Next Generation Airport Base Station

[ipedro]

I've been waiting about a year since AirPort Express to purchase an Apple WiFi solution.

I'm waiting because I see Airport Express as just the first step in an evolution of the Airport base station. AirTunes could be just the predecessor to many other wireless features.

Streaming video via H.264 technology is the single biggest item that has had me waiting. We all know it's coming, it's just a matter of time now that Tiger is launched.

I'm surprised how little I found of rumours after Googling many times on this topic. So here's that elusive topic that I'm sure many more people have been searching for.

What do you realistically expect to see in the next encarnation of the Airport Base Station (Express or Extreme)?

When is a revision due?

 

[t300]

Definetly A/V streaming. DEFINETLY.

 

[ipedro]

Since "2005 is the year of HD", it would be an expected step for all of Apple's product line to evolve to support HD. For Airport, this definitely means HD video streaming using H.264.

... When can we expect it though? I believe Airport Express was released in June 2004 ... so we might see a new Airport Express or Extreme in Paris.

I guess another functionality would be related with the much talked about Wi-Fi capable 5G iPod. Because of all the energy savings the next iPod will achieve with it's low powered chip, single platter HD and perhaps OLED screen (rumoured to be 35 hours), this gives them a lot of room to add a higher powered tool: WiFi and still keep the iPod's battery life above at least 10 hours. Direct streaming of music from an iPod to a new Airport Express would seem like the next step in the evolution of AirTunes.

At the very least, bluetooth capability built in both the iPod and the Airport would allow people to use the iPod as a remote controller for music streaming from their host computer.

 

[Demon Hunter]

When is the next-gen WiFi standard supposed to be out? *Is* there a next-gen WiFi in development? 802.11d/n or something?

How much faster would that be, compared to g? Not to steal the thread or anything... just thinking that a new AirPort may include this?

 

[Bear]

When is the next-gen WiFi standard supposed to be out? *Is* there a next-gen WiFi in development? 802.11d/n or something?

How much faster would that be, compared to g? Not to steal the thread or anything... just thinking that a new AirPort may include this?

The next standard is twice the speed - 108 Megabits/second.

And to bring this back in line with the thread - Apple will probably release this as soon as the standard for it is approved.

 

[wPod]

wont wifi have to use -n to stream video? or at least more powerful than -g to be able to stream high quality (presumably HD) ? cause i couldnt imagine streaming video being to popular if it looks like iChat does when you chat over -b or -g right now!


but i do completely want a wifi enabled iPod. . . im a little surprised there is no 3rd party hardware that is a little battery powered wifi backpack for the iPod. i know it would sound a LOT better to have wifi streaming from iPod to stereo than my current 'wireless' setup of using an FM modulator to play music to the stereo. it defeats the purpose of wireless b/c more than a few feet from the stereo and you start to get static!

 

[ipedro]

Will the new WiFi standard you mentioned (double the speed of current WiFi) be supported by current Airport Extreme cards or will everybody have to go out and buy new airport cards to install in their systems?

I think some sort of intermediate release will have to be made. It's been nearly a year since AirPort Express was launched.. I think something is coming this July.

 

[superbovine]

but i do completely want a wifi enabled iPod. . . im a little surprised there is no 3rd party hardware that is a little battery powered wifi backpack for the iPod. i know it would sound a LOT better to have wifi streaming from iPod to stereo than my current 'wireless' setup of using an FM modulator to play music to the stereo. it defeats the purpose of wireless b/c more than a few feet from the stereo and you start to get static!

http://www.tentechnology.com/products/products_naviplay.php

 

[auxplage]

wont wifi have to use -n to stream video? or at least more powerful than -g to be able to stream high quality (presumably HD) ? cause i couldnt imagine streaming video being to popular if it looks like iChat does when you chat over -b or -g right now!

Well, the limiting factor is not the wireless internet, but the cable connection. Most cable connections are not faster than 5mbps while 802.11g is 54mbps.

 

[Bear]

Will the new WiFi standard you mentioned (double the speed of current WiFi) be supported by current Airport Extreme cards or will everybody have to go out and buy new airport cards to install in their systems?

It is unknown at this time as to whether the current AirPort Extreme cards can be software programmed to talk the next standard, it depends on if Apple had enough information at the time the cards were designed and if it was something that was possible. At the very least, Any system that takes the current Extreme card should be able to accept the next generation card.

I think some sort of intermediate release will have to be made. It's been nearly a year since AirPort Express was launched.. I think something is coming this July.

that Apple introduces a new revision of the Express card and that will be the one that can accept firmware to talk the next generation.

Just remember, the above has a lot of speculation based on what might happen. Don't bet on it.

 

[ipedro]

.. so nobody expects any totally new features like Video Streaming or Bluetooth remote controller...

I guess I'll wait til the end of June when I'm moving to a larger apartment and I'll really need WiFi to buy an Airport Express.

 

[pupil of life]

Next airport extreme needs to be 802.11n and have bluetooth 2.0

The technology has been there for a while. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1611293,00.asp
This article is from last June. Linksys, Belkin and others already have routers and pcmcia cards available. It doesn’t really need to be upgraded for the increased speed, more for the increased coverage area, supposedly 800% greater (Belkin) and its stability. Bluetooth would be cool for printers and syncing. I like being wireless....

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Well, the limiting factor is not the wireless internet, but the cable connection. Most cable connections are not faster than 5mbps while 802.11g is 54mbps.

Exactly - and the one big use here would be to use your Mac to play movies around the house. There will need to be a way to integrate a tv cable system to your computer so you can use it as the controller.

There's a lot of potential, but not much reality yet.

D

 

[wPod]

http://www.tentechnology.com/products/products_naviplay.php

thats getting there. . .but its bluetooth. id say it would have an effective clear range of about 10 feet or so (my bt mouse only gets about 5') so at 10' we are almost all the way across the room (lets say 12'-15' would be 'across' a room) i think the only thing that will make me happy is the above device in wi-fi (especially for that price!!)

Well, the limiting factor is not the wireless internet, but the cable connection. Most cable connections are not faster than 5mbps while 802.11g is 54mbps.

but what about streaming music using the airport express and extreme on my PB? it pushes the limits on 54mbps (and lets rember 54 is the theoretical upper limit) take my old iBook with regular airport -b. it would frequently skip in the middle of songs while my PB skips on a rare occasion if i am doing a lot on the internet at the time. for the resolutions that computers can handle, i dont think -g can handle streaming video (unless you scale it down to some tiny pixelated image like ichat) basicly im saying that HD is a LONG way off from being wireless just look at how long it has taken the TV industry to start to make a change to HD!

 

[auxplage]

but what about streaming music using the airport express and extreme on my PB? it pushes the limits on 54mbps (and lets rember 54 is the theoretical upper limit) take my old iBook with regular airport -b. it would frequently skip in the middle of songs while my PB skips on a rare occasion if i am doing a lot on the internet at the time. for the resolutions that computers can handle, i dont think -g can handle streaming video (unless you scale it down to some tiny pixelated image like ichat) basicly im saying that HD is a LONG way off from being wireless just look at how long it has taken the TV industry to start to make a change to HD!

Yes, that is true. 802.11g really only gets 28mbps, and that usually never even occurs. So 802.11n at 108mbps will really only get around 54mbps most likely less; nevertheless, I am sure it would be a drastic improvement over 'g'. Hopefully, video will be able to be streamed because that would be really nice.

 

[BornAgainMac]

It doesn't sound that much faster from g. I'll wait until the next of the next wireless standard. Perhaps 802.11p. Regardless of the speed, cable/dsl speeds are still very slow so it would only help for content inside your local network.

 

[Les Kern]

I have 60 Exteme's. The ONLY thing I want is some built-in diagnostics for when they lock up. I might get 3 a day, then none for weeks, but it IS a pain. (Log files I set up on a remote server show NOTHING, in case you're wondering)