Plug In for Easier Video Access

HomePlug specification would allow video to travel through your wall electrical sockets.

8 Jan 2005

LAS VEGAS -- While it can be difficult for technical novices to configure a wireless network, most people have figured out how to insert an electrical plug to a wall socket. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance is counting on that simplicity to appeal to customers who may own the components of a digital home but haven't yet made all the pieces work together.

The alliance announced the selection of the underlying technology for its forthcoming HomePlug AV specification at the International Consumer Electronics Show here this week. The HomePlug specifications allow consumers to send video content over their home electrical networks by simply plugging a HomePlug-equipped set-top box or personal video recorder into the wall.

HomePlug AV is designed to improve upon an existing HomePlug standard with faster bandwidth, greater quality of service, and simpler operation, says Oleg Logvinov, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. The specification can be built into peripherals that connect digital televisions and wall sockets or directly into the television, allowing data to travel over its power cord.

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Filed: Jan 2005, Powerline Networking, Co: HomePlug, Tech: HomePlug AV