gmb45
15th July, 2009, 03:28 AM
It could be the beginning of the end for the spaghetti junction tangle of cables in the corner of the nation's living rooms.
Britain's first wireless televisions, which use radio waves to communicate with gadgets such as DVD players, set-top boxes and games consoles, go on sale in the next few weeks.
Transmitters are plugged into the backs of the machines, sending signals that enable them to 'speak' with the television from 10 yards away.
New technology: The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 is the company?s new flagship model and is the first wireless television set
It means they could even be hidden in a cabinet or cupboard.
The technology has been available for years but only got the go-ahead in Britain this week after communications regulator Ofcom freed up part of the radio spectrum needed for the sets.
Vintage Television Se
Thing of the past: Old televisions set with wires could be resigned to the technological dustbin
Panasonic expects to start selling the televisions by the end of the month, with other manufacturers to follow.
Steve Lucas, Panasonic's technology specialist, claims picture and sound quality are not affected.
He said: 'The advantage of this high radio frequency is that you can send a lot of high-definition information from the transmitter to the television without the need to compress it. There will be no break-up of the picture.'
But the privilege comes at a cost - as much as ?5,000 for the 46in and 54in plasma screens which are going to be the first on the market.
And Tom Dunmore, editor of gadget magazine Stuff, pointed out: 'The television and everything else will still need to be plugged into a power socket.
'I'm not sure that the technology will persuade most consumers to trade in their old TVs.'
But the technology could be particularly useful with wall-mounted sets where the effect can currently be spoiled by various wires hanging down underneath
Britain's first wireless televisions, which use radio waves to communicate with gadgets such as DVD players, set-top boxes and games consoles, go on sale in the next few weeks.
Transmitters are plugged into the backs of the machines, sending signals that enable them to 'speak' with the television from 10 yards away.
New technology: The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 is the company?s new flagship model and is the first wireless television set
It means they could even be hidden in a cabinet or cupboard.
The technology has been available for years but only got the go-ahead in Britain this week after communications regulator Ofcom freed up part of the radio spectrum needed for the sets.
Vintage Television Se
Thing of the past: Old televisions set with wires could be resigned to the technological dustbin
Panasonic expects to start selling the televisions by the end of the month, with other manufacturers to follow.
Steve Lucas, Panasonic's technology specialist, claims picture and sound quality are not affected.
He said: 'The advantage of this high radio frequency is that you can send a lot of high-definition information from the transmitter to the television without the need to compress it. There will be no break-up of the picture.'
But the privilege comes at a cost - as much as ?5,000 for the 46in and 54in plasma screens which are going to be the first on the market.
And Tom Dunmore, editor of gadget magazine Stuff, pointed out: 'The television and everything else will still need to be plugged into a power socket.
'I'm not sure that the technology will persuade most consumers to trade in their old TVs.'
But the technology could be particularly useful with wall-mounted sets where the effect can currently be spoiled by various wires hanging down underneath