有线、无线家庭网络技术大战CES2013

在 2013年消费性电子展(CES)上，各种家庭网络技术纷纷发表其最新进展，其中无线网络(Wi-Fi)技术因为5GHz与60GHz的加盟，气势明显仍凌驾所有对手。在有线网络技术方面，博通(Broadcom)发表首款符合800Mbps 速率 MoCA 标准的单芯片，该MoCA技术已经获得DirecTv、Echostar、Comcast、Cox与Verizon等厂商的机上盒产品采用。 博通的竞争对手Marvell则是在CES上展示多款采用其G.hn标准芯片的产品；G.hn 是可支持同轴电缆、电话线、电力线与光纤的一种家庭网络技术标准，包括Cambridge Industries Group、Comtrend、Teleconnect与 Woxter等厂商，在转接器、模块等产品采用了Marvell的G.hn芯片，传输速率最高可达1Gbps。 家用电力线网路联盟(HomePlug Alliance)虽然没有发表新芯片或系统规格，但表示已经有超过300款产品通过该联盟认证，包括符合其HomePlug AV2规格的Gigabit等级设备。HomePlug与Wi-Fi、Zigbee都是Smart Energy Profile 2规格的一部分，预计在2013年也将进驻众多智能电网相关产品。 市场研究机构IHS iSuppli 估计，HomePlug 产品出货量在2013年成长39%，在2012至2016年将的复合年成长率可达31%；包括博通、联发科(MediaTek)、高通创锐讯 (Qualcomm Atheros)以及Sigma Designs等芯片业者都支持该标准。 而无线技术仍然是家庭网络方案的宠儿，根据市场研究机构ABI Research估计，光是2012年，全球Wi-Fi装置出货量就高达15亿台。博通在CES上也首度发表了802.11ac机顶盒方案，这可能意味着该标准已经开始被传统有线视讯供货商广泛采用；此外TP-Link也推出802.11ac路由器，最大传输速率理论值可达1.7 Gbps。802.11ac采用5GHz频段。 高通创锐讯也在CES发表两项讯息，一是该公司推出结合 2.4GHz/5GHz 802.11ac芯片，以及另一家业者Wilocity的802.11ad芯片之三频模块；802.11ad规格可在60GHz频段支持数Gbps速率的 数据传输。此外高通创锐讯也发表了可协助消费者管理各种家用Wi-Fi装置的加值软件，该StramBoost软件接口可显示家庭网络上各个装置，以及它们的实时频宽使用情况。 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 编译：Judith Cheng 参考英文原文：Wired, wireless home nets branch out at CES，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} Wired, wireless home nets branch out at CES Rick Merritt SAN JOSE, Calif. – The many flavors of home networks are all claiming advances in technology and adoption at the Consumer Electronics Show, but Wi-Fi clearly remains in the lead with expansions in 5- and 60-GHz support. Among the wired options, Broadcom announced its first single-chip implementation of the Multimedia over Coax standard that delivers throughput up to 800 Mbits/second. The MoCA technology is used in set-top boxes from DirecTv, Echostar, Comcast, Cox and Verizon. Broadcom’s archrival Marvell came to CES with a handful of design wins for G.hn, a competing home net technology that runs over coax, phone, electrical wires and optical cables. Cambridge Industries Group, Comtrend, Teleconnect and Woxter said they will use Marvell’s G.hn chips in adapters, modules and other products that deliver up to 1 Gbit/s. The HomePlug Alliance shared no specifics of new chips or systems but said more than 300 products are certified for its specifications that include the “gigabit-class” HomePlug AV2. HomePlug along with Wi-Fi and Zigbee is part of the Smart Energy Profile 2 spec expected to emerge in smart grid products in 2013. Market watcher IHS iSuppli estimates HomePlug product shipments grew 39 percent in 2012 and will see a 31 percent compounded growth rate from 2012 to 2016. Chip designers Broadcom, Mediatek Qualcomm Atheros and Sigma Designs support the standard. Wi-Fi continues to be the mega-highway inside the home. More than 1.5 billion Wi-Fi devices were sold in 2012 alone, said market watcher ABI Research. Broadcom also announced initial support for the 802.11ac standard in a set-top box at CES, possibly signaling the start of broader adoption from the traditionally wired video suppliers. Plenty of others jumped on the bandwagon, including TP-Link, that claimed its .11ac router has a theoretical data rate max of 1.7 Gbits/s. The .11ac spec uses the 5-GHz band. Qualcomm Atheros attempted to move out of the Wi-Fi pack with two CES announcements. It said it now has a tri-band wireless module that combines its 2.4- and 5-GHz .11ac chip with a chip from startup Wilocity that supports the .11ad spec for multiple Gbits/s over the 60-GHz bands. In addition Qualcomm Atheros rolled out value-added software to help consumers manage multiple devices competing for Wi-Fi links in the home. The StramBoost software provides an interface showing each device and app on a home network as well as its real-time bandwidth use.