The Universal Software Radio Peripheral (1 Viewer)

[petteram]

Take a look at this: http://www.ettus.com/
These cards and software is supposed to be able to receive/send any signal.
Even decode DVB-T signals.
Is this something that can be used with MP?

 

[knutinh]

It shure is cool.

But I think that most projects are on a "hamper stage". Such as decoding OTA HD tv in 1/40 of real time.

In order to use it in MP, you would have to have not only working algorithms, but also windows drivers that are fast and robust. And since all processing is done in the pc instead of dedicated hardware (dsp/asic), youd have to optimize the software and/or run a really fast PC.

But it shure is promising. Say goodbye to cranky ATI tv-tuners and wlan cards that suddenly arent updated anymore. Replace all logic with open source code that is written by night by dedicated people.

I suspect that it is going to be really popular in shady circles. Those who want to get free tv channels, for instance. But also those who dont like the way tv channels treat their customers (only allowing certain decoders, no HTPC etc). For those, this card could be worth its money even if it is expensive, as no other boxes does what it could do with a little clever programming.

In fact, say goodbye to the never ending hardware update craze and pile of gear that keeps cluttering the desktop/living room as well as usb bus. One single (albeit expensive, inefficient and big) box does it all, just like the PC did in 1984 for computing tasks. Only problem is getting antennas and ultra-high-rate A/D converters and a really fast x86 CPU =)

regards
knut

 

[Efros]

At the price of $550 it is definitely an early adopter gizmo, I think I'll wait a few years!

 

[knutinh]

Many think that software radio will have a huge impact on the stash around us. For many years, advanced radio and communication equipment have essentially been application-specific computers running an embedded "OS" and a large part of the algorithms running on DSPs written in C code.

Problem is, things such as DAB radio was so slow to the market (in reasonable prices), that it was essentially outdated before it caught on.

By having a general radio frontend (one or more wide-band antennas, amplfier and demod frontend), one could ditch the similar components that our pcs are getting more and more of: Bluetooth, WLan, W-Usb, FM/DAB receiver, DVB-T/C/S2 receiver, etc. And the rate with wich standards develop could be increased. Perhas a beta of 802.11N MIMO technology? One download away... =)

But at this price and so little available software, Id say its in the sam stage as home computers were in the 70s when people bought kits to learn how comuters worked, not as an everyday home appliance to read mail effortlessly =)

-k