| e 1970s and 1980s, the fastest way to transport | | | | 802.11g routers for their computers or Ethernet |
| lots of data between information devices was | | | | connections in their living rooms, a few companies |
| often to carry it down the hall on a magnetic | | | | are offering media adapters based on newer |
| tape or floppy disk--a method that computer | | | | technologies, notably UWB and powerline |
| scientists jokingly referred to as "Sneakernet." | | | | networking. |
| At my house, Sneakernet still rules, at least when | | | | UWB chip sets from Hauppauge, NY-based |
| it comes to multimedia networking. If I want to | | | | semiconductor maker Tzero, for example, are |
| download a movie or TV show from an online | | | | finding their way into media devices from |
| service such as iTunes, for example, I attach my | | | | Audiovox, Siemens, ViewSonic, and other |
| laptop to the 10-megabit-per-second cable modem | | | | consumer-electronics companies. UWB devices |
| in my office; if I then want to watch that same | | | | send data over a large range of frequencies, |
| show in my living room, I have to lug the laptop | | | | rather than over specific channels, as Wi-Fi |
| downstairs. | | | | routers and most other wireless devices do. This |
| But consumer-electronics makers have a different | | | | protects signals against interference and allows |
| vision in mind, and they'll be marketing it to | | | | time-based rather than frequency- or |
| thousands.The vision: consumers could simply point | | | | amplitude-based signal modulation, meaning UWB |
| a remote control at their entertainment center | | | | signals can carry up to 480 megabits of data per |
| and access video, music, or photos stored on | | | | second over short distances (10 meters or less), |
| their PC using a home broadband network based | | | | according to Tzero. At CES, Tzero and Audiovox |
| on old-fashioned Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections or | | | | plan to introduce a UWB media adapter, to be |
| newer technologies, such as powerline networking | | | | marketed under Audiovox's Terk brand name, |
| and ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless. | | | | that can connect PCs, set-top boxes, HD DVD |
| The gadgets that allow this integration are called | | | | players and DVRs, and big-screen displays without |
| "media adapters." The category hasn't yet | | | | the usual tangle of cables. |
| attracted much attention among the | | | | And there's one more way to link entertainment |
| electronics-shopping crowds at Best Buy or Circuit | | | | devices without adding new wires: plug straight |
| City. But at CES, where part of the massive | | | | into your home's electrical outlets. Electronics |
| exhibit area will be devoted to home networking, | | | | vendors have been talking up powerline |
| a number of companies will show off new or | | | | networking in the home for ages, but interference |
| recently released models that they hope will | | | | problems and bandwidth limitations have kept the |
| appeal to entertainment junkies who want to get | | | | idea from catching on (see "Are Powerline |
| the most bang for the thousands of bucks | | | | Networks Finally Ready?" June 2001). Arkados is |
| they've already spent on the newest sound | | | | one of the companies that will argue at CES that |
| systems, high-definition (HD) LCD or plasma | | | | the technology is now ready for consumers. It's |
| displays, and home computers. | | | | working with GigaFast and other manufacturers |
| For example, Netgear, already a leading maker of | | | | to put its chips and software into small "bridge" |
| wireless routers for home Wi-Fi networks, will be | | | | devices that can connect a PC to any television in |
| promoting its Digital Entertainer system, | | | | a home. The devices can transmit data at up to |
| introduced four months ago. The $280 device | | | | 100 megabits per second--more than enough for |
| looks like a set-top cable TV box steamrollered to | | | | HD-quality video. (For $250, Netgear will sell you a |
| about 1.5 centimeters in thickness. It resides next | | | | powerline adapter for the Digital Entertainer.) |
| to your TV and stereo system, where it | | | | Apple may actually make the biggest |
| communicates with your PC using a conventional | | | | home-networking splash at CES, even though |
| wired network--if you're lucky enough to have | | | | Steve Jobs and crew will be 400 miles away at |
| Ethernet cables built into your walls--or an 802.11g | | | | San Francisco's MacWorld convention, slated for |
| Wi-Fi wireless connection. | | | | January 8 through 12. The company is expected |
| Using a remote control and a simple graphical | | | | to preview--or at least talk about--a set-top |
| interface displayed on your TV, you can call up | | | | device dubbed "iTV" that wirelessly streams |
| digital movies, videos, photos, or nonencrypted | | | | iTunes music, videos, or movies from any |
| music stored on any PC or hard drive attached to | | | | computer in the home to a TV set. Given |
| your home network. Your computer will compress | | | | consumers' familiarity with Apple digital media |
| the files and send them to the Digital Entertainer | | | | products like the iPod, an Apple entry in the |
| in streaming form as fast as your network can | | | | media-adapter market could severely limit the |
| handle them. That means up to 100 megabits per | | | | opportunities for competitors like Netgear or |
| second for a wired Ethernet connection and 54 | | | | D-Link. |
| megabits per second for an 802.11g connection. | | | | Despite all these newfangled networking |
| Both are enough to stream HD video, if that's | | | | technologies, Sneakernet may not be dead yet. |
| what you've got stored. | | | | Think of it this way: if you carry a 4.7-gigabyte |
| Netgear's competitors offer similar boxes in the | | | | DVD down a ten-meter-long hallway at one |
| same price range; D-Link's Media Lounge DSM | | | | meter per second, you've effectively |
| 320, for example, goes for $200. Buffalo | | | | "transmitted" the data on that disc at more than |
| Technology's LinkTheatre wireless HD media | | | | 3,700 megabits per second--a speed home |
| player lists at $490 but goes for $283 on | | | | networks won't be reaching for a long time. |
| Amazon. But for people who don't already have | | | | |