Sdr (software Defined Radio) Module Instead Wifi?

[timofonic]

Hello.
QUOTE

A Software Defined Radio (SDR) system is a radio communication system where components that have typically been implemented in hardware (i.e. mixers, filters, amplifiers, modulators/demodulators, detectors. etc.) are implemented using software. While the concept of SDR is not new, the rapidly evolving capabilities of digital electronics are making many processes that were once only theoretically possible practical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_radio

What about using SDR on the device? That could make the system a lot more flexible and even supporting the upcoming 802.11n or WiMax standards. This could make possible converting it into a cellphone modifying the software on the SDR subsystem too.

I don't know if this is possible and the technical difficulties, but I think this could be awesome if done.

Regards.

 

[Squidge]

Wouldn't you need different aerials for the different systems? I thought an aerial was tuned to a specific frequency, so you couldn't use a Wifi antenna for a GSM reception/transmission?

Of course, I could be completely wrong in my assumption...

 

[Chip]

What about using SDR on the device? That could make the system a lot more flexible and even supporting the upcoming 802.11n or WiMax standards. This could make possible converting it into a cellphone modifying the software on the SDR subsystem too.

It's a nice thought, but SDR is severely limited / not actually available yet. First of all, you would never get anywhere near the 850-900MHz needed for GSM, let alone the 2.4GHz of 802.11a/b/g/n. Second of all, just because it's called "software defined" doesn't mean there isn't special hardware involved. That hardware doesn't exist in a tiny, energy efficient format, suitable for Pandora.

 

[JakeK]

Booting WiFi for SDR? I'll stick with WiFi, plus I could always get a radio over the net and I don't need a phone in the Pandora. It would be a useless feature for most Pandora users.

 

[Chip]

I don't need a phone in the Pandora. It would be a useless feature for most Pandora users.

The voice component might be borderline useless, but 3g, EVDO, or even EDGE data would be a killer app.

I'm not sure how small they can make cell data radios these days, but if any carrier can squeeze one into a SDIO card, that would be the hot setup. I'd drop the unlimited data plan on my cell and just use Pandora for all my mobile web browsing. With all the hype around ultra mobile computing, somebody has to be working on this.

 

[javaJake]

Booting WiFi for SDR? I'll stick with WiFi, plus I could always get a radio over the net and I don't need a phone in the Pandora. It would be a useless feature for most Pandora users.

Either you were being sarcastic, or you didn't realize what the term "radio" is meant in this context.

 

[timofonic]

I'm not sure how small they can make cell data radios these days, but if any carrier can squeeze one into a SDIO card, that would be the hot setup. I'd drop the unlimited data plan on my cell and just use Pandora for all my mobile web browsing. With all the hype around ultra mobile computing, somebody has to be working on this.

I would have prefered an ExpressCard and one SDIO instead two SDIO slots and I previously suggested it, because most cool stuff isn't available over SDIO. Sadly SDIO cards are too few made and manufacturers lose a big opportunity on ultra portable devices (and users not able to buy them). Maybe the licensing is expensive or whatever, I don't know.

Back to the topic. This seems a unable to use idea because SDR technology is still in early stages for the civil commercial world (but a lot more advanced in the military one).

 

[jdh2550]

I would have prefered an ExpressCard and one SDIO instead two SDIO slots and I previously suggested it, because most cool stuff isn't available over SDIO. Sadly SDIO cards are too few made and manufacturers lose a big opportunity on ultra portable devices (and users not able to buy them). Maybe the licensing is expensive or whatever, I don't know.


Why not just use the USB for adding this feature? Not sure why express card makes it any more feasible (for a cell data radio).

I agree that SDIO is a pretty rare beast beyond GPS - but USB is "as common as muck"...

 

[Chip]

I would have prefered an ExpressCard and one SDIO instead two SDIO slots and I previously suggested it, because most cool stuff isn't available over SDIO. Sadly SDIO cards are too few made and manufacturers lose a big opportunity on ultra portable devices (and users not able to buy them). Maybe the licensing is expensive or whatever, I don't know.



The problem isn't licensing, it's form factor. The reason everybody is putting all the cool toys into express cards is one of the same reasons you can't have an express card slot in Pandora. SD cards are 32 mm × 24 mm × 2.1mm. That's tiny compared to 75mm x 34mm x 5mm for the smallest express card. This pic should illustrate the size disparity.

Miniaturization has done wonders, but circuits still need certain components, and not all of them can be shrunk into almost nothingness. There is a lot of neat stuff that can't quite be crammed into an SD card yet, so they stick it in the significantly roomier express card form factor.

The problem with express card is that it is WAY to big for Pandora. It is also not natively supported by the OMAP chipset. SDIO is what we have, so we just have to wait for mobile data radios to shrink some more before Pandora has full-time connectivity.

 

[Tobriand]

The problem with express card is that it is WAY to big for Pandora. It is also not natively supported by the OMAP chipset. SDIO is what we have, so we just have to wait for mobile data radios to shrink some more before Pandora has full-time connectivity.

And don't forget that an awful lot of devices that use SD cards (with the exception of cameras) seem to force them into an enclosure behind the battery, particularly among smartphones. Consequently, given that SDIO devices tend not to be completely SD-shaped, they then become less usable.

 

[atomicthumbs]

Expensive. That's the only disadvantage.

Unless you count having a wideband log-periodic antenna sticking out the top.