Aztech's HD-ready wireless streamer

(Credit: Crave Asia)

Streaming HD videos from a media server may sound like a brilliant idea, but getting the 1080p bandwidth-intensive footages across the network will almost certainly halt most wireless setups to a crawl. If you're one of the early adopters facing this problem, it might be worth considering Aztech's WL850MS wireless multimedia streamers. They come in a receiver/transmitter pair and are designed to sit between your modem/router and HDTV set-top box, console, or media player.

The WL850MS differs from most media-streaming solutions by offering three key propositions. First of all, it guarantees smooth 1080p transmission via the high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi technology. It also has multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) antennas for extended coverage and 2.4/5GHz dual-band capability. The latter is less prone to interferences from common devices such as cordless phones, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices.

Another interesting product on display is its versatile digital gateway. The highest-end model is a highly integrated communications hub that integrates an ADSL/VDSL modem, 802.11n wireless router, network switch, DECT phone base, VoIP telephony, powerline adapter, and a USB host. Rich features aside, it's also loaded with dedicated "Simple Connect" push buttons to simplify Wi-Fi, powerline, and DECT configurations.

Expect a WL850MS transmitter/receiver kit to retail for about $263, while the $164 digital residential gateway will be offered primarily through the Internet service providers in countries such as the United States, Singapore, France, and Germany. (Get more CommunicAsia 2008 coverage here.)

(Source: Crave Asia)