Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders

Third Generation Television: Home Networks

Podcast Audio | Posted by Phil Leigh on January 5, 2009

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If you would like to learn how to use the existing electrical power lines in your home as pathways for a Local Area Network, this Interview is for you.

Our guest today is Cameron McCaskill who is Vice President of Business Development at Intellon Corporation. His company designs semiconductor chips for Home Networks that utilize the existing electrical power lines as signal pathways. Companies such as Linksys and D-Link purchase the chips and sell adapters that are sold by popular electronics retailers such as BestBuy. As discussed in earlier podcasts, we believe that Third Generation Television which has Internet Access as its defining characteristic is at hand. Reliable and easily installed Home Networks are an essential enabling technology for the scenario.

First Generation Television began after World War II. It was broadcast by local TV stations and received by viewers at their homes via antennas. TV stations typically received programming by affiliating with a network like ABC, CBS, or NBC.

Second Generation Television began around 1980 when the CATV industry moved into urban markets. This led to the rise of cable networks like ESPN, Discovery, and Comedy Central, among others. Most viewers paid a monthly fee to a service provider for program delivery. Cable operators and satellite TV companies were the major conduits.

In the Third Generation, video resides within the Internet Cloud. Broadband ISPs provide access. Programming is available on-demand, searchable, and the Long-Tail stretches to near infinity.

Intellon believes that its power line technology will be a key enabler for Third Generation Television for three reasons.

First, installation of power line networks is reported to provide “plug-and-play” simplicity, particularly if the homeowner already has a router.

Second, the “Power Line AV” standard of adapter offers adequate bandwidth for video, including High Definition video.

Third, electrical power lines normally provide clear signal pathway throughout the home. In contrast, WiFi networks can be plagued by “dead spots” owing to interfering physical structures or RF attenuation.