DailyTech - NEC Announces New Wireless USB Host Controller

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Hardware NEC Announces New Wireless USB Host Controller
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - August 20, 2008 4:01 PM

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17 comment(s) - last by CRimer76.. on Aug 21 at 9:11 AM

New host controller is for PCIe minicard equipped computers

Wireless USB is one of the new technologies that has been touted for while, but has yet to show up in force in consumer devices. In theory, wireless USB is pretty slick allowing computer users to connect to peripherals like cameras and printers without having to connect a physical USB cable.

Wireless USB got a shot in arm today with NEC Electronics announcing that it has expanded its wireless USB portfolio with a new host controller. The new wireless USB host controller is called the uPD720171 for PCI Express. The new host controller enables high-speed, wireless data transmission between PCs that have a minicard or Half-minicard expansion slot and peripherals like printers and digital cameras.

While enabling wireless USB connectivity, the new host controller also maintains the ability to connect with wired USB devices. NEC electronics says that the new wireless USB controller is certified by the USB Implementers Forum and conforms to Wireless USB 1.0 specifications.

Wireless USB offers up to 480 Mbps data transfer, which is identical to wired USB 2.0 connections at close range. NEC says its new wireless USB host controller can transfer up to 480 Mbps within a maximum range of 3m from the peripheral.

NEC says it played a central role in making USB 2.0 one of the most successful interfaces in computing. The insinuation is that the new wireless USB host controller will help make wireless USB as prolific and successful as USB 2.0. That's welcome news computer users who all want to shed cables between their computers and connected peripherals.

NEC Electronics says samples of the new wireless USB host controller are available now at $10 each and that reference boards are available upon request. While NEC doesn't specify, it is assumed that the $10 per controller price is in bulk and only available to OEMs or other computer builders. Wireless USB is not to be confused with USB 3.0 making lots of headlines recently.

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Bleh...

By DASQ on 8/20/2008 4:16:48 PM , Rating: 1

Pointlessly too late. I'll wait for USB3.0

RE: Bleh...

By Lonyo on 8/20/2008 4:22:18 PM , Rating: 2

It has applications.
I'd imagine a Wireless USB printer in a house which could be accessed by desktops and laptops throughout the house without needing to be plugged in would be quite nice.
Of course, it only becomes useful in many cases where having a WLAN connection isn't possible.

A lot of USB devices also draw power from the USB slot which again limits applications.
So yeah, it's probably not hugely useful for most people.

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RE: Bleh...

By DASQ on 8/20/2008 4:31:46 PM , Rating: 3

Not unless all your equipment is within 3 metres of each other I guess.

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RE: Bleh...

By Luckyspin on 8/20/2008 4:47:40 PM , Rating: 1

More like 3 feet. I have a Belkin wireless USB hub with my Dell XPS 1730. It has to be direct line of site and within about 3 feet in order to connect. But it does have its applications. i just hook up my printer, scanner, fax, and external hard drive to it and i only have to plug in my power cable when home. Now if they had a wireless power adapter......

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RE: Bleh...

By DASQ on 8/20/2008 4:49:57 PM , Rating: 2

Okay. That's a Belkin spec. I don't read Belkin anywhere in the article.

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RE: Bleh...

By afkrotch on 8/21/2008 2:24:11 AM , Rating: 3

Just get a wired usb hub, if it's that freaking close. Go home, set down your laptop, plug in the power and one usb cord.

That or get a docking station. Then all you need to do is just dock and you're set.

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RE: Bleh...

By Pandamonium on 8/20/2008 4:24:26 PM , Rating: 2

Doesn't USB 3.0 lack provisions for wireless connectivity? It's not all about throughput, you know. My printer, digital camera, mouse, keyboard, and iPod are more than sufficiently fast with USB 2.0 speeds. If I could ditch the wires, it would be far nicer.

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RE: Bleh...

By DASQ on 8/20/2008 4:32:40 PM , Rating: 2

3/4 of the applications of my USB ports involve charging. I don't imagine they can charge through the wireless for a $10 chip.

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RE: Bleh...

By Jedi2155 on 8/20/2008 5:04:28 PM , Rating: 1

Wireless charging is still a long ways off...

It was only recently that we were able to power a 100 watt bulb at a distance of about 2 meters.

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RE: Bleh...

By Silver2k7 on 8/21/2008 3:07:36 AM , Rating: 2

"3/4 of the applications of my USB ports involve charging. I don't imagine they can charge through the wireless for a $10 chip. "

If your wireless device is on the other side of the room or in another room, im sure youll place your device where you have a wall socket.

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RE: Bleh...

By someguy123 on 8/20/2008 5:22:19 PM , Rating: 2

i can see one good use for this if theres low latency.

wireless mice that don't suck for games!

it sounds very useful for the other things people have said as well like printers.

it may not be a ground breaking thing but it sure sounds useful.

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RE: Bleh...

By Silver2k7 on 8/21/2008 3:09:50 AM , Rating: 2

I don't game that much fps now but Logitech MX Revolution seems fine.. not really any lag as far as i detect during normal use.

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Hmmm

By CRimer76 on 8/20/2008 5:29:47 PM , Rating: 2

I could see this being useful for game controllers and remote controls for HTPC's.......that's about it.

I mean, doesn't everything else have to be plugged in to the wall anyway? I guess cameras and what not could use it, but I wouldn't want every computer my camera gets close to have the capability of getting my pictures off of my camera, or data off of my phone, flash drive, etc. Maybe it's more commercial oriented, like for retail kiosks where cabling is not a possibility.

But do we really need another wireless frequency pounding our genitalia? Between bluetooth, RF, 802.11, cell phones, and everything else I'm surprised our offspring don't come out glowing in the dark to the sound of the Super Mario Bros. theme. Actually that would be pretty awesome.

RE: Hmmm

By Silver2k7 on 8/21/2008 3:11:38 AM , Rating: 2

You can still have a printer plugged into the wall on the other side of your room, and not needing a cable back to the computer, thats still an improvment.

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RE: Hmmm

By CRimer76 on 8/21/2008 9:11:08 AM , Rating: 2

A lot of the newer printers come with built in Wifi, which I would trust a lot more than wireless USB.

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Software

By cosmotic on 8/20/2008 5:31:08 PM , Rating: 2

I have a Certified Wireless USB Hub from IOGear (not sure the belkin is certified).

The largest problem with it is pairing and the atrocious software required to work with windows xp. I don't use vista, that might have built in support. It doesn't work with my mac.

Although when it's all set up and such, its cool to have my printer and scanner across the room (10 feet) without a wire.

I think the wireless hub is the biggest draw here.

Samples

By mindless1 on 8/20/2008 8:45:21 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
NEC Electronics says samples of the new wireless USB host controller are available now at $10 each and that reference boards are available upon request. While NEC doesn't specify, it is assumed that the $10 per controller price is in bulk and only available to OEMs or other computer builders.

It is not assumed that the price is in bulk, the point of samples is to not have to buy bulk. It is not assumed only available to OEMs or computer builders. It would be available to anyone if offered like their other online samples, or if availability is limited then usually the engineering dept. association is the qualification, could be anyone really like a scanner manufacturer.

When a company offers free samples, then they are sometimes more selective who gets them. When they're selling samples they generally don't discriminate so long as the part qualifies for their program. I didn't see these in their ordering system yet though so it may only be by request until that is updated.