Comments on ‘Device routes audio across powerline LANs’

Not bad 

Boffin

I'll be interested in this, and the wired set, and the wireless extenders... when the prices drop to something reasonable. In the meantime, I'll be channeling audio and video along ethernet the old fashioned way (I've made one of these, works nicely too):

http://karpus.wordpress.com/2007/03/07/how-to-make-a-super-duper-quiet-pc/

make one 

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...that could carry video (composite - though component would be nice) as well as audio and I'd be interested.

X10 compatible? 

Does Ethernet/Power interfere with X10 automation?

@ Mal Franks 

Boffin

That's what I said - see the link above. Composite video and RCA sound over ethernet! Tested and sure to work over 150ft.

Won't trust it. 

No way I let this thing anywhere near my hi-fi. Not only will the preamp be destroyed if it will get 220V into line-in but it will likely catch fire too.

not sure i'd trust these 

or the ethernet versions to be honest, i don't like the idea that a manufacturing defect could result in mains voltage going directly into my stereo/pc

Just stereo? 

Seems like this would be much nicer if it was optical. Not only would that do all sorts of surround goodies, but there isn't much chance of a rogue current roaming down a plastic/glass fiber. Not much chance at all. And if you don't have a reciever with optical input, then you probably don't need to be wasting this kind of cash on powerline networking to connect up your pc to it.

Artoo, that's a power socket, not a data terminal! 

As others have posted, the idea of plugging my sensitive data ports into the mains just makes me cringe. A single short-circuit could fry every piece of electronic equipment in your house... ouch!

@ mains voltage going directly into my stereo/pc 

Alert

So build in a resistor or something.

Alarmist 

Go

So this is mains-powered - well aren't your PCs and pre-amps mains-powered too? There's as much chance of mains getting into the audio connections with these devices as there is with those. Just because it passes information over the mains doesn't make it - or a conventional power-line ethernet adaptor - any more likely to fry your equipment than anything else.

INterference 

Mains Interference being the biggest bugbear of audio freaks, i can't see this here product doing all that well for anyone other than the teen market with the MP3's stored on the PC - but where will they send the audio too!?

Thanks, but i'll stick to cables here...

Wireless 

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Personally I just use an RF link - cost me about £30 iirc and lets me move things around wherever I want, even out in the garden, where there is a surprising lack of 13amp sockets.

@Scott Mckenzie: Interference 

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Audio freaks will believe what they are told by marketers about overpriced sillies to make their music sound better, even when they make no difference at all. I'm sure they'd buy one of these if the prongs were gold plated.

The rest of us are more sensible and some of us even realise that this is a digital system so will be able to cope with reasonable amounts of noise on the mains without it making the slightest difference. If it gets through to your badly-designed amplifier, it will get through via its existing mains cable just as easily as by this device.

And I'm astonished that people still think that this thing is likely to put mains down their audio leads. They obviously have no understanding of electronics at all. Still, fodder for the marketers...

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