Recently Filed in Powerline

Until recently you had two options for setting up a computer network in your home - wired or wireless. First on the scene was wired networking. The upside is clear and reliable connections between your computers and all the devices attached to your network - printers, external storage, etc. The downside: unsightly wires everywhere. Then along came wireless technology. No more wiring clutter. All your networked devices could “talk” to each other throughout your home without stringing wires across the floor, over doorjambs and around… View this story
Networking and Communication • Powerline • WiFi • How To • Networking • Info and Answers • Research

If you’re still reading our website or twiddling your thumbs trying to watch some Internet videos over your dial-up connection, help is on the way. IBM and friends are going to bring you some broadband access that you can simply plug in to your existing power lines (Broadband over Power Line, or BPL) to get you up to speed. With the help of some government funding—low-interest Rural Broadband Access Loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program, IBM stated—the company will work with… View this story
Networking and Communication • Internet • Powerline • Product News

Not everyone has whole-house web access. Sure, it’s easy enough to add some wireless access. However, that task pales in comparison to plugging something into one of your existing outlets. That’s pretty much how the new Netgear XAVE1004 4-port Ethernet switch works. This newly announced HomePlug AV-certified device promises cool speeds of up to 200Mbps, all via your existing powerlines—and Netgear’s little switch kit, of course. Netgear says this should allow you to game, stream video and shower, all in the same room (if that’s… View this story
Powerline • CES • Networking • Product News

Broadband in every room shouldn’t be a luxury. OK—it’s not a right either. Still, if you’ve got outlets and around $150 burning a hole in your pocket, Netgear can make your multi-room digital dreams come true. The company just announced they are now shipping two powerline adapter kits: the Powerline HD Plus Ethernet Adapter Kit (HDXB111) and the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit (XAVB101). Each one is designed to deliver plug-and-play access to broadband, without the need for additional wiring. Pictured to the left in… View this story
Powerline • Networking • Product News

Want to keep your home clean and cable-free? Acoustic Research’s HDP100 HD Powerlink can make that magic happen without having to conceal cables or carve up walls. The $400 system uses your good old existing powerlines. Remember those? Just connect one AC-powered module to the TV and the other to your source component, and boom—you’re in business. AR says the system uses “HD-PLC or high-definition power-line communications” technology to shuttle audio and video from the DVD player to the TV over existing electrical wiring.” It… View this story
HDTV • Powerline • Home Theater • Product News

Home control companies are making plenty to play with these days. PCS is throwing another entry in for your system—the TST TouchScreen Timer. PCS (also known as Powerline Control Systems) invented this 3.6-inch touchpanel to work with their PulseWorx line, as well as other UPB (universal powerline bus) products. Once connected to the company’s PIM-R Powerline Interface, the unit will control up to 250 different lights, or you can trigger custom scenes. The graphical interface allows for management of Room, Module, Scene and Schedule buttons… View this story
Touchpanels and Keypads • Powerline • Home Control • Product News

When it comes to computer-based control, Mac users are a tad limited. Now Perceptive Automation wants to add options for Mac fans, with its latest software. Just announced, Indigo 3.0 is a major update, allowing Mac users to remotely access almost any aspect of their home control. That means you can turn lights on and off while you’re on vacation, water the lawn on a hot day, or crank up the hot tub before you leave the office—all from any web browser. The new version… View this story
Home Control Systems • Powerline • Software • Home Control • Product News

CES ‘08.  Three days of walking, walking, and, well, you get the picture. After staring at yet another big-screen TV (Panasonic took the “biggest” prize with a 150” monster), I started looking for the new and the different. The most interesting new ideas I found were about connectivity (mostly wireless).  Here’s what caught my attention… I’m really impressed when someone takes a number of readably available technologies and combines them for a totally new purpose (like TiVo).  At this year’s CES, a company called Radiient… View this story
Networking and Communication • Powerline • Speakers • CES • Product News

Unless you’re into mood lighting, you may not have given much thought to whether powerline home automation products (X-10, INSTEON, etc) could improve your life.  Well they can, and in some rather surprising ways.  Powerline home automation products consist of two types of devices.  The first are keypads or other “controllers” which send specifically-targeted commands (like on or off) to receivers, over your 110V power lines.  Receivers are typically replacements for wall switches and outlets, or small standalone modules that have an A/C socket on… View this story
Home Control Systems • Powerline • DIY Special • Home Control • Info and Answers

Good communication is a must in a home filled with electronics. Your remote needs to talk to your audio/video components, your wall switches need to speak with your lights, your media server needs to share its music with your family room loudspeakers, and, more recently, it’s become important that your computer be able to transmit photos, videos and other information to every display in the house. There are several ways of getting information from one place to another. If you’re building a new home, high-speed… View this story
Ethernet • Powerline • WiFi • Buyers Guides • Holiday Gift Guide • How To • Networking • Info and Answers • Research

If all of your friends are laughing off your 200Mbps powerline pieces, they can come and install new wires in your house—or they can get you something from DS2. The Spanish chipmaker just announced speeds that are exactly twice as nice, with 400Mbps. The technology was designed to allow those multitasking their electrical wiring to do things like personal video recording and multiroom HD IPTV. The new equipment will not only perform faster, but will be backwards compatible with the slower stuff, says Ubergizmo. D2… View this story
Multiroom Video • Powerline • Gadgets • Networking • Product News

It’s a little like winning the lottery. Panasonic has launched its Living in HD program and is looking for 30 families across the country to use a palette of high-definition electronics gear to explore how the latest HD technology affects the American lifestyle. The selected families will capture and share their lives using Panasonic camcorders, cameras, Toughbook computers, and plasma TVs. The product menu, with a retail value of more than $20,000, also includes a Blu-ray Disc player, surround-sound speaker system, A/V receiver, a powerline… View this story
AV Components • Blu-ray • Displays • HDTV • Plasma • Industry • Manufacturers • Miscellaneous • Web Services • Networking and Communication • Ethernet • Powerline • Speakers • Surround Sound • Enhancements • Product News