Or, better yet, you could just send raw pixels as bits, white = 0, black = 1. With 1024x768 HD video, that's a possible
768K/Frame => 22.5M/s @ 30 FPS!
Fun I had a similar idea on April this year, I thought about using streaming png's (nodejs) as information source, first I was thinking about using some qr-code technique to make transmissions secure. Then I thought, I could use something better like qr-code multiplication inside of a png stream that looks like a video with some qr-codes that flash from time to time. A smart-phone application would make the data readable again (decryption). You would need to whisper a secret key personally into your friends ear, so he can enter the sequence into his smartphone app. All-in-all it was a concept to use png's like videos with "cut-scenes" a-like qr-code's that get multiplied and cross-checksummed afterwards. Might sound stupid, but think about it. I wasn't approaching to solve your post-apocalyptic scenario, but to make something speedier+secure than wifi/bluetooth/infrared.
What do you think? A friend who's exceptional at maths (I'm not) told me it's not possible, however I don't like when naysayers come and tell it's impossible. Still it demotivated me. Do you think it's possible?
Are there any lossless video formats in common use? One is unlikely to be introduced if not, so you might need a lot more than one pixel/bit.
But at the same time, you don't need to limit to black-and-white. Even just black/white/red/green/blue/purple/yellow/turquoise would be four times as much bandwidth, and I would be very surprised if even lossy video couldn't reliably distingish up to 64 colours.
I don't think many people currently have 22.5M/s download speeds anyway, so it's probably not a big deal.
Or, better yet, you could just send raw pixels as bits, white = 0, black = 1. With 1024x768 HD video, that's a possible 768K/Frame => 22.5M/s @ 30 FPS!