HDMI could soon be replaced by new cable technology

by Lin Edwards

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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new audio/video cable techology is being developed that might spell the end of HDMI cables, which are currently used to connect a wide range of audio and video devices. The new technology is known as HDBaseT and carries audio and video signals and power on standard Cat 5e/6 Ethernet cables.

The new technology

has been developed over the last six months by four technology companies: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Samsung, LG, and Valens Semiconductor, which together form the HDBaseT Alliance. The group hopes the new technology and products conforming to it will begin to be shipped later this year and predict its use will become widespread during next year and beyond.

The HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) cable was introduced in 2003 and has been gaining popularity, especially with the rise of Blu-ray and the adoption of high definition television, so much so that almost all televisions now ship with HDMI technology.

HDMI has advantages over other types of audio/video cables but also has disadvantages such as switching delays and cable length limitations, both of which are addressed by HDBaseT. HDMI only carries uncompressed audio and video signals. Wireless technologies such as WiGig, WHDI and Wireless HD offer alternative options, but they cannot transfer power to devices as HDBaseT can.

HDBaseT is a network-based standard called “5Play^TM” that enables a single cable to carry high definition video, audio, up to 100 watts of power, 100BaseT Ethernet, and control signals simultaneously. The cables, which are inexpensive Cat5e/6 type rather than expensive HDMI, can be up to 100 meters in length. The HDMI ports are replaced by standard RJ-45 connectors. The HDBaseT specification supports the latest HD video, 3D, and high resolution 2K x 4K (4096 by 2160).

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Chairman of the Alliance, Ariel Sobelman, said the new technology is “poised to become the unrivaled next-generation home networking transport to meet the ever-changing trends in the digital media market.”

More information: http://www.hdbaset.org/

© 2010 PhysOrg.com

Inside Ten of the World’s Largest Data Centers

Written by David Vellante

From: http://wikibon.org/

Data centers touch all our lives. Businesses rely on data centers to house mission critical information and run operational initiatives across the organization.Today’s largest data centers feature state-of-the-art technology, operation rooms spanning thousands of square meters, and are required to hold billions of pieces of customer and business information. As demand for cloud services increase these centers comprise tens or sometimes hundreds of thousands of servers, multi-petabyte storage systems and increasingly are situated in locations where cheap energy is plentiful.

In pictures, here is an inside look at ten of the world’s largest data centers.

Microsoft’s Quincy Washington Data Center

The recent NY Times data center technology slideshow illustrates in photographs just how impressive data centers are and how important they are to our day-to-day lives.

As servers become more powerful, more kilowatts are needed to run and cool them. Data centers worldwide now consume more energy annually than Sweden.

(Photo: Simon Norfolk for The New York Times)
Microsoft’s Quincy Washington data center can store up to 6.75 trillion photos.

NJ2 in Weehawken, N.J.

(Photo: Simon Norfolk for The New York Times)
Inside NJ2, in New Jersey. Attention is now shifting to making servers less energy intensive and to spurring innovation in the design and form of the data center itself. (Image Source)

IBM Green Data Center

IBM operates eight million square feet of data center space on six continents. Through the company’s green data center initiatives, they expect to save more than five billion kilowatt hours per year with energy efficient products and services. View the entire photo gallery on Flickr.

The Tokyo Data Center

Japan’s Internet backbone. This is the largest data center in the world (or so they claim). This photo shows the entrance to the facility. (Image Source)

HDS Yokohama Green Data Center

(Image Gallery on Flickr)
Launched in August 2009, the HDS data center in Yokohama operates with 10,000 square meters of total floor space. Via press release, this green facility incorporates power-efficient data center technology designed to achieve a benchmarking rating of 1.6 PUE.

Microsoft’s Chicago Data Center

Opened in late 2009, the first phase of development includes the ground floor designed to hold up to 56 containers, each filled with anywhere from 1,800 to 2,500 servers. (Source)

Inside Facebook’s Data Center

Facebook’s data centers store more than 40 billion photos, and users upload 40 million new photos each day – about 2,000 photos every second. Via Data Center Knowledge, “Not surprisingly, the racks are packed.”

1&1’s Data Center

Via InformationWeek, 1&1’s data center is in Lenexa, Kansas, just outside Kansas City, the second largest railroad hub in the U.S. Five server rooms hold 860 racks and can accommodate at least 40,000 servers.

Inside a Google Data Center

Awarded a patent on a portable data center modeling in October 2008, Google’s data center features a “container hanger” filled with 45 containers, holding up to 1,160 servers each, and uses 250 kilowatts of power. Referred to as Data Center A, it spans 75,000 square feet and has a power capacity of 10 megawatts. (Information courtesy of Data Center Knowledge)

San Diego Supercomputing Center

Via NetworkWorld, San Diego Supercomputing Center’s new building features cool concrete exteriors, special windows treatments and windows that actually open. This image illustrates how by using robotic virtual tape libraries, SDSC is able to reduce energy costs.

Building a Data Center in 26 Weeks

Digital Realty Trust builds data center facilities all over the world. This photo gallery on Flickr provides a look at its data center construction process for their site located at 1201 Comstock in Santa Clara, California.

Who are we missing? Surely companies like Amazon and eBay should be on this list, though we had trouble verifying the authenticity of data center images found online. We’d love to hear about data center images and links we missed via the comments below or send Wikibon a message on Twitter!

I.T. always fun always challenging!!!

Use Your iPhone as a Wireless Laptop Modem

Mike Keller

Feb 17, 2009 8:52 am

I travel a lot. And if you’re a geek like me, you can’t go a full day sans internet access without experiencing some severe withdrawal symptoms. Luckily, my iPhone, with all its WiFi and 3G goodness, has been instrumental in feeding my addiction while on the road. But though Apple’s smartphone provides the best mobile browsing experience out there, the small screen and touch controls still don’t compare to the pixel real estate and tactile qwerty speed of a laptop. Not to mention such luxuries as Flash compatibility, page caching, and tabbed browsing.

So the next time you’re stranded without an open WiFi network (but your 3G signal is going strong), you’ll be glad you installed Addition’s iPhoneModem 2 (free to try, full license is $9.99). Unfortunately, Apple has apparently deemed the app to be in conflict with its App Store Terms and Conditions, so it is only available for jailbroken phones via Cydia. Here’s a quick guide:

1) Jailbreak your iPhone.
Download and install QuickPwn, an easy-to-use jailbreaking application for Windows and Mac (the latest version works with iPhone OS 2.2.1). Run the software and follow the onscreen instruction very carefully!

2) Install iPhoneModem by Addition.
QuickPwn installs an app on your phone called Cydia, which is essentially the App Store for apps that were rejected from the official App Store (or, for whatever reason, the developer chose not to release through Apple). Run Cydia, search for iPhoneModem by Addition and install it. Keep in mind you can only delete Cydia installed apps via Cydia’s Manage-Sources function. Now download and install the helper app on your laptop and you’re almost ready to go.

3)Set up the network.
Run the helper app and hit Connect. The helper app sets up an ad hoc wireless network that can be accessed via iPhone. The default network it creates is called “iPhoneModem” and does not have a password (you can change this in the Preferences of the helper app). Now open up your iPhone’s Settings and tap WiFi. Make sure WiFi is turned on and select the network “iPhoneModem” (or whatever you called it). Type the password if you assigned one. Open up the Modem iPhone app and everything else will configure automatically. After a few moments the helper app and the iPhone app will confirm that a connection has been established and you can browse away with all the comforts of your laptop!

Shortcomings:
While 3G seems plenty fast on a phone, it feels a little slow on a laptop. Also, most major web browsers work but not all are supported. In addition, a lot of other internet applications aren’t supported, but for all intents and purposes, you should be able to browse just fine.

*Note: If you haven’t already discovered, jailbreaking your iPhone opens up a world of possibilities, including themes and apps that aren’t allowed in the App Store. While it technically voids the warranty, you can easily return your device to its original state with the “Restore” feature in iTunes, wiping all traces of the jailbreak hack.