Bits, Bytes, and Speed...Whoop-de-doo!

10Gb/s to start...scalable to 100Gb/s, so what?!

In this age, it seems we’re drawn into a world of digi-speak, constantly inundated with impressive sounding jargon that can leave us baffled. Couple this with sustainability, and the subject matter quickly overwhelms.

In a recent post, I marveled at the notion of using fiber optics within the home. Intel’s announcement about its “Light Peak” technology buoyed a significant market buzz.

Their claim of a 10 Gigabit per second (Gb/s) data rate is surely impressive...and technically achievable...

...but what does this really mean for us consumers?

Intel's "Light Peak" and You

Imagine downloading a full length, high definition 3D feature film in several seconds. Picture an entire music library transferred, all of your home’s HD videos exchanged, or a complete hard drive backed up to a remote and safe location . . . instantly. We are heading in that direction, and it will happen well within the life expectancy of most homes being built today.

To some these claims may seem outlandish, but remember how, just a few short years ago, you marveled at your first low-resolution digital camera, and the space-aged ability to save photographs electronically . . . easily sharing them with friends by way of mailed CDs.

Fiber in the Home?

Kudos to Intel for planning beyond next week . . . and for thinking big. To see what I am talking about click here: ”Light Peak to Connect Consumer Devices at Record Speed”

The recent announcement of Intel “Light Peak” technology refers to an optical fiber that is 125 µm (microns) wide, roughly the thickness of a human hair. This notion of using strands of glass to route high speed signals within your home may impress, or . . . it may panic you.

Tech and the Home

Recently Intel unveiled an R & D project at the Intel Developers Forum called “Light Peak. While few details were shared, much is known about the technologies enabling this project and what their implications are. This is the first of several postings that will describe the promise this technology holds, its practicality, and how consumers may respond.

The arduous path of technology

In 1995 I visited NEC world headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. I entered through the main lobby. Tidy and well organized but otherwise unremarkable. Strolling past what appeared to be a tropical fish tank I soon realized the mesmerizing image was being broadcast on a monitor. I had stumbled into technology called High Definition Television. This was big news. Markedly better t

Our Blog

Welcome to the Homepath Products blog. We developed the eXapath™ in-wall cable pathway system and are interested in creating dialogue on the subject of current and future expectations of broadband usage within the home.

Loosely defined, we view broadband as a generic means to access the internet and increasingly we witness new and exciting uses for broadband extending beyond simple internet access. These include entertainment (streaming audio and video), gaming, social networking, security, automation, home-based business expansion, telecommuting, telemedicine, and telepresence to name a few.

We also recognize that continued advancements in practical application of broadband rely upon the speeds (data rates) offered by service providers and ultimately the speeds at which privately owned home networks can take full advantage of broadband.

How do you use broadband today? How do you envision using it in the future? What do you see as opportunity for improvements in broadband?

Please join us.