaker for your application. As such, the memory buffers would have to be huge. Add to this that the wireless frequencies used would probably be in the same band as cordless phones and wi-fi and you end up with a great potential for interference which would exacerbate the error correcting problem.

I suspect that doing what you want would be doable but you probably wouldn't like the product's price point.

Nik Skjoth · December 10th, 2008, 02:34 PM

Apparently you are right. But makes no sence.

The exact same technology that made wireless lan possible, is fully capable of transmitting DV and HDV images. You dont need 400mbps data rates. 25 will do just fine. Most Wi-fi lans are transmitting up to 54mbps. Those products costs under 100$. So where is the problem? What is the difference between sending random data and video?
I fully understand the issues about lost packets and delay issues. On the other hand wireless systems do exsist, and are reliable enough to be used in productions. But they simply use different protocols. The folks behind "the boxx" have sucessfully made a product dealing with delay and dropouts. Yes it does increase the price, but that is more subject to how much of an efford has gone into R & D in the company. Moving the production into the mainstream (which a wireless USB/firewire instantly would become. Will undoubtly make it just as cheap as a wi-fi router today)

Even if the connection would generate occasional dropframes or delay, would still make it a hell of a nice sollution for field monitoring. As for the mainstream crowd. They would love firewire and usb go wireless no matter what. While the pros will push the developers to keep improving the technology over time. Abandoning it purelly for the of lack of perfection would be an historical event.

The protocol for wireless firewire has even been approved 4 years ago. And apparently the only thing that has come out of it is the sony jet. Thats dissapointing.

"No one sees the buisness case for doing so"?
Im sure there must be some kind of reason which im unaware of, that has kept the obvious step further, or all the companies in the field have suddently become stupid.

Perrone Ford · December 10th, 2008, 03:02 PM

The real market for this is in doing wireless SDI, which moves FAR more data than firewire. It's been done and people are using it. I suspect that businesses know that doing wireless technology for firewire is not cost effective. The people that really could pay for it, want better data (not DV or HDV) and the people who need the cost structure of firewire aren't going to be able to step into wireless transmissions with the current costs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik Skjoth

"No one sees the buisness case for doing so"?
Im sure there must be some kind of reason which im unaware of, that has kept the obvious step further, or all the companies in the field have suddently become stupid.

December 9th, 2008, 10:23 PM	#1
Nik Skjoth Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cph Denmark Posts: 136	Wireless Firewire Ever since 2004 there has been talk about making firewire go wireless. So where is it? Did I miss the release? For a long time I have been looking out for a reliable compact and affordable sollution for wireless video assist or recording to my laptop. Ive seen Sony's Jet product, but since in only works within an inch range, it's pretty useless. Firestore just released their FS-5 which has Wi-Fi connectivity. How dificult would it be to write an interface that would allow you to transmit the footage live while recording, enabling your laptop to function as a field monitor? There have been quite a few products coming out such as Wevi and The Boxx, which both use some variation of WI-FI. Now the question is, why is there no equivalent for USB and firewire on the market yet? I would love to use Adobe onlocation without cables. Is that possible in any way?

December 10th, 2008, 06:10 AM	#2
Tripp Woelfel Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Conway, NH Posts: 1,745	You're not asking for the moon, but apparently no one sees the business case for doing so. Although it's not technologically impossible, it's not a trivial task to create wireless communications that will reliably transfer every packet of data at 1394 speeds. The real challenge is probably in dealing with error correction. If a packet transmits with errors, the receiver will need it sent again. If this happens repeatedly, the communications could get so far behind that it could actually lose data. This would be a deal-breaker for your application. As such, the memory buffers would have to be huge. Add to this that the wireless frequencies used would probably be in the same band as cordless phones and wi-fi and you end up with a great potential for interference which would exacerbate the error correcting problem. I suspect that doing what you want would be doable but you probably wouldn't like the product's price point.

December 10th, 2008, 02:34 PM	#3
Nik Skjoth Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cph Denmark Posts: 136	Apparently you are right. But makes no sence. The exact same technology that made wireless lan possible, is fully capable of transmitting DV and HDV images. You dont need 400mbps data rates. 25 will do just fine. Most Wi-fi lans are transmitting up to 54mbps. Those products costs under 100$. So where is the problem? What is the difference between sending random data and video? I fully understand the issues about lost packets and delay issues. On the other hand wireless systems do exsist, and are reliable enough to be used in productions. But they simply use different protocols. The folks behind "the boxx" have sucessfully made a product dealing with delay and dropouts. Yes it does increase the price, but that is more subject to how much of an efford has gone into R & D in the company. Moving the production into the mainstream (which a wireless USB/firewire instantly would become. Will undoubtly make it just as cheap as a wi-fi router today) Even if the connection would generate occasional dropframes or delay, would still make it a hell of a nice sollution for field monitoring. As for the mainstream crowd. They would love firewire and usb go wireless no matter what. While the pros will push the developers to keep improving the technology over time. Abandoning it purelly for the of lack of perfection would be an historical event. The protocol for wireless firewire has even been approved 4 years ago. And apparently the only thing that has come out of it is the sony jet. Thats dissapointing. "No one sees the buisness case for doing so"? Im sure there must be some kind of reason which im unaware of, that has kept the obvious step further, or all the companies in the field have suddently become stupid.