Even Haier is getting in on the wireless HDMI game.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)BERLIN--Though still struggling to find homes in the hearts of consumers in North America, the two competing standards for wireless high-definition home video have taken their battle on the road.
Here at IFA, several companies showed products using either WirelessHD, which uses the 60GHz band to send signals, or WHDI, which operates in the 5GHz band.
Philips, which has shown wireless HD kits at the Computer Electronics Show for several years, is giving it a go in Europe too. The new kit comes with a transmitter and receiver pair that can send up to 1080p signals at 30 frames per second (fps) at a range of about 65 feet. Toshiba and Funai also demonstrated similar versions of WirelessHD adapters here.
Vestel's wireless HDMI adapter.
(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET)Long the domain of big brand names in electronics, promising wireless HDMI products has now even come to smaller and regional manufacturers. Three new companies demonstrated TVs that receive high-definition signals without wires: Haier, Vestel, and TCL, all using the WHDI standard. If you haven't heard of any of those three, you'd be excused since one is more known for its air conditioners and washing machines, another makes white-label TVs, and the third is sold mainly in Europe.
You'd also be excused for being slightly skeptical. We've heard these promises for a while, that the soon speakers, TVs, and video players will connect to each other without wires. While gadget exhibitions like IFA here this week are great places to show off forthcoming technology, we have a hard time believing that this in fact is the beginning of a new wave of wireless, high-definition devices for the home.
But the tide could be starting to turn. Just recently the European Union finally approved use of the 60GHz band, which WirelessHD operates in. That could theoretically open the floodgates for more wireless high-def products. However, there are problems with in several European countries, so mass adoption is likely still a ways off.
Goodbye, FlyWire: The now-cancelled product will never see store shelves.
(Credit: Belkin)Belkin will not be releasing its FlyWire wireless HDMI accessory.
CNET has learned that the company has decided not to offer the FlyWire for sale. A Belkin spokesperson confirmed the product's cancellation, saying that "its retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy."
The FlyWire was introduced at CES 2008. The unit was a transmitter/receiver combo: the transmitter toggled between multiple audio and video sources (HDMI and analog), which were then wirelessly beamed to a receiver. Since the tiny receiver required only AC power and utilized a single HDMI output, it could be stealthily mounted behind wall-mounted flat screens or ceiling mounted projectors, eliminating the need for long unsightly cable runs. At one point, Belkin was mulling two versions: an initial high-end, multiroom-capable $1,499 version for multiple AV sources, followed by a less pricey single-source transmitter.
Early demos of the FlyWire impressed us--enough that we nominated it as a finalist in the Home Video category for Best of CES 2008. (It was edged out by the Dish Network DTVPal DVR.) But the FlyWire's premature death is just another indication that wireless HDMI technology is all but stillborn at the consumer level. Other notable no-shows, at least so far: the Philips wireless HDMI kit (introduced January 2007) and the Monster Express HD System (announced summer 2008).
... Read more
The transmitter and receiver of Sony's wireless HDMI system are both conspicuously antenna-free.
(Credit: CNET)After years of fits and starts, the first wireless HDMI systems have finally hit the market. Sony's DMX-WL1 is one of two such systems, along with the Gefen EXT-WHDMI, and after comparing them directly, we're giving the Gefen the higher score.
It comes down to the reliability of the transmissions. Both systems deliver great-looking video, and, in fact, the Gefen, with its minor problems with false contouring, looks slightly worse than the Sony. But we stress "slightly," and the occasional breakup and dropped signals we experienced with the Sony, compared with the rock-solid Gefen, were enough to seal the deal.
The Bravia Wireless HDMI Link still gets a lot of things right. First off, it actually works with all HDMI-equipped gear--not just Bravia TVs. Second, it implements an IR blaster system and a remote control to let you command your components, whether they are across the room or stashed in a tasteful cabinet, with relative ease.
Check out the full review for all the details, and this comparison for a look at more options for ditching your HDMI cables.
Read the full review of the Sony Bravia Wireless HDMI Link (DMX-WL1).
The Gefen EXT-WHDMI can transmit HDMI signals up to 30 feet without wires.
(Credit: CNET)Sure you can get 30 feet of HDMI cable for $35 from monoprice, but the coolness factor of the $800 Gefen EXT-WHDMI, a wireless HDMI system with a 30-foot range, cannot be denied. And according to our tests, the system actually works--albeit not quite as flawlessly as the cable.
The idea behind wireless HDMI is that some installations, particularly wall-mounted flat-panel TVs and ceiling-mounted home theater projectors, just don't look right with scads of wires dangling from the bottom. To hide those wires you typically have to pay an installer scads of cash to run those wires through the walls between your display device (TV, projector) and source components (Blu-ray player, cable box, etc).
The Gefen EXT-WHDMI is one of the first wireless HDMI systems available, and it eliminates the need to run wires through walls. Its relatively short range means it's not designed to transmit across the house, or even from one room to the next, but the transmission is strong enough that you can hide the receiver behind a TV.
Our testing, which compared the Gefen EXT-WHDMI directly with the Sony DMX-WL1, did reveal some differences. The Gefen introduced a bit of false contouring, an artifact we found somewhat more objectionable than the Sony's flaws. But the Gefen remained more stable, and it handles the current holy grail of video formats, 1,080p/24, whereas the Sony maxes out at 1,080i.
Read the full review of the Gefen EXT-WHDMI.
The Acoustic Research HDP100 transmits HDMI signals over your home's AC power lines.
(Credit: CNET)"Wireless HDMI" isn't here quite yet--aside from Belkin's $1500 yet-to-ship FlyWire and Sony's $800 proprietary wireless link module--but Acoustic Research's HDP100 promises the next best thing.
The $300 system, which consists of a pair of identical-looking boxes, one transmitter and one receiver, takes an HDMI signal from a source component, runs it through your home's AC wiring, and spits it out on the other side for your HDTV to display. AR says the system isn't designed to work from room-to-room, like Ethernet-over-powerline adapters, but in our tests we were able to get it to work between rooms.
Unfortunately, our tests also revealed that some video quality was lost in the translation. The signal on the other side was slightly degraded over what we expect from a true HDMI cable (i.e. perfection), showing lower resolution and some subtle choppiness, as if it was dropping frames.
On the other hand, some casual viewers might not notice the difference, especially on smaller screens. And if you're faced with the choice between degraded video and a fat installation bill to string a long HDMI cable run through your walls, you might want to audition the HDP100. Just make sure to get a solid return policy, since performance can vary depending on the state of your household wiring.
Read the full review of the Acoustic Research HDP100
On Sale Now: $222.42 - $331.23
View the latest prices for Acoustic Research HDP100 HDMI Powerlink System
Sony's Wireless Link Module (DMX-WL1)
(Credit: Sony)The Bravia Internet Link is getting some siblings. Sony is adding three new accessories to its product line: the Wireless Link Module (DMX-WL1), the DVD Link Module (DMX-DVD), and the Input Link Module (DMX-SW1). Like the Internet Link, the new "Link" accessories are also designed as modular add-ons to specific current and recent Sony Bravia flat-panel LCD TVs. By snapping onto the TVs backside, they should still allow for a reasonably thin profile.
The $150 Input Link Module adds four HDMI inputs to compatible Bravias, while the $200 DVD Link Module adds a "built-in" upconverting DVD player to the mix. But it's the $800 Wireless Link Module that's the highlight of the new line. The two-part system includes a wireless video transmitter and a receiver (the latter of which snaps onto the back of the TV). Put the transmitter near your equipment rack, plug in up to five HD sources (four HDMI inputs, one component), and they're wirelessly transmitted to the TV for distances up to 65 feet (according to Sony). Video sources are limited to 1080i resolution, however, and it's unclear if there's any compression or lag (the latter is a big frustration for gamers). The Wireless Link Module is scheduled to hit in October, while the other two are already available.
Are any of these worth buying? ... Read more
The FlyWire transmitter can send up to six AV sources an HDMI-equipped TV or projector.
(Credit: Belkin)Belkin today announced the pricing and planned availability for its FlyWire wireless HDMI accessory. The unit will eventually be available in two separate versions: a $1,500 multi-room unit set to hit in October, and a stepdown $700 model dubbed the R1, which is intended for single-room installations.
TheFlyWire wireless HDMI kit garnered a nomination for the Best of CES Awards back in January, where it successfully demonstrated the ability to wirelessly transmit uncompressed high-definition video and audio. (See a CNET TV video of the FlyWire in action after the break.)... Read more
Kevin Miller, a contributing editor for CNET, was recently invited to Japan by Sony for a weeklong trip to show off some of the company's new HDTV technology. Among the highlights were Sony's new 4K by 2K projector, the SRX-R220, its new line of Bravia, and the XBR flat panel LCD HDTVs, a new proprietary wireless HDMI technology, called Bravia Wireless Link, and some updates on its new OLED displays.
Sony demonstrated its new Bravia XBR8 series televisions, due stateside this fall, adjacent to Samsung's LN-T4681F and Pioneer's PDP-4280HD from 2007. Kevin said that "the blacks on the new XBR8 series look to be the best of any LCD that I have seen to date by a good margin." Sony chalks up those deep blacks to its Triluminous technology, which utilizes LEDs that can be dimmed independently across the screen, instead of the standard fluorescent backlight that remains constantly turned on. Sony also exhibited what the company calls Motionflow Pro, a step up from its standard MotionFlow technology available on current models like the KDL-46W4100. We expect to review the XBR8 models as soon as they're available.
Coming closer to reducing the tangle of cords often associated with modern home entertainment systems, Sony also showed off its wireless HDMI technology. This will allow users to house their components in a closed cabinet, eliminating the need to run several wires through the wall to the television. The specification currently only supports 1080i though, although Sony is working on a 1080p version.
Lastly and probably the coolest item on Kevin's itinerary was all the OLED goodness. While Sony has a 11-inch model on the market, the XEL-1, priced at a whopping $2,500, it plans to invest $220 million in 2009 to further bring down the price and to develop larger screen sizes. Eventually the company wants to integrate the displays into "rolled goods, like window shades that drop down, covering your window to turn [it] into a TV."
We could see ultrathin OLED displays used in a number of applications. How about animated advertising on the side of skyscrapers, sans the low-res neon light bulbs, similar to what's seen in the movie, Bladerunner? Or what about digital, animated clothing, a built-in monitor for your office desk, or a flexible video-esque newspaper that can be folded and snugged into your pocket?
Clearly the possibilities are endless--but what do you think? Will this technology catch on (if the price comes down) and really revolutionize our lives, or is this just more hype from Sony?
Source: Tweak TV
Belkin FlyWire: A wireless HDMI product that's due later in 2008.
(Credit: Belkin)HDMI has certainly had its growing pains, but the connection is finally beginning to deliver on its original promise: a single-cable solution for delivering high-bandwidth, all-digital HD video and multichannel audio. HDMI is nearly universal in the home video market, present on all current HDTVs and Blu-ray players, as well as nearly all HD-capable cable and satellite set-top boxes; DVRs; game consoles; AV receivers; upscaling DVD players and recorders; and network video streamers such as the Apple TV. In fact, you realize just how convenient HDMI is when you come across a product without it--I'm looking at you, Nintendo Wii--and then have five cables (three component video wires plus two-channel stereo) instead of one crowding the back of your home entertainment system.
But one aspect of the HDMI promise remains unfulfilled: wireless HDMI. It's an attractive idea, especially for anybody with a wall-mounted flat-panel TV or a ceiling-mounted projector: have all of your HDMI-capable gear running into an AV receiver or HDMI switcher with a wireless HDMI transmitter, and have the TV equipped with a matching receiver--thus allowing you to have all your AV sources across the room from the actual display. We've been hearing about it for years, but to date, there are few--if any--products that you can actually buy. Here's a quick update on the wireless HDMI products we've heard about to date--including when (or whether) we can expect to see them:
... Read more- prev
- 1
- next
