With the advent of radio frequency (RF) entertainment control network technology, many feel that infrared (IR)-based remote controls will soon become antiquated.

To help accelerate the transition from IR to RF-based technology in the consumer electronics world, Freescale Semiconductor recently announced an initiative to offer its target="_blank" >RF entertainment control network technology as an open industry specification to leading consumer electronics manufacturers.

Freescale is currently promoting the entertainment control network specification, known as Synkro, and is supporting an elite group of consumer electronic manufacturers that are utilizing Synkro in their products next year.

Freescale is making the Synkro protocol broadly available to the industry through the RF4CE Consortium designed to enable wide adoption of the technology.

Synkro is a networking protocol software stack written on top of the IEEE® 802.15.4 global standard to be used in the design of home entertainment products such as digital televisions, DVD players, audio/video receivers, set top boxes, docking stations and remote controls.

The Synkro protocol provides a software and hardware migration path for future product line extensions designed to revolutionize the way consumers control their home entertainment devices.

Proponents see this platform enabling advanced control capabilities (two-way communication between entertainment devices) and eliminating the need for line-of-sight control devices. It may also provide a foundation for a universal remote control for any consumer electronic component.