With climate change at the top of the political agenda, governments across Europe are introducing radical emission reduction targets. As part of the drive, the UK is moving towards a smart grid model for its energy market. The smart grid is a simple idea: an intelligent power generation and distribution system that automatically balances and controls supply and demand to make maximum use of energy at minimal cost.
While the idea is simple, there are significant challenges concerning implementation and impact. It will drive a fundamental change in the way we all consume energy and this starts with smart meters. The two-way communication channel between suppliers and consumers, means that consumers can play a far more active role in the supply chain, taking greater control over their energy consumption, emissions and costs.
Broadband Powerline (BPL) technology provides bi-directional transmission of consumption and control data in real time, turning existing electricity grids into an internet protocol-based communication platform. Every power line becomes a broadband data interface and power grids turn into intelligent systems.
Complete Article
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Powerline Communications Overview
Connecting to the Internet is a fact of life for business, government, and most households. The lure of e-commerce, video on demand, and e-mail has brought 60 million people to the Internet. Once they get to the Internet, they find out what it’s really like. That includes long waits for popular sites, substantial waits for secure sites, and horrible video quality over the web.
Telephone companies have offered high bandwidth lines for many years. For the most part, the cost of these lines and the equipment needed to access them has limited their usefulness to large businesses. The lone exception has been ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) which has won over some residential customers. ISDN offers fast Internet access (128k) at a relatively low cost.
Here the solution is Powerline communications (or PLC). Powerline communications is a rapidly evolving market that utilizes electricity power lines for the high-speed transmission of data and voice services.
Complete Article
Telephone companies have offered high bandwidth lines for many years. For the most part, the cost of these lines and the equipment needed to access them has limited their usefulness to large businesses. The lone exception has been ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) which has won over some residential customers. ISDN offers fast Internet access (128k) at a relatively low cost.
Here the solution is Powerline communications (or PLC). Powerline communications is a rapidly evolving market that utilizes electricity power lines for the high-speed transmission of data and voice services.
Complete Article
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
HomePlug's smart grid solutions get appliance manufacturers' stamp of approval
HomePlug Powerline Alliance's influence in the emerging smart grid arena continues to grow as the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) gave its thumbs up for the HomePlug's Green PHY (GP) as a sound protocol for smart grid applications.
What's compelling about this designation for the powerline community is that AHAM member's presence is far reaching. To date, AHAM's members produce over 95 percent of the appliances sold in the U.S. alone.
The AHAM recently commissioned a study of to see what communications protocols are the most suitable for connecting appliances to the Smart Grid.
Focusing on communications protocols selected in the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid interoperability standard release 1.0 and candidate protocols recommended by AHAM, the study scored each protocol in 21 categories such as interoperability, cost to install and operate, performance, ease of operation and use, security and others.
What's compelling about this designation for the powerline community is that AHAM member's presence is far reaching. To date, AHAM's members produce over 95 percent of the appliances sold in the U.S. alone.
The AHAM recently commissioned a study of to see what communications protocols are the most suitable for connecting appliances to the Smart Grid.
Focusing on communications protocols selected in the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid interoperability standard release 1.0 and candidate protocols recommended by AHAM, the study scored each protocol in 21 categories such as interoperability, cost to install and operate, performance, ease of operation and use, security and others.
Monday, December 06, 2010
The Case for Powerline Communications
Smart grid watchers spend a lot of time arguing about ZigBee versus Wi-Fi, or public versus private wireless networks. But what if the answers to these debates lie in the wiring? Power line carrier (PLC) technology (sending data over the same lines that carry electricity) has some nice advantages for communicating over household wiring and along the power lines that make up the grid. In fact, in my weekly update at GigaOM Pro (subscription required), I make the case that PLC may be set to capture a bigger share of the smart grid market than it has had so far.
That’s a bold assertion, given that wireless is king in all the major smart meter deployments and home energy networking plans underway in the U.S. today. But in Europe, PLC is taking a far larger role. Italy’s network of 30 million smart meters runs on PLC, based on technology from Echelon, and France and Spain are looking to PLC as their main way to link up multi-million-smart-meter networks that extend nationwide. Then there’s China, which wants a low-cost PLC technology to connect tens of millions of its households.
That’s a bold assertion, given that wireless is king in all the major smart meter deployments and home energy networking plans underway in the U.S. today. But in Europe, PLC is taking a far larger role. Italy’s network of 30 million smart meters runs on PLC, based on technology from Echelon, and France and Spain are looking to PLC as their main way to link up multi-million-smart-meter networks that extend nationwide. Then there’s China, which wants a low-cost PLC technology to connect tens of millions of its households.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
HomePlug Powerline Announces Approval and Publication of Its Green PHY Specification for Smart Grid Applications
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance is an innovator in the field of global powerline network technology. Recently, the company announced the approval and publication of HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification for Smart Grid applications.
HomePlug GP is a low power, extremely dependable, cost-effective powerline networking specification. It mainly aims Smart Grid connectivity for home energy management to devices that include HVAC, smart meters, appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.
HomePlug GP was designed with direct input from chief utility companies and appliance manufacturers. Their input was used to make the most of the technology to address the challenges and necessities of real-world smart energy deployments. The chief utility companies and appliance manufacturers that contributed the input include Consumers Energy, Duke Energy, GE, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison ( News - Alert).
Complete Article
HomePlug GP is a low power, extremely dependable, cost-effective powerline networking specification. It mainly aims Smart Grid connectivity for home energy management to devices that include HVAC, smart meters, appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.
HomePlug GP was designed with direct input from chief utility companies and appliance manufacturers. Their input was used to make the most of the technology to address the challenges and necessities of real-world smart energy deployments. The chief utility companies and appliance manufacturers that contributed the input include Consumers Energy, Duke Energy, GE, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison ( News - Alert).
Complete Article
Monday, June 14, 2010
HomePlug® Powerline Alliance’s Green PHY Specification for Smart Grid Applications Published
- Developed With Input from Major Utilities and Appliance Manufacturers to Meet Smart Grid Requirements
- Green PHY Specification-based Products Interoperable with HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901
Portland, Ore. – June 14, 2010 – The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance, the driving force for global powerline network technology, today announced the approval and publication of the HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification for Smart Grid applications. HomePlug GP is a low power, highly reliable, cost-optimized powerline networking specification targeting Smart Grid connectivity for home energy management to devices such as HVAC, smart meters, appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.
HomePlug GP was developed with direct input from major utility companies and appliance manufacturers including Consumers Energy, Duke Energy, GE, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison. Their input was used to optimize the technology to meet the challenges and requirements for real-world smart energy deployments.
"Utility companies told us loud and clear their requirements in the areas of performance, reliability, coverage, price and footprint for a successful Smart Grid solution, and we listened,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “Another key requirement was an interoperable powerline network and our technology roadmap ensures complete interoperability between current and next-generation HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901 technology, which gives customers confidence that devices will communicate now and into the future.”
“HomePlug powerline network technology can play a key role meeting the reliability and interoperability requirements we have connecting meters, HVAC systems and other home devices to the emerging Smart Grid,” said Wayne Longcore, Director of Architecture and Standards for Consumers Energy, a major Michigan utility. “HomePlug Green PHY enables smart grid devices to freely communicate with other devices on the home area network. We appreciate HomePlug’s approach to crafting their technology to the utility industry’s needs.”
HomePlug GP is a key component of the HomePlug technology portfolio that includes the current HomePlug AV broadband powerline technology, and will include HomePlug AV2, the Gigabit-class next-generation powerline technology specification, due for completion in early 2011. All three specifications are fully interoperable with each other and with the IEEE’s 1901 powerline standard, now completing ratification. HomePlug AV is baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline standard. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the compliance and certification body for IEEE 1901, much as the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies 802.11 products.
HomePlug GP is a profile of HomePlug AV, which makes it easier for multiple silicon suppliers to produce GP chips quickly. HomePlug GP delivers scalable data rates with a peak sustained throughput of about 6 Mbps, ample bandwidth to support IP networking and IPv6. The specification also includes features to reduce power consumption by about 75 percent compared to HomePlug AV solutions. The ZigBee and HomePlug Smart Energy liaison is creating a common application layer for HomePlug and ZigBee devices enabling interoperability between those wireless and powerline devices.
HomePlug devices currently account for over 80 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, with over 45 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 60 million by year’s end. Additionally, more than 50 service providers throughout the world are already utilizing HomePlug technology to deploy broadband, IPTV and triple-play offerings.
Please visit www.HomePlug.org for more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and to download a copy of the HomePlug Green PHY specification.
- Green PHY Specification-based Products Interoperable with HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901
Portland, Ore. – June 14, 2010 – The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance, the driving force for global powerline network technology, today announced the approval and publication of the HomePlug Green PHY (HomePlug GP) specification for Smart Grid applications. HomePlug GP is a low power, highly reliable, cost-optimized powerline networking specification targeting Smart Grid connectivity for home energy management to devices such as HVAC, smart meters, appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles.
HomePlug GP was developed with direct input from major utility companies and appliance manufacturers including Consumers Energy, Duke Energy, GE, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison. Their input was used to optimize the technology to meet the challenges and requirements for real-world smart energy deployments.
"Utility companies told us loud and clear their requirements in the areas of performance, reliability, coverage, price and footprint for a successful Smart Grid solution, and we listened,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “Another key requirement was an interoperable powerline network and our technology roadmap ensures complete interoperability between current and next-generation HomePlug AV and IEEE 1901 technology, which gives customers confidence that devices will communicate now and into the future.”
“HomePlug powerline network technology can play a key role meeting the reliability and interoperability requirements we have connecting meters, HVAC systems and other home devices to the emerging Smart Grid,” said Wayne Longcore, Director of Architecture and Standards for Consumers Energy, a major Michigan utility. “HomePlug Green PHY enables smart grid devices to freely communicate with other devices on the home area network. We appreciate HomePlug’s approach to crafting their technology to the utility industry’s needs.”
HomePlug GP is a key component of the HomePlug technology portfolio that includes the current HomePlug AV broadband powerline technology, and will include HomePlug AV2, the Gigabit-class next-generation powerline technology specification, due for completion in early 2011. All three specifications are fully interoperable with each other and with the IEEE’s 1901 powerline standard, now completing ratification. HomePlug AV is baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline standard. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the compliance and certification body for IEEE 1901, much as the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies 802.11 products.
HomePlug GP is a profile of HomePlug AV, which makes it easier for multiple silicon suppliers to produce GP chips quickly. HomePlug GP delivers scalable data rates with a peak sustained throughput of about 6 Mbps, ample bandwidth to support IP networking and IPv6. The specification also includes features to reduce power consumption by about 75 percent compared to HomePlug AV solutions. The ZigBee and HomePlug Smart Energy liaison is creating a common application layer for HomePlug and ZigBee devices enabling interoperability between those wireless and powerline devices.
HomePlug devices currently account for over 80 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, with over 45 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 60 million by year’s end. Additionally, more than 50 service providers throughout the world are already utilizing HomePlug technology to deploy broadband, IPTV and triple-play offerings.
Please visit www.HomePlug.org for more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and to download a copy of the HomePlug Green PHY specification.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
SPiDCOM Technologies selects Toshiba's 90nm CMOS ASIC platform for HomePlug AV SoC
SPiDCOM Technologies, the French fabless semiconductor company specializing in integrated circuits and Linux-based software bundles for Multimedia Home Networking, has used Toshiba’s 90nm CMOS ASIC platform, mixed-signal IP and European technical support services to develop its first HomePlug AV system-on-chip (SoC).
The SPC3XX family ‘No Limits’ HomePlug AV powerline communications IC provides a fully integrated, single-chip solution for applications that use powerline communications for the distribution of ‘triple-play’ services throughout the home. Supplied in a 265-pin PBGA package, the SPC300 is built on Toshiba’s TC300 90nm ASIC technology and combines an open dual-core architecture with a variety of multimedia and general-purpose interfaces.
SPiDCOM and engineers at Toshiba Electronics Europe’s ELDEC (European LSI Design and Engineering Centre) facility in Düsseldorf worked together in the development of the new SoC. Key elements of the design include the implementation of an embedded ARM926EJ-S core capable of running at 300MHz and the seamless integration of mixed-signal IP blocks for the management of features such as power-on-reset (PoR) and innovative spread spectrum clock generation (SSCG).
Toshiba’s ELDEC team also took responsibility for extensive testing of the chip design. A boundary scan JTAG controller was inserted to allow for control and observation of special cell tests for PoR, PLL and spread spectrum clock generation. Transition delay testing using on-chip clocking, high-speed memory BIST analysis and test pattern generation were also handled by Toshiba.
SPiDCOM’s dual-core HomePlug AV IC uses its first processor to handle physical layer management and other real-time requirements and the ARM926EJ-S core for application-specific processing. The IC integrates a 10/100/1000 Ethernet MAC, an RMII/MII/GMII PHY interface and multimedia connectivity such as PCM, I2S, and MPEG-TS. General purpose interfaces include UART, SPI and support for 8-bit parallel connections. A low-power standby mode minimises power consumption, while the open architecture based on LINUX v2.6 supports innovative and low-cost customer development.
The SPC3XX family ‘No Limits’ HomePlug AV powerline communications IC provides a fully integrated, single-chip solution for applications that use powerline communications for the distribution of ‘triple-play’ services throughout the home. Supplied in a 265-pin PBGA package, the SPC300 is built on Toshiba’s TC300 90nm ASIC technology and combines an open dual-core architecture with a variety of multimedia and general-purpose interfaces.
SPiDCOM and engineers at Toshiba Electronics Europe’s ELDEC (European LSI Design and Engineering Centre) facility in Düsseldorf worked together in the development of the new SoC. Key elements of the design include the implementation of an embedded ARM926EJ-S core capable of running at 300MHz and the seamless integration of mixed-signal IP blocks for the management of features such as power-on-reset (PoR) and innovative spread spectrum clock generation (SSCG).
Toshiba’s ELDEC team also took responsibility for extensive testing of the chip design. A boundary scan JTAG controller was inserted to allow for control and observation of special cell tests for PoR, PLL and spread spectrum clock generation. Transition delay testing using on-chip clocking, high-speed memory BIST analysis and test pattern generation were also handled by Toshiba.
SPiDCOM’s dual-core HomePlug AV IC uses its first processor to handle physical layer management and other real-time requirements and the ARM926EJ-S core for application-specific processing. The IC integrates a 10/100/1000 Ethernet MAC, an RMII/MII/GMII PHY interface and multimedia connectivity such as PCM, I2S, and MPEG-TS. General purpose interfaces include UART, SPI and support for 8-bit parallel connections. A low-power standby mode minimises power consumption, while the open architecture based on LINUX v2.6 supports innovative and low-cost customer development.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Europe and US take different routes to smart meters
When it comes to the roll-out of smart meters by power and water utilities it seems that the US and Europe are taking different approaches.
According to market analyst IMS Research, in the US it is wireless mesh networks which are most likely to be used for providing sensor communications links.
In Europe and Asia it looks like powerline communications will play a bigger part in the roll-out of smart meters.
North American smart meter shipments exceeded 8 million units in 2009 and a third were based on RF mesh networks, said IMS.
A further 7 million RF-Mesh meters could be shipped this year, said the analyst.
“It is clear now that RF Mesh is a popular choice for utilities looking to implement smart grid technologies in North America,” said senior analyst Michael Markides.
See: RFMD works with Ember to add ZigBee to smart meters
Click here to find out more!
While in Europe, namely Spain and France, shipments of PLC-based smart meters are predicted to double in the near-term.
“These expected rollouts in Europe will give the market a surge beginning in late 2010, with further market volume realized globally as anticipated PLC shipments of smart meters begin in China in 2012, and onwards,” said Markides.
While Spain and France are strong adopters of PLC smart meters, Markides believes Ireland will head toward wireless communications.
“But what about the UK, Germany and the Netherlands?” asked Markides.
“Solutions other than PLC are in play here due to more complicated and layered electric utility structures in each of these regions,” he said.
According to market analyst IMS Research, in the US it is wireless mesh networks which are most likely to be used for providing sensor communications links.
In Europe and Asia it looks like powerline communications will play a bigger part in the roll-out of smart meters.
North American smart meter shipments exceeded 8 million units in 2009 and a third were based on RF mesh networks, said IMS.
A further 7 million RF-Mesh meters could be shipped this year, said the analyst.
“It is clear now that RF Mesh is a popular choice for utilities looking to implement smart grid technologies in North America,” said senior analyst Michael Markides.
See: RFMD works with Ember to add ZigBee to smart meters
Click here to find out more!
While in Europe, namely Spain and France, shipments of PLC-based smart meters are predicted to double in the near-term.
“These expected rollouts in Europe will give the market a surge beginning in late 2010, with further market volume realized globally as anticipated PLC shipments of smart meters begin in China in 2012, and onwards,” said Markides.
While Spain and France are strong adopters of PLC smart meters, Markides believes Ireland will head toward wireless communications.
“But what about the UK, Germany and the Netherlands?” asked Markides.
“Solutions other than PLC are in play here due to more complicated and layered electric utility structures in each of these regions,” he said.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Atheros Powerline Technology Delivers Unprecedented Performance
Atheros (News - Alert) Communications, a provider of innovative technologies for wireless and wired communications, announced it delivered unprecedented performance for its Ethernet-over-Coax, or “EoC,” solution which helps in last mile broadband access.
With the help of Atheros’ AR7400 powerline chipset, cable operators can deliver two-way data services like broadband access, interactive TV and video-on-demand over existing coaxial infrastructures. This chipset provides PHY rates of about 700 Mbps and up to 350 Mbps of actual throughput over coaxial cables.
The AR7400 is designed in accordance to the new IEEE (News - Alert) 1901 draft standard for powerline networking and interoperates with a vast installed base of Home Plug AV products. China’s cable operators, Jiangsu Cable Networks or “JSCN” and Oriental Cable Networks or “OCN” have already adopted this standard into their EoC specifications. These cable operators will deploy Atheros’ EoC technology to strengthen up their existing infrastructure to support next-generation digital TV and broadband services.
The AR7400 is a fourth-generation HomePlug chipset that can deliver carrier-grade broadband transmission over coaxial and power lines. It supports next generation services within the existing infrastructure.
The chipset delivers better throughput and coverage over existing coaxial infrastructures as it is based on carrier certified HomePlug AV technology, which is the baseline technology for IEEE’s 1901 draft standard.
It is currently being integrated into customer premises equipment from leading Chinese device manufacturers like H3C and B-Star.
H3C has completed performance evaluation and interoperability tests of the new Atheros solution. H3C officials commented that the AR7400-based EoC products will soon be a pivotal tool for multi-system operators in meeting the growing demands of China’s NGB requirements.
The AR7400 EoC solution’s remote management feature helps operators configure and scale systems to suit building size, range and subscriber population. It supports more than 700 meter coverage through multiple splitters and required throughput speeds.
Todd Antes, vice president of marketing, Digital Home of Atheros Communications, said, “Service providers require standardized technologies that are field-proven and cost effective. Adoption by leading carriers not only validates the performance of our AMP products for EoC applications, but demonstrates the growing momentum behind IEEE 1901 as the technology of choice for wireline networking in the home”
In February at this year’s Mobile World Congress (News - Alert), Atheros Communications showcased its latest mobile technologies, connectivity features and applications, including the single-chip 802.11n AR6003, a mobile WLAN solution; AR1520, the company’s third-generation, single-chip GPS receiver; and the AR6133, Atheros’ smart combination of mobile 11n and Bluetooth 3.0 technologies for consumer electronics applications.
With the help of Atheros’ AR7400 powerline chipset, cable operators can deliver two-way data services like broadband access, interactive TV and video-on-demand over existing coaxial infrastructures. This chipset provides PHY rates of about 700 Mbps and up to 350 Mbps of actual throughput over coaxial cables.
The AR7400 is designed in accordance to the new IEEE (News - Alert) 1901 draft standard for powerline networking and interoperates with a vast installed base of Home Plug AV products. China’s cable operators, Jiangsu Cable Networks or “JSCN” and Oriental Cable Networks or “OCN” have already adopted this standard into their EoC specifications. These cable operators will deploy Atheros’ EoC technology to strengthen up their existing infrastructure to support next-generation digital TV and broadband services.
The AR7400 is a fourth-generation HomePlug chipset that can deliver carrier-grade broadband transmission over coaxial and power lines. It supports next generation services within the existing infrastructure.
The chipset delivers better throughput and coverage over existing coaxial infrastructures as it is based on carrier certified HomePlug AV technology, which is the baseline technology for IEEE’s 1901 draft standard.
It is currently being integrated into customer premises equipment from leading Chinese device manufacturers like H3C and B-Star.
H3C has completed performance evaluation and interoperability tests of the new Atheros solution. H3C officials commented that the AR7400-based EoC products will soon be a pivotal tool for multi-system operators in meeting the growing demands of China’s NGB requirements.
The AR7400 EoC solution’s remote management feature helps operators configure and scale systems to suit building size, range and subscriber population. It supports more than 700 meter coverage through multiple splitters and required throughput speeds.
Todd Antes, vice president of marketing, Digital Home of Atheros Communications, said, “Service providers require standardized technologies that are field-proven and cost effective. Adoption by leading carriers not only validates the performance of our AMP products for EoC applications, but demonstrates the growing momentum behind IEEE 1901 as the technology of choice for wireline networking in the home”
In February at this year’s Mobile World Congress (News - Alert), Atheros Communications showcased its latest mobile technologies, connectivity features and applications, including the single-chip 802.11n AR6003, a mobile WLAN solution; AR1520, the company’s third-generation, single-chip GPS receiver; and the AR6133, Atheros’ smart combination of mobile 11n and Bluetooth 3.0 technologies for consumer electronics applications.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Yitran’s Technology Featured Inside Smart Grid Technologies Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010
Yitran’s Powerline Communication (PLC) IT700 technology is featured by the Chinese State Grid Corp. in their pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The pavilion shows Smart Homes and Smart Buildings as part of the smart grid vision and innovations that will be integrated into China’s future. Yitran’s PLC technology is featured in the smart sockets connected to intelligent home appliances for energy management purposes and in home displays that provide accurate real-time status, feedback and analysis of the energy usage profile in the home.
Yitran’s PLC networking chips are used to provide the networking between smart sockets and the in-home display panel. The Expo pavilion features, for example, household appliances attached to smart sockets, which measure the power consumption different devices and sends that information via PLC to a display in the home so that the consumer can easily see the energy consumed by each device used. This allows the consumer to understand their home’s energy profile, which in turns allows him/her to respond to changes in electricity prices and receive rebates from the power utilities for allowing the use of energy management system in the home. This same networking technology can also be used to send gas and water consumption information to the same in-home display, using a combination of wireless and PLC networking technologies. Please visit the Yitran site for photos from the pavilion.
Yitran currently offers its IT700 PLC modem chip, which features an extended 8051 MCU core, offering a high level of code efficiency and high speed operation. The microcontroller and the transceiver along with the analog front end (AFE) are integrated into a plastic molded QFN56 package. IT700 complies with worldwide regulations (FCC, ARIB and CENELEC bands) and is fully back compatible with the IT800 series.
The Chinese State Grid Corporation has invested a great deal of time and money over the last several years to cope with the ever increasing demand for electricity by planning to integrate various energy and smart grid technologies into China’s future. The display at the Shanghai World Expo is designed to give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the smart grid concept as well as the key areas of the State Grid Corporation’s smart grid pilot projects and their results.
Yitran’s PLC networking chips are used to provide the networking between smart sockets and the in-home display panel. The Expo pavilion features, for example, household appliances attached to smart sockets, which measure the power consumption different devices and sends that information via PLC to a display in the home so that the consumer can easily see the energy consumed by each device used. This allows the consumer to understand their home’s energy profile, which in turns allows him/her to respond to changes in electricity prices and receive rebates from the power utilities for allowing the use of energy management system in the home. This same networking technology can also be used to send gas and water consumption information to the same in-home display, using a combination of wireless and PLC networking technologies. Please visit the Yitran site for photos from the pavilion.
Yitran currently offers its IT700 PLC modem chip, which features an extended 8051 MCU core, offering a high level of code efficiency and high speed operation. The microcontroller and the transceiver along with the analog front end (AFE) are integrated into a plastic molded QFN56 package. IT700 complies with worldwide regulations (FCC, ARIB and CENELEC bands) and is fully back compatible with the IT800 series.
The Chinese State Grid Corporation has invested a great deal of time and money over the last several years to cope with the ever increasing demand for electricity by planning to integrate various energy and smart grid technologies into China’s future. The display at the Shanghai World Expo is designed to give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the smart grid concept as well as the key areas of the State Grid Corporation’s smart grid pilot projects and their results.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Reactions mixed to home mesh networking effort
Reaction to plans to create a mesh standard for home networks has been mixed. Backers praise the effort as the future of whole home coverage, competitors from the Zigbee Alliance critique it as a late comer, those with who have worked on other wireless mesh standards indicate it won't be easy—and some still haven't heard about it.
In late April, an Atheros Communications executive said he was trying to organize a standards effort to create a mesh capability that would span Wi-Fi and the wired technologies of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance and the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. The effort aims to create hybrid wired/wireless links that can collaborate to cover a home of any size.
"To me that is the home network for the next 15 years," said Tom Lookabaugh, chief technology officer of Entropic Communications, the leading provider of MoCA silicon.
Lookabaugh said he was aware of the effort which is still debating whether it will create an ad hoc consortium or start a new IEEE standards group. "Some OEMs and carriers are already starting to put together MoCA-to-Wi-Fi bridges," he said.
Stefano Galli, a powerline specialist and lead scientist with Panasonic's R&D group in the U.S. welcomed the effort, but said he was not previously aware of it.
In late April, an Atheros Communications executive said he was trying to organize a standards effort to create a mesh capability that would span Wi-Fi and the wired technologies of the Multimedia over Coax Alliance and the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. The effort aims to create hybrid wired/wireless links that can collaborate to cover a home of any size.
"To me that is the home network for the next 15 years," said Tom Lookabaugh, chief technology officer of Entropic Communications, the leading provider of MoCA silicon.
Lookabaugh said he was aware of the effort which is still debating whether it will create an ad hoc consortium or start a new IEEE standards group. "Some OEMs and carriers are already starting to put together MoCA-to-Wi-Fi bridges," he said.
Stefano Galli, a powerline specialist and lead scientist with Panasonic's R&D group in the U.S. welcomed the effort, but said he was not previously aware of it.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Netgear Powerline AV 200 Adapter XAV2001 - bridge
At $80, the Netgear Powerline AV 200 Adapter XAV2001 is about $10 cheaper than the recently reviewed Plaster Network PLN3 adapter. However, the fact that it has only one Ethernet port (as opposed to two in the PLN3's case) makes it less of a good deal if you want to connect two computers at the far corner via the house's electrical wiring.
Other than that, the two adapters are very similar in regard to speed and the snap-in design, with the Netgear being about 20 percent more compact overall but noticeably thicker. The XAV2001 doesn't come with a fancy online service like the PLN3, but it makes up for it by having a convenient push-button solution to activate its security feature.
If you are looking to quickly connect a computer to your network via your home's electrical wiring, the Netgear XAV2001 is a good solution, especially when it costs only around $130 when you buy it in a kit that includes two units.
Design, setup and features
The XAV2001 has a typical shape of most power-line adapters, looking just like a two-prong power adapter for a small electronic device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It comes with only one Ethernet port. This means you will need a hub (or switch) if you want to connect more than one computer at the far end of the connection. What's more important at the far end is another power socket, as the as the XAV2001 doesn't feature a power pass-through and it, like all HomePlug AV power-line adapters, is not designed to work with power strips or surge protectors. To our surprise, it worked with a few strips we tried, but there's no guarantee that it will work with yours.
The XAV2001's setup process is like that of any typical power-line connection. You'll need two adapters, preferably of the same company, though the XAV2001 is compatible with any other HomePlug AV adapters. After that, say if you want to create a connection between the existing network and a device in the basement, you hook the first adapter to the network via the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the Ethernet-ready device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most cases of homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now established. This whole process takes just a minute or two, and you can't make a mistake.
We had no problem setting up the two test XAV2001 units and believed nobody would run into any issues. After the initial setup is done, the XAV2001 has a nifty security feature that you can enable by pressing on the button on its side. You need to press this button for all XAV2001 units at the same time or within two minutes of one another. After that, a secure connection is created between all of the XAV2001 units. This keeps others from tapping into your network by plugging another HomePlug AV adapter into the same electrical wiring, a necessary security measure for those who live in an apartment building.
Performance
We tested the XAV2001 using the same methodology we use for wireless routers, and it offered about the same speed as the average speed of a wireless-N router at a distance of 100 feet. The adapter registered a speed of around 22.9Mbps, just slightly faster than the 22.6Mbps of the Plaster Network PLN3. At this speed, the XAV2001 adapter can finish transmitting 500MB of data in slightly less than 3 minutes.
Other than that, the two adapters are very similar in regard to speed and the snap-in design, with the Netgear being about 20 percent more compact overall but noticeably thicker. The XAV2001 doesn't come with a fancy online service like the PLN3, but it makes up for it by having a convenient push-button solution to activate its security feature.
If you are looking to quickly connect a computer to your network via your home's electrical wiring, the Netgear XAV2001 is a good solution, especially when it costs only around $130 when you buy it in a kit that includes two units.
Design, setup and features
The XAV2001 has a typical shape of most power-line adapters, looking just like a two-prong power adapter for a small electronic device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It comes with only one Ethernet port. This means you will need a hub (or switch) if you want to connect more than one computer at the far end of the connection. What's more important at the far end is another power socket, as the as the XAV2001 doesn't feature a power pass-through and it, like all HomePlug AV power-line adapters, is not designed to work with power strips or surge protectors. To our surprise, it worked with a few strips we tried, but there's no guarantee that it will work with yours.
The XAV2001's setup process is like that of any typical power-line connection. You'll need two adapters, preferably of the same company, though the XAV2001 is compatible with any other HomePlug AV adapters. After that, say if you want to create a connection between the existing network and a device in the basement, you hook the first adapter to the network via the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the Ethernet-ready device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most cases of homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now established. This whole process takes just a minute or two, and you can't make a mistake.
We had no problem setting up the two test XAV2001 units and believed nobody would run into any issues. After the initial setup is done, the XAV2001 has a nifty security feature that you can enable by pressing on the button on its side. You need to press this button for all XAV2001 units at the same time or within two minutes of one another. After that, a secure connection is created between all of the XAV2001 units. This keeps others from tapping into your network by plugging another HomePlug AV adapter into the same electrical wiring, a necessary security measure for those who live in an apartment building.
Performance
We tested the XAV2001 using the same methodology we use for wireless routers, and it offered about the same speed as the average speed of a wireless-N router at a distance of 100 feet. The adapter registered a speed of around 22.9Mbps, just slightly faster than the 22.6Mbps of the Plaster Network PLN3. At this speed, the XAV2001 adapter can finish transmitting 500MB of data in slightly less than 3 minutes.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Getting things together on the smart grid networking front
Worth noting that the IEEE P1901 Working Group – which is working on global standards for powerline networking – has given the thumbs-up to the current draft of the standard.
A final version of the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard should be available in the third quarter.
This is a big victory for the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, because the standard is, in part, based on HomePlug AV. That means technology that’s out in the market today that uses HomePlug AV will be interoperable with those that use P1901 Powerline Networking. HomePlug will actually get to be the certifying body to ensure that IEEE 1901 devices are truly compliant.
Part of the IEEE P1901 profile will be focused on smart energy/smart grid applications, so those watching smart grid adoption should continue to keep an eye on developments here.
Similarly, they’ll also want to keep tabs on a new collaboration between the IEEE Power & Energy Society and the GridWise Alliance, both of which are pretty heavy into engineering matters associated with the power grid and electric distribution system. The crux of the deal is that the two organizations plan to collaboration on a number of matters including smart grid policy proposals and research projects.
A final version of the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard should be available in the third quarter.
This is a big victory for the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, because the standard is, in part, based on HomePlug AV. That means technology that’s out in the market today that uses HomePlug AV will be interoperable with those that use P1901 Powerline Networking. HomePlug will actually get to be the certifying body to ensure that IEEE 1901 devices are truly compliant.
Part of the IEEE P1901 profile will be focused on smart energy/smart grid applications, so those watching smart grid adoption should continue to keep an eye on developments here.
Similarly, they’ll also want to keep tabs on a new collaboration between the IEEE Power & Energy Society and the GridWise Alliance, both of which are pretty heavy into engineering matters associated with the power grid and electric distribution system. The crux of the deal is that the two organizations plan to collaboration on a number of matters including smart grid policy proposals and research projects.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Plaster Networks PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter is the first power-line adapter we've reviewed in a long time (more will be reviewed soon) and like all power-line adapters, it offers a quick way to extend your network via the electrical wiring of your home or apartment building. This is a handy and effective solution for those far corners of your home where your router's wireless signal may be weak or nonexistent.
The PLN3 is rather bulky but it has two Ethernet ports, as opposed to only one like many others, to host up to two Ethernet-ready network devices. It also comes with an online service that helps monitor the power-line connection. The device is compatible with all HomePlug AV power-line adapters from other vendors and costs around $90.
Note that you'll need at least two adapters to create a power-line connection. If you don't already have some at home, Plaster Networks is offering a deal by knocking off $30 if you buy a pair of the PLN3 adapters at a time.
Design and setup
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter looks like a large power adapter for a small electronics device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It's about the size of two decks of cards stacked together. With this large size, it would be better if the adapter had a power cord, instead of just two prongs. As it is, the only way to hook it to the power is to snap it over a receptacle. This is a bad design as the adapter takes up a relatively large physical space and might even obstruct other adjacent sockets.
As the PLN3 doesn't feature a passthrough for the power socket, you will need a power strip in the far corner to extend the network. Note that the adapter might not work with all power strips or surge protectors because these devices generally degrade or block signal of HomePlug AV adapters. In this case, the sure way is to plug it directly into the wall and make sure you have extra power outlets. To its credit, the PLN3 has two Ethernet ports. This means it can support up to two Ethernet-ready devices, such as a printer and a NAS server, at the far end. At the near end, where the adapter is hooked to a router, though, the second Ethernet port is redundant.
As with most other power-line adapters, there's really nothing to setting up the PLN3. For a typical power-line connection, say between the existing network and a device in the basement, you'll need two power-line adapters. The first adapter is to connect to the network by hooking it to an Ethernet port of the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now live. This whole process takes just a minute or two; we had no problem setting up the PLN3, and you won't either, most likely.
The PLN3 comes with a CAT5 network cable, which is needed to connect it to other network devices.
Features
What makes the PLN3 different from other power-line adapters is the included Plaster Networks Service that automatically updates the adapter to the latest firmware and allows users to keep tab of their power-line network over the Internet.
This service is easy to set up. You just need to access it by pointing a browser to service.plasternetworks.com from a computer that's connected to the Internet via the PLN3 adapter. You will then be prompted to register a new account (or log into an existing one). Then the new adapter will also then be recognized and registered automatically.
From then on, each time you login at the same address, you will be able to view the power-line connection's status, activity history log, and so on. You can also change the password for the each PLN3 Powerline adapter. This is a necessary step for an apartment building because if you don't enable password protection or change the default password, others in the same building might be able to join your network (and tap into your Internet connection, for example) by plugging another HomePlug AV-compliant power adapter into any of the building's power outlet.
The service is potentially a handy tool for other service providers to offer remote troubleshooting for your network connection should a problem arise. However, this is possible only if the problem doesn't disconnect your computer from the Internet, as the Plaster Networks Service requires a live Internet connection to function. This also means you can't take advantage of it if you want to have an isolated network.
While we find this service useful, we didn't find it useful enough to justify the annual fee of $30. The good news is the service is free during the first year.
Note that if you don't want to use this service at all or do not even want Plaster Networks to be able to locate your PLN3 adapter (to update its firmware automatically for example), you can turn this all off. To do this--on a computer that's connected to the adapter--point an Internet browser to PLNxxxxxx, where xxxxxx is the adapter's six-digit identification number printed on its side. This allows access to the adapter's Admin Console, where you can change all of the adapter's additional settings, including those relating to the Plaster Networks Service.
Unlike the Plaster Networks Service, the Admin console doesn't require a live Internet connection to work.
Performance
We tested the PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter by using two units and the same test methodology we use for wireless routers. The adapters consistently registered 22.4Mbps in our sustained throughput tests. This is about the same average speed of 2.4Ghz Wireless-N routers at 100 feet distance. Note, however, this throughput speed can change depending on the electrical wiring of your home. At this speed, the PLN3 adapters can finish transmitting 500MB of data in about three minutes.
In our anecdotal movie streaming tests, the adapters proved that they can offer decent streaming for high-def content, as long as we streamed just one at a time with no other network activities, such as Web surfing or data copying, going on at the same time. We did notice, however, when we increased the file size of the movie or the workload, the streaming wasn't smooth at times, especially when we wanted to jump from one part of the movie to another.
On the other hand, for other casual network needs, such as printing, surfing the Internet, or even playing YouTube movies, the PLN3 will get the job done just fine.
Overall, we weren't terribly impressed with the PLN3's performance, but we weren't disappointed either. We believe it is a good alternative when wireless networking is not a viable option.
The PLN3 is rather bulky but it has two Ethernet ports, as opposed to only one like many others, to host up to two Ethernet-ready network devices. It also comes with an online service that helps monitor the power-line connection. The device is compatible with all HomePlug AV power-line adapters from other vendors and costs around $90.
Note that you'll need at least two adapters to create a power-line connection. If you don't already have some at home, Plaster Networks is offering a deal by knocking off $30 if you buy a pair of the PLN3 adapters at a time.
Design and setup
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter looks like a large power adapter for a small electronics device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It's about the size of two decks of cards stacked together. With this large size, it would be better if the adapter had a power cord, instead of just two prongs. As it is, the only way to hook it to the power is to snap it over a receptacle. This is a bad design as the adapter takes up a relatively large physical space and might even obstruct other adjacent sockets.
As the PLN3 doesn't feature a passthrough for the power socket, you will need a power strip in the far corner to extend the network. Note that the adapter might not work with all power strips or surge protectors because these devices generally degrade or block signal of HomePlug AV adapters. In this case, the sure way is to plug it directly into the wall and make sure you have extra power outlets. To its credit, the PLN3 has two Ethernet ports. This means it can support up to two Ethernet-ready devices, such as a printer and a NAS server, at the far end. At the near end, where the adapter is hooked to a router, though, the second Ethernet port is redundant.
As with most other power-line adapters, there's really nothing to setting up the PLN3. For a typical power-line connection, say between the existing network and a device in the basement, you'll need two power-line adapters. The first adapter is to connect to the network by hooking it to an Ethernet port of the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now live. This whole process takes just a minute or two; we had no problem setting up the PLN3, and you won't either, most likely.
The PLN3 comes with a CAT5 network cable, which is needed to connect it to other network devices.
Features
What makes the PLN3 different from other power-line adapters is the included Plaster Networks Service that automatically updates the adapter to the latest firmware and allows users to keep tab of their power-line network over the Internet.
This service is easy to set up. You just need to access it by pointing a browser to service.plasternetworks.com from a computer that's connected to the Internet via the PLN3 adapter. You will then be prompted to register a new account (or log into an existing one). Then the new adapter will also then be recognized and registered automatically.
From then on, each time you login at the same address, you will be able to view the power-line connection's status, activity history log, and so on. You can also change the password for the each PLN3 Powerline adapter. This is a necessary step for an apartment building because if you don't enable password protection or change the default password, others in the same building might be able to join your network (and tap into your Internet connection, for example) by plugging another HomePlug AV-compliant power adapter into any of the building's power outlet.
The service is potentially a handy tool for other service providers to offer remote troubleshooting for your network connection should a problem arise. However, this is possible only if the problem doesn't disconnect your computer from the Internet, as the Plaster Networks Service requires a live Internet connection to function. This also means you can't take advantage of it if you want to have an isolated network.
While we find this service useful, we didn't find it useful enough to justify the annual fee of $30. The good news is the service is free during the first year.
Note that if you don't want to use this service at all or do not even want Plaster Networks to be able to locate your PLN3 adapter (to update its firmware automatically for example), you can turn this all off. To do this--on a computer that's connected to the adapter--point an Internet browser to PLNxxxxxx, where xxxxxx is the adapter's six-digit identification number printed on its side. This allows access to the adapter's Admin Console, where you can change all of the adapter's additional settings, including those relating to the Plaster Networks Service.
Unlike the Plaster Networks Service, the Admin console doesn't require a live Internet connection to work.
Performance
We tested the PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter by using two units and the same test methodology we use for wireless routers. The adapters consistently registered 22.4Mbps in our sustained throughput tests. This is about the same average speed of 2.4Ghz Wireless-N routers at 100 feet distance. Note, however, this throughput speed can change depending on the electrical wiring of your home. At this speed, the PLN3 adapters can finish transmitting 500MB of data in about three minutes.
In our anecdotal movie streaming tests, the adapters proved that they can offer decent streaming for high-def content, as long as we streamed just one at a time with no other network activities, such as Web surfing or data copying, going on at the same time. We did notice, however, when we increased the file size of the movie or the workload, the streaming wasn't smooth at times, especially when we wanted to jump from one part of the movie to another.
On the other hand, for other casual network needs, such as printing, surfing the Internet, or even playing YouTube movies, the PLN3 will get the job done just fine.
Overall, we weren't terribly impressed with the PLN3's performance, but we weren't disappointed either. We believe it is a good alternative when wireless networking is not a viable option.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Europe and US take different routes to smart meters
When it comes to the roll-out of smart meters by power and water utilities it seems that the US and Europe are taking different approaches.
According to market analyst IMS Research, in the US it is wireless mesh networks which are most likely to be used for providing sensor communications links.
In Europe and Asia it looks like powerline communications will play a bigger part in the roll-out of smart meters.
North American smart meter shipments exceeded 8 million units in 2009 and a third were based on RF mesh networks, said IMS.
A further 7 million RF-Mesh meters could be shipped this year, said the analyst.
“It is clear now that RF Mesh is a popular choice for utilities looking to implement smart grid technologies in North America,” said senior analyst Michael Markides.
See: RFMD works with Ember to add ZigBee to smart meters
While in Europe, namely Spain and France, shipments of PLC-based smart meters are predicted to double in the near-term.
“These expected rollouts in Europe will give the market a surge beginning in late 2010, with further market volume realized globally as anticipated PLC shipments of smart meters begin in China in 2012, and onwards,” said Markides.
While Spain and France are strong adopters of PLC smart meters, Markides believes Ireland will head toward wireless communications.
“But what about the UK, Germany and the Netherlands?” asked Markides.
“Solutions other than PLC are in play here due to more complicated and layered electric utility structures in each of these regions,” he said.
According to market analyst IMS Research, in the US it is wireless mesh networks which are most likely to be used for providing sensor communications links.
In Europe and Asia it looks like powerline communications will play a bigger part in the roll-out of smart meters.
North American smart meter shipments exceeded 8 million units in 2009 and a third were based on RF mesh networks, said IMS.
A further 7 million RF-Mesh meters could be shipped this year, said the analyst.
“It is clear now that RF Mesh is a popular choice for utilities looking to implement smart grid technologies in North America,” said senior analyst Michael Markides.
See: RFMD works with Ember to add ZigBee to smart meters
While in Europe, namely Spain and France, shipments of PLC-based smart meters are predicted to double in the near-term.
“These expected rollouts in Europe will give the market a surge beginning in late 2010, with further market volume realized globally as anticipated PLC shipments of smart meters begin in China in 2012, and onwards,” said Markides.
While Spain and France are strong adopters of PLC smart meters, Markides believes Ireland will head toward wireless communications.
“But what about the UK, Germany and the Netherlands?” asked Markides.
“Solutions other than PLC are in play here due to more complicated and layered electric utility structures in each of these regions,” he said.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Plaster Networks PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter is the first power-line adapter we've reviewed in a long time (more will be reviewed soon) and like all power-line adapters, it offers a quick way to extend your network via the electrical wiring of your home or apartment building. This is a handy and effective solution for those far corners of your home where your router's wireless signal may be weak or nonexistent.
The PLN3 is rather bulky but it has two Ethernet ports, as opposed to only one like many others, to host up to two Ethernet-ready network devices. It also comes with an online service that helps monitor the power-line connection. The device is compatible with all HomePlug AV power-line adapters from other vendors and costs around $90.
Note that you'll need at least two adapters to create a power-line connection. If you don't already have some at home, Plaster Networks is offering a deal by knocking off $30 if you buy a pair of the PLN3 adapters at a time.
Design and setup
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter looks like a large power adapter for a small electronics device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It's about the size of two decks of cards stacked together. With this large size, it would be better if the adapter had a power cord, instead of just two prongs. As it is, the only way to hook it to the power is to snap it over a receptacle. This is a bad design as the adapter takes up a relatively large physical space and might even obstruct other adjacent sockets.
As the PLN3 doesn't feature a passthrough for the power socket, you will need a power strip in the far corner to extend the network. Note that the adapter might not work with all power strips or surge protectors because these devices generally degrade or block signal of HomePlug AV adapters. In this case, the sure way is to plug it directly into the wall and make sure you have extra power outlets. To its credit, the PLN3 has two Ethernet ports. This means it can support up to two Ethernet-ready devices, such as a printer and a NAS server, at the far end. At the near end, where the adapter is hooked to a router, though, the second Ethernet port is redundant.
As with most other power-line adapters, there's really nothing to setting up the PLN3. For a typical power-line connection, say between the existing network and a device in the basement, you'll need two power-line adapters. The first adapter is to connect to the network by hooking it to an Ethernet port of the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now live. This whole process takes just a minute or two; we had no problem setting up the PLN3, and you won't either, most likely.
The PLN3 comes with a CAT5 network cable, which is needed to connect it to other network devices.
Features
What makes the PLN3 different from other power-line adapters is the included Plaster Networks Service that automatically updates the adapter to the latest firmware and allows users to keep tab of their power-line network over the Internet.
This service is easy to set up. You just need to access it by pointing a browser to service.plasternetworks.com from a computer that's connected to the Internet via the PLN3 adapter. You will then be prompted to register a new account (or log into an existing one). Then the new adapter will also then be recognized and registered automatically.
From then on, each time you login at the same address, you will be able to view the power-line connection's status, activity history log, and so on. You can also change the password for the each PLN3 Powerline adapter. This is a necessary step for an apartment building because if you don't enable password protection or change the default password, others in the same building might be able to join your network (and tap into your Internet connection, for example) by plugging another HomePlug AV-compliant power adapter into any of the building's power outlet.
Continued ...
The PLN3 is rather bulky but it has two Ethernet ports, as opposed to only one like many others, to host up to two Ethernet-ready network devices. It also comes with an online service that helps monitor the power-line connection. The device is compatible with all HomePlug AV power-line adapters from other vendors and costs around $90.
Note that you'll need at least two adapters to create a power-line connection. If you don't already have some at home, Plaster Networks is offering a deal by knocking off $30 if you buy a pair of the PLN3 adapters at a time.
Design and setup
The PLN3 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter looks like a large power adapter for a small electronics device, such as a cordless phone or an external hard drive. It's about the size of two decks of cards stacked together. With this large size, it would be better if the adapter had a power cord, instead of just two prongs. As it is, the only way to hook it to the power is to snap it over a receptacle. This is a bad design as the adapter takes up a relatively large physical space and might even obstruct other adjacent sockets.
As the PLN3 doesn't feature a passthrough for the power socket, you will need a power strip in the far corner to extend the network. Note that the adapter might not work with all power strips or surge protectors because these devices generally degrade or block signal of HomePlug AV adapters. In this case, the sure way is to plug it directly into the wall and make sure you have extra power outlets. To its credit, the PLN3 has two Ethernet ports. This means it can support up to two Ethernet-ready devices, such as a printer and a NAS server, at the far end. At the near end, where the adapter is hooked to a router, though, the second Ethernet port is redundant.
As with most other power-line adapters, there's really nothing to setting up the PLN3. For a typical power-line connection, say between the existing network and a device in the basement, you'll need two power-line adapters. The first adapter is to connect to the network by hooking it to an Ethernet port of the router (or the hub). The second adapter is connected to the device at the far corner. After that, you just plug both adapters into the power sockets. If the two locations share the same electrical wiring, which they do in most homes or apartment buildings, the network connection is now live. This whole process takes just a minute or two; we had no problem setting up the PLN3, and you won't either, most likely.
The PLN3 comes with a CAT5 network cable, which is needed to connect it to other network devices.
Features
What makes the PLN3 different from other power-line adapters is the included Plaster Networks Service that automatically updates the adapter to the latest firmware and allows users to keep tab of their power-line network over the Internet.
This service is easy to set up. You just need to access it by pointing a browser to service.plasternetworks.com from a computer that's connected to the Internet via the PLN3 adapter. You will then be prompted to register a new account (or log into an existing one). Then the new adapter will also then be recognized and registered automatically.
From then on, each time you login at the same address, you will be able to view the power-line connection's status, activity history log, and so on. You can also change the password for the each PLN3 Powerline adapter. This is a necessary step for an apartment building because if you don't enable password protection or change the default password, others in the same building might be able to join your network (and tap into your Internet connection, for example) by plugging another HomePlug AV-compliant power adapter into any of the building's power outlet.
Continued ...
Monday, May 03, 2010
Atheros weaves mesh networking effort - Standard could unite Wi-Fi, powerline chips in home nets
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Atheros Communications is trying to rally interest in defining a standard for mesh technology in home networks. Such a standard would help the company merge and add value to its Wi-Fi and powerline chips.
The IEEE 802.11 group that created the Wi-Fi standard has tried for years to set a standard for mesh networks, so far without success. The problem, in part, has been efforts have involved a wide range of stakeholders interested in a variety of home, metro, military and public service nets.
"When you start with that kind of crowd in a room you get a mess," said Bill McFarland, chief technology officer at Atheros in an interview at the Embedded Systems Conference
"We are interested in standardization, but we will do it in a focused way for mesh in powerline, Wi-Fi and MoCA," McFarland said, referring to the Multimedia over Coax Alliance. "We are only talking about home networking," he said.
The discussions so far have involved members of MoCA, other Wi-Fi companies and members of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. They have not yet decided whether they want to try to set an ad hoc standard or work through the 802.11 group.
"There is a lot of discussion of that at the moment, and each approach has its advantages," said McFarland. "I expect it will be resolved in the next few months," he said.
Atheros is in an early stage of developing its own mesh technology. It demonstrated traffic running across Wi-Fi and powerline nets over a few discrete hops at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. However, it is yet to show robust multi-hop technology supporting quality-of-service policies.
Atheros envisions hybrid home nets that can use powerline to help Wi-Fi nets extend their range or route past walls. "There's a great use model story there," he said.
Of course, vendors such as Atheros will have to create software to make the different device IDs, addresses and keys on hybrid networks appear as if they are on a single net for consumers, McFarland noted.
The work on mesh standards comes as Atheros is sampling a new powerline chip set from Intellon which it acquired in September. As many as five other chip makers are about to debut powerline chips that, like Intellon, are based on the ad hoc standard of the HomePlug group and the IEEE 1901. They include Arkados, Gigle Networks, Renesas and STMicroelectronics.
"The big evolution is we now have an IEEE standard coupled with price reductions that will let us move from installations based on adapters to being embedded," said McFarland. "Powerline has never been embedded into another devoice, but now TVs and Blu-Ray players might have it built right in.
"We are across the chasm in embedded Wi-Fi and we are about to cross it for powerline," he added.
Long term, Atheros believes it can produce integrated silicon for Wi-Fi and powerline, making the mesh software even more strategic. "We don't have definite product plans, but I don't see how it would not come to pass eventually," he said.
The IEEE 802.11 group that created the Wi-Fi standard has tried for years to set a standard for mesh networks, so far without success. The problem, in part, has been efforts have involved a wide range of stakeholders interested in a variety of home, metro, military and public service nets.
"When you start with that kind of crowd in a room you get a mess," said Bill McFarland, chief technology officer at Atheros in an interview at the Embedded Systems Conference
"We are interested in standardization, but we will do it in a focused way for mesh in powerline, Wi-Fi and MoCA," McFarland said, referring to the Multimedia over Coax Alliance. "We are only talking about home networking," he said.
The discussions so far have involved members of MoCA, other Wi-Fi companies and members of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. They have not yet decided whether they want to try to set an ad hoc standard or work through the 802.11 group.
"There is a lot of discussion of that at the moment, and each approach has its advantages," said McFarland. "I expect it will be resolved in the next few months," he said.
Atheros is in an early stage of developing its own mesh technology. It demonstrated traffic running across Wi-Fi and powerline nets over a few discrete hops at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. However, it is yet to show robust multi-hop technology supporting quality-of-service policies.
Atheros envisions hybrid home nets that can use powerline to help Wi-Fi nets extend their range or route past walls. "There's a great use model story there," he said.
Of course, vendors such as Atheros will have to create software to make the different device IDs, addresses and keys on hybrid networks appear as if they are on a single net for consumers, McFarland noted.
The work on mesh standards comes as Atheros is sampling a new powerline chip set from Intellon which it acquired in September. As many as five other chip makers are about to debut powerline chips that, like Intellon, are based on the ad hoc standard of the HomePlug group and the IEEE 1901. They include Arkados, Gigle Networks, Renesas and STMicroelectronics.
"The big evolution is we now have an IEEE standard coupled with price reductions that will let us move from installations based on adapters to being embedded," said McFarland. "Powerline has never been embedded into another devoice, but now TVs and Blu-Ray players might have it built right in.
"We are across the chasm in embedded Wi-Fi and we are about to cross it for powerline," he added.
Long term, Atheros believes it can produce integrated silicon for Wi-Fi and powerline, making the mesh software even more strategic. "We don't have definite product plans, but I don't see how it would not come to pass eventually," he said.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
DS2 Announces Availability of Wideband Powerline Communications AMI for Future Proof Smart Grid Applications
DS2 Announces Availability of Wideband Powerline Communications AMI for future proof Smart Grid applications
Valencia, SPAIN, 26th April 2010 – DS2, a leading technology innovator and global supplier of high-speed, robust, and scalable powerline silicon, today announced the availability, for the global utility market, of DS2's Wideband PLC Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) silicon and firmware package and its AMI Evaluation Kit. The solution combines DS2’s UPA wideband powerline communications hardware operating on the 2-12 MHz range with a software package field-tested and optimised for AMI. It includes the DR200 Head End Reference Design package for the service aggregation point, the DE95B embedded module Reference Design for Smart Meters and specialised Alma AMI Firmware. The package offers full and comprehensive AMI functionality with the ability to reach the most remote parts of the grid. DS2's AMI Evaluation Kit is a fully functioning version of the DS2 AMI package allowing DS2 customers to test the concept and accelerate the development of Smart Grid products for the utility market.
The DS2 Wideband PLC AMI package provides a true plug and play mesh network. When a new meter node is connected to the network, it is automatically recognised ...
Valencia, SPAIN, 26th April 2010 – DS2, a leading technology innovator and global supplier of high-speed, robust, and scalable powerline silicon, today announced the availability, for the global utility market, of DS2's Wideband PLC Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) silicon and firmware package and its AMI Evaluation Kit. The solution combines DS2’s UPA wideband powerline communications hardware operating on the 2-12 MHz range with a software package field-tested and optimised for AMI. It includes the DR200 Head End Reference Design package for the service aggregation point, the DE95B embedded module Reference Design for Smart Meters and specialised Alma AMI Firmware. The package offers full and comprehensive AMI functionality with the ability to reach the most remote parts of the grid. DS2's AMI Evaluation Kit is a fully functioning version of the DS2 AMI package allowing DS2 customers to test the concept and accelerate the development of Smart Grid products for the utility market.
The DS2 Wideband PLC AMI package provides a true plug and play mesh network. When a new meter node is connected to the network, it is automatically recognised ...
Monday, April 26, 2010
HomePlug powers onward as connected home play
In the home networking standards game, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance is sometimes overshadowed by Home Phoneline Networking Alliance and the Multimedia over Coax Alliance, but a closer relationship with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is raising its profile.
This week, the IEEE P1901 Working Group passed an initial sponsor ballot that moves the group closer to a likely third-quarter final approval of the standard, for which the HPPA’s HomePlug AV specification was used as the baseline technology. That approval will formalize ensured interoperability between 1901 and HomePlug AV products, and bring HomePlug more into the IEEE’s highly-marketable family of standards that also includes Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The initial sponsor ballot passage also came just days after the IEEE said it was facilitating cooperation between the HPPA and the HD-PLC Alliance, another group focused on getting powerline technology into broadband households. The result is a joint certification program for co-existence between their technologies, which helps smooth the various, often regional and industry-vertical differences between devices with 1901 standard interfaces.
“It’s not a huge leap now to make HomePlug AV and 1901 chips compatible,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HPPA. “Having the aligned standards is also important for market stability. You will no longer have a fragmented environment around powerline technology for home networking and smart grid.”
The HPPA will serve as the certification group for 1901 products, playing the same sort of role that the Wi-Fi Alliance and the WiMAX Forum play in their respective technology camps. Also like those programs, the HPPA will test both chip compliance to the standard and interoperability. The group will use the same testing house in France that it has used to certify more than 200 HomePlug products, half of which are HomePlug AV products, Ranck said.
With the IEEE bond, Ranck also sees more integration with Wi-Fi on the horizon. “The market for powerline technology is really coalescing at this point, and I think the coming trend you’ll see is more work on integrating HomePlug with Wi-Fi,” he said. That evolution seemingly would put the powerline technology in a better position to handle content sharing between portable and fixed devices in the home, and to reach a greater number of household devices with smart grid applications.
Speaking of smart grid, with broadband over powerline technology fading into more of a niche-oriented solution, and more parties, including telcos, looking more inside the home at smart grid, the HPPA is close to finalizing its low-power "Green PHY" specification, which was announced in January. Ranck said an update on that would be forthcoming in the next month or so, which should keep the spec aligned with the timing of other smart grid standardization efforts.
This week, the IEEE P1901 Working Group passed an initial sponsor ballot that moves the group closer to a likely third-quarter final approval of the standard, for which the HPPA’s HomePlug AV specification was used as the baseline technology. That approval will formalize ensured interoperability between 1901 and HomePlug AV products, and bring HomePlug more into the IEEE’s highly-marketable family of standards that also includes Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The initial sponsor ballot passage also came just days after the IEEE said it was facilitating cooperation between the HPPA and the HD-PLC Alliance, another group focused on getting powerline technology into broadband households. The result is a joint certification program for co-existence between their technologies, which helps smooth the various, often regional and industry-vertical differences between devices with 1901 standard interfaces.
“It’s not a huge leap now to make HomePlug AV and 1901 chips compatible,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HPPA. “Having the aligned standards is also important for market stability. You will no longer have a fragmented environment around powerline technology for home networking and smart grid.”
The HPPA will serve as the certification group for 1901 products, playing the same sort of role that the Wi-Fi Alliance and the WiMAX Forum play in their respective technology camps. Also like those programs, the HPPA will test both chip compliance to the standard and interoperability. The group will use the same testing house in France that it has used to certify more than 200 HomePlug products, half of which are HomePlug AV products, Ranck said.
With the IEEE bond, Ranck also sees more integration with Wi-Fi on the horizon. “The market for powerline technology is really coalescing at this point, and I think the coming trend you’ll see is more work on integrating HomePlug with Wi-Fi,” he said. That evolution seemingly would put the powerline technology in a better position to handle content sharing between portable and fixed devices in the home, and to reach a greater number of household devices with smart grid applications.
Speaking of smart grid, with broadband over powerline technology fading into more of a niche-oriented solution, and more parties, including telcos, looking more inside the home at smart grid, the HPPA is close to finalizing its low-power "Green PHY" specification, which was announced in January. Ranck said an update on that would be forthcoming in the next month or so, which should keep the spec aligned with the timing of other smart grid standardization efforts.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Powerline Communications Technology To Be Standardized
A big shortcoming of powerline adapters is the fact that they tend not to interoperate across vendors. For example, the adapters made by Cisco are unlikely to work with products made by Netgear. This is because the powerline market has been fragmented and does not have a common standard. However, this is about to change.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance announced Tuesday that an initial sponsor ballot was passed for the IEEE P1901, the working group that develops the global standard for high-speed powerline communications. This is an important step toward establishing a global standard for powerline (PLC) networking.
According to the Alliance, the ballot was passed with over 80 percent of affirmative votes, demonstrating the overwhelming industry support behind 1901. Final ratification of the standard is expected in the third quarter of 2010. For general consumers, the fact that PLC is going to be an internationally recognized IEEE standard means manufacturers can provide the assurance of product interoperability. This is much like the ratification of the IEEE 802.11N wireless standard (also known as Wireless-N) last September.
Currently, due to the maturity of the draft standard, the P1901 specification is only available via purchase through the IEEE's online store. The draft standard gives interested parties the ability to start developing smart-grid applications as well as next-generation broadband solutions that comply with P1901. The HomePlug Alliance says that it is also finalizing the new HomePlug "Green PHY" specification as part of the IEEE 1901. This specification will provide a low-power smart energy/smart grid standard, meeting the IP networking requirements of utility companies and appliance manufacturers.
According to the organization, the HomePlug AV standard, which has been widely followed by many powerline vendors, was used as the baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard. This means future products that are compliant to 1901 could be interoperable with millions of HomePlug AV products in the market today. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the certification body for IEEE 1901 devices in a similar way as the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies IEEE 802.11 wireless networking devices.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance announced Tuesday that an initial sponsor ballot was passed for the IEEE P1901, the working group that develops the global standard for high-speed powerline communications. This is an important step toward establishing a global standard for powerline (PLC) networking.
According to the Alliance, the ballot was passed with over 80 percent of affirmative votes, demonstrating the overwhelming industry support behind 1901. Final ratification of the standard is expected in the third quarter of 2010. For general consumers, the fact that PLC is going to be an internationally recognized IEEE standard means manufacturers can provide the assurance of product interoperability. This is much like the ratification of the IEEE 802.11N wireless standard (also known as Wireless-N) last September.
Currently, due to the maturity of the draft standard, the P1901 specification is only available via purchase through the IEEE's online store. The draft standard gives interested parties the ability to start developing smart-grid applications as well as next-generation broadband solutions that comply with P1901. The HomePlug Alliance says that it is also finalizing the new HomePlug "Green PHY" specification as part of the IEEE 1901. This specification will provide a low-power smart energy/smart grid standard, meeting the IP networking requirements of utility companies and appliance manufacturers.
According to the organization, the HomePlug AV standard, which has been widely followed by many powerline vendors, was used as the baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard. This means future products that are compliant to 1901 could be interoperable with millions of HomePlug AV products in the market today. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the certification body for IEEE 1901 devices in a similar way as the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies IEEE 802.11 wireless networking devices.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
HomePlug Powerline Technology Joins the Global Family of IEEE Standards
IEEE 1901 Sponsor Ballot approval signifies broad industry support
Portland, Ore. – April 20, 2010 – The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance congratulates the IEEE P1901 Working Group on passage of the initial sponsor ballot, paving the way for a global standard for powerline (PLC) networking. The ballot passed with over 80 percent of affirmative votes, which demonstrates the overwhelming industry support behind 1901. Final ratification of the standard is expected in the third quarter of 2010. The advancement of powerline technology to an internationally recognized IEEE standard will provide manufacturers and end-users with the assurance of product interoperability, driving broader adoption of PLC for home networking.
“The broad market acceptance of networking technologies such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® is in great part due to the IEEE worldwide standards that help define product interoperability and performance thresholds for them,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “Having this IEEE powerline networking standard provides a stable foundation that will help the industry to accelerate mainstream adoption for broadband networking and emerging Smart Grid applications.”
HomePlug AV was used as baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard. As such, products compliant to 1901 will be interoperable with millions of HomePlug AV products in the market today. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the certification body for IEEE 1901 devices in a similar way as the Wi-Fi Alliance™ certifies IEEE 802.11 wireless networking devices.
Due to the maturity of the draft standard, the IEEE is already offering the specification for purchase through its online store, enabling members to now develop Smart Grid applications as well as next-generation broadband solutions that comply with P1901. The HomePlug Alliance is also finalizing the new HomePlug "Green PHY" (GP) specification as a certification profile of IEEE 1901, which will provide a low-power Smart Energy/Smart Grid standard. HomePlug GP will enable the industry's only powerline solutions to meet the IP networking requirements of utility companies and appliance manufacturers.
Portland, Ore. – April 20, 2010 – The HomePlug® Powerline Alliance congratulates the IEEE P1901 Working Group on passage of the initial sponsor ballot, paving the way for a global standard for powerline (PLC) networking. The ballot passed with over 80 percent of affirmative votes, which demonstrates the overwhelming industry support behind 1901. Final ratification of the standard is expected in the third quarter of 2010. The advancement of powerline technology to an internationally recognized IEEE standard will provide manufacturers and end-users with the assurance of product interoperability, driving broader adoption of PLC for home networking.
“The broad market acceptance of networking technologies such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® is in great part due to the IEEE worldwide standards that help define product interoperability and performance thresholds for them,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “Having this IEEE powerline networking standard provides a stable foundation that will help the industry to accelerate mainstream adoption for broadband networking and emerging Smart Grid applications.”
HomePlug AV was used as baseline technology for the IEEE 1901 powerline networking standard. As such, products compliant to 1901 will be interoperable with millions of HomePlug AV products in the market today. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance will serve as the certification body for IEEE 1901 devices in a similar way as the Wi-Fi Alliance™ certifies IEEE 802.11 wireless networking devices.
Due to the maturity of the draft standard, the IEEE is already offering the specification for purchase through its online store, enabling members to now develop Smart Grid applications as well as next-generation broadband solutions that comply with P1901. The HomePlug Alliance is also finalizing the new HomePlug "Green PHY" (GP) specification as a certification profile of IEEE 1901, which will provide a low-power Smart Energy/Smart Grid standard. HomePlug GP will enable the industry's only powerline solutions to meet the IP networking requirements of utility companies and appliance manufacturers.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Billion Electric Co., Ltd.: Billion launches 2 new HD HomePlug bundles
Networking expert Billion announces its 2 new HD HomePlug AV200 adapter bundles delivering high speed 200Mbps transfer rates around the home. The new bundles, that use domestic Powerline technology via the copper ring main circuits, also incorporate an energy-saving feature that shuts down the adapters when not in use.
Perfect for domestic users, the Billion HomePlug adapters are so simple to install they can be added to an entire home in just seconds - without the need for extra wiring or advanced technical knowledge. Despite its simplicity, HomePlug AV200 is a powerful solution - ideal for real-time High Definition video and audio streaming, as well as Internet gaming and VoIP calls.
The adapters even include unique interchangeable sockets to enable the HomePlug to be placed away from obstructions, such as skirting boards or shelving, by rotating the unit around 180deg.
There are two new HomePlug bundles:
Billion BiPAC P106 starter kit - 2 x
BiPAC 2073 wired HomePlugAV200 Ethernet adapters
Billion BiPAC P106N wireless starter kit - 1 x BiPAC 2073 wired HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet adapter plus 1 x BiPAC 2073N wireless 'N' HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapter.
Simple setup
The BiPAC P106 is the new "mini" sized version of the original award-winning BiPAC P104. The P106 twin pack consists of 2 wired Ethernet HomePlug adaptors. These are the same as the P104 but with a smaller footprint, ideal for use around congested power sockets and in extension strips. Each adaptor is called a 2073, so the pack consists of 2 x 2073 adaptors. Simply attach one adaptor to your router via the supplied Ethernet cable and the other can be placed anywhere else in the home on the same electrical circuit for sharing your Internet connection and files over the network. Connect to laptops, PCs, set-top-boxes, game consoles, ready NAS, printers, webcams or any other network device with an Ethernet port.
Compliant with the latest HomePlug AV standards which support data speeds of up to 200Mbps.
Best of both worlds
The BiPAC P106N offers all the benefits of super-fast networking through the domestic powerlines with the addition of high-speed wireless networking. The P106N wireless starter kit includes 1 x 2073 wired adapter and 1 x 2073N wireless 'N' adapter.
The BiPAC 2073N adapter uniquely combines a high-speed wireless 'N' access point with a HomePlug AV adapter, giving the best of both worlds in one easy-to-use device - super fast HomePlug networking that allows speeds of up to 200Mbps through your existing mains power supply network, and up to 300 Mbps high-speed wireless connectivity.
Attach the 2073 wired adapter to your router and simply add the 2073N plug to your powerline network to create a mini wireless 'N' hotspot anywhere in the home.
Great for use in larger homes, garages, outbuildings, or where the thickness of the walls prevents good wireless coverage. The 2073N will carry your internet connection through your existing powerline network to inaccessible parts of the premises, and then relay it wirelessly to your laptop, desktop, games console, printer, camera or any wireless device in client mode. WEP, WPA, WPA2 wireless encryption can be set up via a simple web interface to maximize your wireless security. The 2073N is also available as a single unit.
Power saving
The BiPAC 2073/2073N can automatically detect its Ethernet connection. If no Ethernet device is being used, the BiPAC 2073/2073N will automatically go into sleep mode, which cuts power consumption by at least 60%, increasing energy efficiency and saving money on your electricity bill.
Smooth traffic and prioritisation
Quality of Service control guarantees the transmission quality by automatically prioritising data. The BiPAC 2073/2073N automatically recognizes the bandwidth needs of voice and video applications. QoS prioritises the data to guarantee optimal transmission quality. TV and video images are received and displayed with absolute smoothness. QoS also guarantees clear, instant transmission of voice data, even when other applications are running on the network at the same time.
Immune to noise and intervention
The adapters support superior noise-immune data transmission over in-home electrical power lines. Even if family members turn on an electronic device or turn off a light, there won't be any interruption to latency-sensitive applications, such as multimedia or video being shared in another room.
Key Features
Key Features
Physical layer data rate of up to 200Mbps over existing in-home power lines
In--built AP (2073N) for up to 300 Mbps wireless connectivity
Utilizes power line technology that takes advantage of the unused bandwidth of the electrical wiring in your home
Reduces power consumption by at least 60% with power saving feature
Quality of Service control
Supports Triple Play applications such as IPTV, VoIP and high-speed Internet access
Supports 10/100 BaseT Ethernet
Compliant with the HomePlug Powerline Alliance Industry specifications
Ideal for residential users
Availability
Available at www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk and leading resellers - customers should visit www.billion.uk.com to find the nearest outlet to buy BiPAC products. The BiPAC P106 is GBP79.99 inc. RRP; the BiPAC P106N is GBP109.99 inc. RRP.
About Billion Electric Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1973 and listed on the Taiwanese stock exchange, Billion Electric Co. Ltd. (Taiex #3027) is one of the leading providers of network equipment and power supply products in the Asia Pacific rim. Since its Communications Division was established in 1992, Billion has re-enforced its investment in developing next generation network equipment and Internet access devices for home, telecommuter, and SME users. We have been awarded a number of honours for our networking products and have acquired a considerable customer base across Europe, America, Middle East and Africa, and in the Asia Pacific markets.
Perfect for domestic users, the Billion HomePlug adapters are so simple to install they can be added to an entire home in just seconds - without the need for extra wiring or advanced technical knowledge. Despite its simplicity, HomePlug AV200 is a powerful solution - ideal for real-time High Definition video and audio streaming, as well as Internet gaming and VoIP calls.
The adapters even include unique interchangeable sockets to enable the HomePlug to be placed away from obstructions, such as skirting boards or shelving, by rotating the unit around 180deg.
There are two new HomePlug bundles:
Billion BiPAC P106 starter kit - 2 x
BiPAC 2073 wired HomePlugAV200 Ethernet adapters
Billion BiPAC P106N wireless starter kit - 1 x BiPAC 2073 wired HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet adapter plus 1 x BiPAC 2073N wireless 'N' HomePlug AV 200 Ethernet Adapter.
Simple setup
The BiPAC P106 is the new "mini" sized version of the original award-winning BiPAC P104. The P106 twin pack consists of 2 wired Ethernet HomePlug adaptors. These are the same as the P104 but with a smaller footprint, ideal for use around congested power sockets and in extension strips. Each adaptor is called a 2073, so the pack consists of 2 x 2073 adaptors. Simply attach one adaptor to your router via the supplied Ethernet cable and the other can be placed anywhere else in the home on the same electrical circuit for sharing your Internet connection and files over the network. Connect to laptops, PCs, set-top-boxes, game consoles, ready NAS, printers, webcams or any other network device with an Ethernet port.
Compliant with the latest HomePlug AV standards which support data speeds of up to 200Mbps.
Best of both worlds
The BiPAC P106N offers all the benefits of super-fast networking through the domestic powerlines with the addition of high-speed wireless networking. The P106N wireless starter kit includes 1 x 2073 wired adapter and 1 x 2073N wireless 'N' adapter.
The BiPAC 2073N adapter uniquely combines a high-speed wireless 'N' access point with a HomePlug AV adapter, giving the best of both worlds in one easy-to-use device - super fast HomePlug networking that allows speeds of up to 200Mbps through your existing mains power supply network, and up to 300 Mbps high-speed wireless connectivity.
Attach the 2073 wired adapter to your router and simply add the 2073N plug to your powerline network to create a mini wireless 'N' hotspot anywhere in the home.
Great for use in larger homes, garages, outbuildings, or where the thickness of the walls prevents good wireless coverage. The 2073N will carry your internet connection through your existing powerline network to inaccessible parts of the premises, and then relay it wirelessly to your laptop, desktop, games console, printer, camera or any wireless device in client mode. WEP, WPA, WPA2 wireless encryption can be set up via a simple web interface to maximize your wireless security. The 2073N is also available as a single unit.
Power saving
The BiPAC 2073/2073N can automatically detect its Ethernet connection. If no Ethernet device is being used, the BiPAC 2073/2073N will automatically go into sleep mode, which cuts power consumption by at least 60%, increasing energy efficiency and saving money on your electricity bill.
Smooth traffic and prioritisation
Quality of Service control guarantees the transmission quality by automatically prioritising data. The BiPAC 2073/2073N automatically recognizes the bandwidth needs of voice and video applications. QoS prioritises the data to guarantee optimal transmission quality. TV and video images are received and displayed with absolute smoothness. QoS also guarantees clear, instant transmission of voice data, even when other applications are running on the network at the same time.
Immune to noise and intervention
The adapters support superior noise-immune data transmission over in-home electrical power lines. Even if family members turn on an electronic device or turn off a light, there won't be any interruption to latency-sensitive applications, such as multimedia or video being shared in another room.
Key Features
Key Features
Physical layer data rate of up to 200Mbps over existing in-home power lines
In--built AP (2073N) for up to 300 Mbps wireless connectivity
Utilizes power line technology that takes advantage of the unused bandwidth of the electrical wiring in your home
Reduces power consumption by at least 60% with power saving feature
Quality of Service control
Supports Triple Play applications such as IPTV, VoIP and high-speed Internet access
Supports 10/100 BaseT Ethernet
Compliant with the HomePlug Powerline Alliance Industry specifications
Ideal for residential users
Availability
Available at www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk and leading resellers - customers should visit www.billion.uk.com to find the nearest outlet to buy BiPAC products. The BiPAC P106 is GBP79.99 inc. RRP; the BiPAC P106N is GBP109.99 inc. RRP.
About Billion Electric Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1973 and listed on the Taiwanese stock exchange, Billion Electric Co. Ltd. (Taiex #3027) is one of the leading providers of network equipment and power supply products in the Asia Pacific rim. Since its Communications Division was established in 1992, Billion has re-enforced its investment in developing next generation network equipment and Internet access devices for home, telecommuter, and SME users. We have been awarded a number of honours for our networking products and have acquired a considerable customer base across Europe, America, Middle East and Africa, and in the Asia Pacific markets.
HD Quality Entertainment Design Over Home Electrical Wires
SPiDCOM Technologies, provider of powerline communication System-on-Chips (SoC), have rolled out the SPR300-AV Pass-Through Reference Design, based on the SPC300 HomePlug AV SoC, embedding an ARM processor.
The reference design is a powerline to Ethernet bridge enabling whole-house HD quality entertainment over home electrical wires, with an integrated noise filter to optimize performance and an integrated socket that leaves the electrical outlet available to plug any other appliance.
The reference design is based on the SPC300 HomePlug AV SoC. This open platform embeds an ARM9 processor . The SPR300-AV has a modular approach for a quick integration by product manufacturers. The digital part, including the SPC300 SoC, fits into a small 30 X 65 mm module, which then plugs into the power supply mother board. SPiDCOM provides all the hardware, software and manufacturing documentation required to begin production of a SPR300-AV bridge.
The reference design is a powerline to Ethernet bridge enabling whole-house HD quality entertainment over home electrical wires, with an integrated noise filter to optimize performance and an integrated socket that leaves the electrical outlet available to plug any other appliance.
The reference design is based on the SPC300 HomePlug AV SoC. This open platform embeds an ARM9 processor . The SPR300-AV has a modular approach for a quick integration by product manufacturers. The digital part, including the SPC300 SoC, fits into a small 30 X 65 mm module, which then plugs into the power supply mother board. SPiDCOM provides all the hardware, software and manufacturing documentation required to begin production of a SPR300-AV bridge.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
HomePlug Powerline Alliance
Today at the 2010 IPTV World Forum, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance is celebrating its 10th anniversary by announcing several key milestones:
· HomePlug and HomePlug AV devices currently account for more than 75 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, with over 45 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 60 million by year’s end.
· More than 50 of the world’s leading service providers are already utilizing HomePlug technology to deploy broadband, IPTV and triple-play offerings.
· HomePlug has added nine technology vendors and utility companies to its roster over the last few months (Atheros Communications, Inc.; Broadcom Corporation; D-Link Systems, Inc.; ETSA Utilities; Kawasaki Microelectronics America, Inc.; Marvell Semiconductor; Polaris Networks; Sigma Designs, Inc. and Western Digital Corporation)
· HomePlug Alliance is developing HomePlug GP, a powerline specification targeting low power, cost-optimized solutions. Major utility companies are supporting HomePlug by giving direct input into the specification requirements, helping optimize the technology for real world deployments.
· The HomePlug Alliance operates the powerline networking industry's largest Compliance and Interoperability (C&I) Certification Program to ensure true multi-vendor compliance and interoperability. The program has certified more than 200 products and will also begin certifying IEEE 1901 products in Q2 2010.
Additionally, several HomePlug members will be exhibiting HomePlug powerline networking solutions for IPTV, including: Atheros Communications (Stand 121), devolo AG (Stand 43), LEA (Stand 153) and Sigma Designs (Stand 13). HomePlug’s president, Rob Ranck, will be speaking on the Connected Home panel this Thursday, March 25.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Cypress Introduces Industry's First Programmable, Flexible Powerline Communication Solution Based on PSoC(R) Architecture
Cypress Semiconductor Corp. today introduced the world's first truly programmable solution for data communication over existing power lines. Leveraging the programmable analog and digital resources of Cypress's PSoC(R) programmable system-on-a-chip architecture, the new Cypress Powerline Communication (PLC) solution integrates multiple functions beyond communication, such as power measurement, system management and LCD drive. In addition to its flexibility and integration, the new solution offers industry-leading reliability with greater than 97% packet success rates without retries and 100% success rates with retries built into the solution's coding. The solution offers the flexibility to communicate over high-voltage and low-voltage power lines for lighting and industrial control, home automation, automatic meter reading and smart energy management applications.
Whereas existing solutions require external microcontrollers and filters, the Cypress PLC solution integrates a Frequency-Shift Key (FSK) PHY modem, network protocol and application code with the programmable analog and digital blocks and microcontroller of the PSoC architecture. This combination provides a single hardware platform for multiple applications, reducing BOM cost, board size and chip count while improving manufacturability. Cypress offers reference designs for both high-voltage (110V -- 240V AC) and low-voltage (12V -- 24V AC/DC) coupling circuits based on boards compliant with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) standards. The precertified boards provide developers with a complete solution with fast time-to-market. More information is available at www.cypress.com/go/PLC, and a video on the solution is available at www.cypress.com/go/PLCvideo.
"Smart energy metering, renewable energy, intelligent LED lighting, and advanced industrial applications have the market for powerline communication poised for strong growth," said Linnea Brush, senior research analyst at Darnell Group. "The programmable Cypress PLC solution addresses smart communication, and smart grid connectivity, over existing power lines with no new wires."
"Our lead customers have raved about the unparalleled reliability of our PLC solution, and the versatility it offers with PSoC," said Dinesh Ramanathan, executive vice president of the Data Communication Division at Cypress. "Our PowerPSoC(R) line has helped us build strong expertise with lighting and other control applications, further adding value to our complete PLC solution for customers."
The PowerPSoC family offers the industry's first single-chip solution to control and drive high-power LEDs. The Cypress PLC solution integrates LED driving support.
Additional features and benefits of the Cypress PLC solution include:
-- Support for bidirectional half-duplex communication
-- Flexibility to use complete solution (PHY, Protocol and Application code) or just pieces of solution (PHY and Protocol or PHY only)
-- Variable baud rates up to 2400 bps
-- Onboard power supply derives power from the power line bus.
Availability, Photo and Kits
The Cypress PLC family includes a cost-optimized fixed-function device with an I(2)C interface (CY8CPLC10), programmable PSoC-based devices (CY8CPLC20), and programmable PSoC-based devices optimized for LED support (CY8CLED16P01). The CY8CPLC10 device is available in a 28-pin SSOP package, while the CY8CPLC20 and CY8CLED16P01 devices come in 28-pin SSOP, 48-pin QFN and 100-pin TQFP packages. All of the devices are currently in production. A high-resolution photo of the Cypress PLC solution is available at www.cypress.com/go/pr/PLCphoto.
Cypress also offers multiple evaluation and development kits:
-- The CY3272 High Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation Kit and CY3273 Low Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation kit are currently available for US$299 each. Each kit is compliant with FCC and CENELEC standards and includes an evaluation board, quick start guide, multiple cables, a USB cable, a 12V AC power adapter and a CD with test software, datasheets, a user guide, an application note, schematics and Gerber files.
-- The CY3274 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3275 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit enables system design using CY8CPLC20 devices and are available for US$642 each. The CY3276 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3277 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit are targeted for lighting application system design using CY8CLED16P01 devices and are available for US$951 each.
Each of the kits listed above are currently available today on the Cypress eShop at www.cypress.com or through authorized distributors.
PSoC -- Because Change Happens
PSoC devices employ a highly configurable system-on-chip architecture for embedded control design, offering a flash-based equivalent of a field-programmable ASIC without lead-time or NRE penalties. PSoC devices integrate configurable analog and digital circuits, controlled by an on-chip microcontroller, providing both enhanced design revision capability and component count savings. A single PSoC device can integrate as many as 100 peripheral functions saving customers design time, board space and power consumption while improving system quality and reducing system cost.
The new PSoC 3 and PSoC 5 architectures include high-precision programmable analog capability (up to 20-bit resolution for an Analog to Digital Converter) and expanded programmable digital resources integrated with powerful, industry-standard MCU cores and ample memory and communications peripherals. PSoC 3 devices are based on a high-performance 8-bit 8051 processor, while PSoC 5 devices include a powerful 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor. The products provide designers with a seamless, programmable design platform, enabling easy migration from 8 to 32 bits. The robust features of these new solutions dramatically expand the applications and markets that PSoC can address, including automotive, portable medical, industrial and many more. The PSoC 1 family is based on a cost-optimized 8-bit M8C core. More information about PSoC products is available at www.cypress.com/psoc and free online training is at www.cypress.com/psoctraining.
About Cypress
Cypress delivers high-performance, mixed-signal, programmable solutions that provide customers with rapid time-to-market and exceptional system value. Cypress offerings include the flagship PSoC(R) programmable system-on-chip families and derivatives such as PowerPSoC(R) solutions for high-voltage and LED lighting applications, CapSense(R) touch sensing and TrueTouch(TM) solutions for touchscreens. Cypress is the world leader in USB controllers, including the high-performance West Bridge(R) solution that enhances connectivity and performance in multimedia handsets. Cypress is also a leader in high-performance memories and programmable timing devices. Cypress serves numerous markets including consumer, mobile handsets, computation, data communications, automotive, industrial and military. Cypress trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol CY. Visit Cypress online at www.cypress.com.
Cypress, the Cypress logo, PSoC, PowerPSoC, CapSense and West Bridge are registered trademarks and TrueTouch is a trademark of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks are property of their owners.
Whereas existing solutions require external microcontrollers and filters, the Cypress PLC solution integrates a Frequency-Shift Key (FSK) PHY modem, network protocol and application code with the programmable analog and digital blocks and microcontroller of the PSoC architecture. This combination provides a single hardware platform for multiple applications, reducing BOM cost, board size and chip count while improving manufacturability. Cypress offers reference designs for both high-voltage (110V -- 240V AC) and low-voltage (12V -- 24V AC/DC) coupling circuits based on boards compliant with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) standards. The precertified boards provide developers with a complete solution with fast time-to-market. More information is available at www.cypress.com/go/PLC, and a video on the solution is available at www.cypress.com/go/PLCvideo.
"Smart energy metering, renewable energy, intelligent LED lighting, and advanced industrial applications have the market for powerline communication poised for strong growth," said Linnea Brush, senior research analyst at Darnell Group. "The programmable Cypress PLC solution addresses smart communication, and smart grid connectivity, over existing power lines with no new wires."
"Our lead customers have raved about the unparalleled reliability of our PLC solution, and the versatility it offers with PSoC," said Dinesh Ramanathan, executive vice president of the Data Communication Division at Cypress. "Our PowerPSoC(R) line has helped us build strong expertise with lighting and other control applications, further adding value to our complete PLC solution for customers."
The PowerPSoC family offers the industry's first single-chip solution to control and drive high-power LEDs. The Cypress PLC solution integrates LED driving support.
Additional features and benefits of the Cypress PLC solution include:
-- Support for bidirectional half-duplex communication
-- Flexibility to use complete solution (PHY, Protocol and Application code) or just pieces of solution (PHY and Protocol or PHY only)
-- Variable baud rates up to 2400 bps
-- Onboard power supply derives power from the power line bus.
Availability, Photo and Kits
The Cypress PLC family includes a cost-optimized fixed-function device with an I(2)C interface (CY8CPLC10), programmable PSoC-based devices (CY8CPLC20), and programmable PSoC-based devices optimized for LED support (CY8CLED16P01). The CY8CPLC10 device is available in a 28-pin SSOP package, while the CY8CPLC20 and CY8CLED16P01 devices come in 28-pin SSOP, 48-pin QFN and 100-pin TQFP packages. All of the devices are currently in production. A high-resolution photo of the Cypress PLC solution is available at www.cypress.com/go/pr/PLCphoto.
Cypress also offers multiple evaluation and development kits:
-- The CY3272 High Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation Kit and CY3273 Low Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation kit are currently available for US$299 each. Each kit is compliant with FCC and CENELEC standards and includes an evaluation board, quick start guide, multiple cables, a USB cable, a 12V AC power adapter and a CD with test software, datasheets, a user guide, an application note, schematics and Gerber files.
-- The CY3274 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3275 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit enables system design using CY8CPLC20 devices and are available for US$642 each. The CY3276 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3277 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit are targeted for lighting application system design using CY8CLED16P01 devices and are available for US$951 each.
Each of the kits listed above are currently available today on the Cypress eShop at www.cypress.com or through authorized distributors.
PSoC -- Because Change Happens
PSoC devices employ a highly configurable system-on-chip architecture for embedded control design, offering a flash-based equivalent of a field-programmable ASIC without lead-time or NRE penalties. PSoC devices integrate configurable analog and digital circuits, controlled by an on-chip microcontroller, providing both enhanced design revision capability and component count savings. A single PSoC device can integrate as many as 100 peripheral functions saving customers design time, board space and power consumption while improving system quality and reducing system cost.
The new PSoC 3 and PSoC 5 architectures include high-precision programmable analog capability (up to 20-bit resolution for an Analog to Digital Converter) and expanded programmable digital resources integrated with powerful, industry-standard MCU cores and ample memory and communications peripherals. PSoC 3 devices are based on a high-performance 8-bit 8051 processor, while PSoC 5 devices include a powerful 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor. The products provide designers with a seamless, programmable design platform, enabling easy migration from 8 to 32 bits. The robust features of these new solutions dramatically expand the applications and markets that PSoC can address, including automotive, portable medical, industrial and many more. The PSoC 1 family is based on a cost-optimized 8-bit M8C core. More information about PSoC products is available at www.cypress.com/psoc and free online training is at www.cypress.com/psoctraining.
About Cypress
Cypress delivers high-performance, mixed-signal, programmable solutions that provide customers with rapid time-to-market and exceptional system value. Cypress offerings include the flagship PSoC(R) programmable system-on-chip families and derivatives such as PowerPSoC(R) solutions for high-voltage and LED lighting applications, CapSense(R) touch sensing and TrueTouch(TM) solutions for touchscreens. Cypress is the world leader in USB controllers, including the high-performance West Bridge(R) solution that enhances connectivity and performance in multimedia handsets. Cypress is also a leader in high-performance memories and programmable timing devices. Cypress serves numerous markets including consumer, mobile handsets, computation, data communications, automotive, industrial and military. Cypress trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol CY. Visit Cypress online at www.cypress.com.
Cypress, the Cypress logo, PSoC, PowerPSoC, CapSense and West Bridge are registered trademarks and TrueTouch is a trademark of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks are property of their owners.
HomePlug® Powerline Alliance Announces Milestones on 10th Anniversary as Powerline Technology Leader
LONDON - (Business Wire) At the IPTV World Forum, the HomePlug® Powerline Alliance, the driving force for global powerline network technology, today celebrated its 10th anniversary by announcing several key milestones. With HomePlug technology continuing to gain momentum for broadband, IPTV and triple-play services, the organization has added nine technology vendors and utility companies to its roster, and is nearing the completion of the new Green PHY (GP) specification for Smart Grid applications.
HomePlug and HomePlug AV devices currently account for more than 75 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, with over 45 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 60 million by year’s end. More than 50 of the world’s leading service providers are already utilizing HomePlug technology to deploy broadband, IPTV and triple-play offerings. HomePlug products take advantage of the most universal wired communications medium (a home’s existing electrical wiring) to reliably deliver audio and video without packet loss – which is ideal for streaming IPTV throughout a home.
“The HomePlug Powerline Alliance has maintained its leadership in the broadband powerline industry for 10 years and is now evolving to enable the latest broadband and Smart Grid applications,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “We support the industry’s first international powerline standard (IEEE 1901), and we continue to increase and diversify our membership while expanding our technology roadmap by completing the Green PHY (GP) specification for Smart Grid applications.”
Growth of the alliance continues with new members added in the silicon supplier, service provider and OEM categories; such broad diversity is necessary for complete industry representation and a global HomePlug ecosystem. New members include: Atheros Communications, Inc.; Broadcom Corporation; D-Link Systems, Inc.; ETSA Utilities; Kawasaki Microelectronics America, Inc.; Marvell Semiconductor; Polaris Networks; Sigma Designs, Inc. and Western Digital Corporation.
For Smart Grid applications, the HomePlug Alliance is developing HomePlug GP, a powerline specification targeting low power, cost-optimized solutions such as HVAC thermostats, smart meters, home appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PEHV). Since HomePlug GP is derived from HomePlug AV, it will be fully interoperable with the new IEEE 1901 Draft Powerline Standard. Major utility companies, including Duke Energy, are supporting HomePlug by giving direct input into the specification requirements, helping optimize the technology for real world deployments.
The HomePlug Alliance also operates the powerline networking industry's largest Compliance and Interoperability (C&I) Certification Program to ensure true multi-vendor compliance and interoperability. The program has certified more than 200 products and will also begin certifying IEEE 1901 products in Q2 2010.
HomePlug is the official Exhibition Guide Sponsor of IPTV World Forum, taking place March 25-27 at Olympia National Hall in London. Several HomePlug members will be exhibiting HomePlug powerline networking solutions for IPTV, including: Atheros Communications, Inc. (Stand 121), devolo AG (Stand 43), LEA (Stand 153) and Sigma Designs, Inc. (Stand 13). Additionally, HomePlug’s president, Rob Ranck, will be speaking on the Connected Home panel on Thursday, March 25. This panel will address connecting the home, the battle for the home and unclaimed revenue opportunities for operators, as well as standards and opportunities.
Please visit www.HomePlug.org for more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance.
HomePlug and HomePlug AV devices currently account for more than 75 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, with over 45 million devices sold to date and shipments forecasted to reach 60 million by year’s end. More than 50 of the world’s leading service providers are already utilizing HomePlug technology to deploy broadband, IPTV and triple-play offerings. HomePlug products take advantage of the most universal wired communications medium (a home’s existing electrical wiring) to reliably deliver audio and video without packet loss – which is ideal for streaming IPTV throughout a home.
“The HomePlug Powerline Alliance has maintained its leadership in the broadband powerline industry for 10 years and is now evolving to enable the latest broadband and Smart Grid applications,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “We support the industry’s first international powerline standard (IEEE 1901), and we continue to increase and diversify our membership while expanding our technology roadmap by completing the Green PHY (GP) specification for Smart Grid applications.”
Growth of the alliance continues with new members added in the silicon supplier, service provider and OEM categories; such broad diversity is necessary for complete industry representation and a global HomePlug ecosystem. New members include: Atheros Communications, Inc.; Broadcom Corporation; D-Link Systems, Inc.; ETSA Utilities; Kawasaki Microelectronics America, Inc.; Marvell Semiconductor; Polaris Networks; Sigma Designs, Inc. and Western Digital Corporation.
For Smart Grid applications, the HomePlug Alliance is developing HomePlug GP, a powerline specification targeting low power, cost-optimized solutions such as HVAC thermostats, smart meters, home appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PEHV). Since HomePlug GP is derived from HomePlug AV, it will be fully interoperable with the new IEEE 1901 Draft Powerline Standard. Major utility companies, including Duke Energy, are supporting HomePlug by giving direct input into the specification requirements, helping optimize the technology for real world deployments.
The HomePlug Alliance also operates the powerline networking industry's largest Compliance and Interoperability (C&I) Certification Program to ensure true multi-vendor compliance and interoperability. The program has certified more than 200 products and will also begin certifying IEEE 1901 products in Q2 2010.
HomePlug is the official Exhibition Guide Sponsor of IPTV World Forum, taking place March 25-27 at Olympia National Hall in London. Several HomePlug members will be exhibiting HomePlug powerline networking solutions for IPTV, including: Atheros Communications, Inc. (Stand 121), devolo AG (Stand 43), LEA (Stand 153) and Sigma Designs, Inc. (Stand 13). Additionally, HomePlug’s president, Rob Ranck, will be speaking on the Connected Home panel on Thursday, March 25. This panel will address connecting the home, the battle for the home and unclaimed revenue opportunities for operators, as well as standards and opportunities.
Please visit www.HomePlug.org for more information on the HomePlug Powerline Alliance.
Powerline Networks to Get Bandwidth Boost
Netgear has introduced products for powerline-based home networking at up to 500M bps (bits per second).
The products are based on the forthcoming IEEE P1901 powerline standard. The increased speed -- up from the 200M bps offered today -- should allow users to send simultaneous 1080p HD video to multiple TVs throughout the home, according to Netgear. Also, powerline-based networks can offer "whole-home coverage" in homes that measure up to 5,000 square feet, Netgear said.
Netgear has announced two adapter kits: the Powerline AV 500 and the Powerline AV+ 500, both of which include two adapters. A gigabit ethernet port is used to connect any Ethernet-equipped device to the rest of the network. The kits offer support for traffic prioritization and encryption is configured with the push of a button on the adapters, according to Netgear. The company has also added a number of features to improve power efficiency, including the ability to power down units when they are not used, it said.
The main difference between the two is that the Powerline AV+ 500 comes with an integrated socket.
The two kits will start shipping in the third quarter, at which time pricing will be announced, according to Netgear.
Netgear isn't the only company showcasing powerline-based home networking at up to 500M bps. German company Devolo will also demonstrate products that support the that speed at Cebit, it said on Monday.
The products are based on the forthcoming IEEE P1901 powerline standard. The increased speed -- up from the 200M bps offered today -- should allow users to send simultaneous 1080p HD video to multiple TVs throughout the home, according to Netgear. Also, powerline-based networks can offer "whole-home coverage" in homes that measure up to 5,000 square feet, Netgear said.
Netgear has announced two adapter kits: the Powerline AV 500 and the Powerline AV+ 500, both of which include two adapters. A gigabit ethernet port is used to connect any Ethernet-equipped device to the rest of the network. The kits offer support for traffic prioritization and encryption is configured with the push of a button on the adapters, according to Netgear. The company has also added a number of features to improve power efficiency, including the ability to power down units when they are not used, it said.
The main difference between the two is that the Powerline AV+ 500 comes with an integrated socket.
The two kits will start shipping in the third quarter, at which time pricing will be announced, according to Netgear.
Netgear isn't the only company showcasing powerline-based home networking at up to 500M bps. German company Devolo will also demonstrate products that support the that speed at Cebit, it said on Monday.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
IBEC: FCC Broadband Plan Is a 'Mixed-Bag'
WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- International Broadband Electric Communications, Inc. (IBEC), the nation's leading provider of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) products and services to Rural America, commented on the FCC's National Broadband Plan released today.
Alyssa Clemsen Roberts, Government Affairs Coordinator of IBEC, remarked:
With BPL, customers literally plug into any electric outlet in their home to get broadband service. IBEC holds a number of industry-leading BPL patents. The cost to install BPL is a fraction of installing cable, DSL, or fiber optic solutions in rural areas because BPL relies on long-established and existing electric power lines and infrastructure.
IBEC, Inc. is a full-service provider of Broadband over Power Line Internet access solutions and services, electric utility SmartGrid management and control solutions, and powerline-based security systems. Focused on meeting the broadband needs of rural and underserved America, IBEC is the leading provider of Broadband over Power Line solutions to rural electric utilities and their consumers.
Alyssa Clemsen Roberts, Government Affairs Coordinator of IBEC, remarked:
"The number one goal should be providing all Americans with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet as soon as possible; the FCC's mixed-bag plan disappointedly lists that goal at third and provides itself a ten year period to reach it. We would have hoped for a more aggressive plan and look forward to working with the FCC and our utility and technology partners to accelerate that plan to the benefit of rural citizens." | |
IBEC, Inc. is a full-service provider of Broadband over Power Line Internet access solutions and services, electric utility SmartGrid management and control solutions, and powerline-based security systems. Focused on meeting the broadband needs of rural and underserved America, IBEC is the leading provider of Broadband over Power Line solutions to rural electric utilities and their consumers.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
NETGEAR Intros Two New Next-Generation HomePlug AV-Certified Powerline Kits
NETGEAR, a provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, has announced the addition of two next-generation HomePlug AV-certified powerline kits to its powerline networking solutions.
These two powerline kits are the compact Powerline AV 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5001) and the Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5501) with a filtered “pass-through” power socket.
Company officials said that these latest offerings come with speeds of up to 500 Mbps, and whole-home coverage and “groundbreaking” throughput.
The adapters incorporate are designed to be compatible with the draft international IEEE 1901 powerline standard, providing “greater speeds for bandwidth-hungry applications” such as lag-free Internet gaming, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), large file transfers to networked devices, and even simultaneous 1080p HD video streaming to multiple TVs throughout the home.
“With the dramatic increase in Internet-connected devices across the industry, such as TVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, gaming consoles and set-top boxes, consumers now require networking solutions that enable multiple devices to be running simultaneously,” said Chris Geiser, product line manager for in-home distribution consumer products at NETGEAR.
Until now, consumers haven't been able to seamlessly stream multiple Blu-ray quality HD videos to different TVs in their homes, Geiser said, adding that the company is offering new technology that will provide “uncompromising performance, higher speeds and the greatest throughput for these applications.”
The NETGEAR Powerline XAVB5001comes in compact size, smaller than a deck of cards and up to 50 percent smaller than competing products. Company officials said that it is thus an excellent choice for consumers who are concerned that a powerline device might block an open power outlet.
The HomePlug-certified NETGEAR Powerline XAVB5501 features an integrated filtered power socket for “pass-through” capability. Company officials said that this ensures that customers do not cannibalize an existing wall power socket with the adapter.
Both new NETGEAR kits offer backwards compatibility with other HomePlug AV products from NETGEAR, and installed HomePlug AV-certified products from other vendor. These kits are designed for compatibility with the draft IEEE P1901 global standard for high-speed powerline communications.
Both the newest launched powerline kits are expected to be available in Q3 of 2010 via retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers.
These two powerline kits are the compact Powerline AV 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5001) and the Powerline AV+ 500 Adapter Kit (XAVB5501) with a filtered “pass-through” power socket.
Company officials said that these latest offerings come with speeds of up to 500 Mbps, and whole-home coverage and “groundbreaking” throughput.
The adapters incorporate are designed to be compatible with the draft international IEEE 1901 powerline standard, providing “greater speeds for bandwidth-hungry applications” such as lag-free Internet gaming, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), large file transfers to networked devices, and even simultaneous 1080p HD video streaming to multiple TVs throughout the home.
“With the dramatic increase in Internet-connected devices across the industry, such as TVs, Blu-ray players, DVRs, gaming consoles and set-top boxes, consumers now require networking solutions that enable multiple devices to be running simultaneously,” said Chris Geiser, product line manager for in-home distribution consumer products at NETGEAR.
Until now, consumers haven't been able to seamlessly stream multiple Blu-ray quality HD videos to different TVs in their homes, Geiser said, adding that the company is offering new technology that will provide “uncompromising performance, higher speeds and the greatest throughput for these applications.”
The NETGEAR Powerline XAVB5001comes in compact size, smaller than a deck of cards and up to 50 percent smaller than competing products. Company officials said that it is thus an excellent choice for consumers who are concerned that a powerline device might block an open power outlet.
The HomePlug-certified NETGEAR Powerline XAVB5501 features an integrated filtered power socket for “pass-through” capability. Company officials said that this ensures that customers do not cannibalize an existing wall power socket with the adapter.
Both new NETGEAR kits offer backwards compatibility with other HomePlug AV products from NETGEAR, and installed HomePlug AV-certified products from other vendor. These kits are designed for compatibility with the draft IEEE P1901 global standard for high-speed powerline communications.
Both the newest launched powerline kits are expected to be available in Q3 of 2010 via retailers, direct marketers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Duke Energy Joins HomePlug Powerline Alliance Board of Directors
Duke Energy, an electric power company in the United States delivering energy to approximately four million U.S. customers, has joined the HomePlug Powerline Alliance’s Board of Directors.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Inc. is a consortium with more than 70 member companies that creates specifications and certification logo programs for using the power lines for reliable home networking and Smart Grid applications. The Alliance functions to enable and promote rapid availability, adoption and implementation of cost effective, interoperable and standards-based home powerline networks and products.
“Powerline networking will play a key role in connecting home appliances and systems to the Smart Grid enabling intelligent management and monitoring for energy savings and efficiency,” said David Mohler, vice president and chief technology officer, Duke Energy. “HomePlug, as a base specification within the IEEE 1901 Standard, offers an interoperable standards based technology roadmap from low cost to high-bandwidth and next-generation solutions that will meet the needs of the robust home network that is necessary for the smart grid. We look forward to increasing our involvement with the Alliance.”
“The Smart Grid has been a key focus for HomePlug, with HomePlug’s Green PHY (GP) specification at the center of our smart grid efforts,” said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. “Utility companies are key players in the roll out of the Smart Grid, and having a major utility like Duke Energy join our board of directors is a very exciting development for the HomePlug Alliance. We see them playing an integral role in shaping the future of the Smart Grid connectivity.”
Last month, HomePlug announced the expected finalization of the HomePlug GP specification for the first quarter of 2010. HomePlug GP is a low power, cost-optimized powerline networking specification targeting Smart Grid applications such as HVAC, smart meters, home appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. Major utility companies gave direct input into HomePlug GP technology, optimizing the specification for real world deployments. HomePlug GP is fully interoperable with HomePlug AV and the new IEEE 1901 Draft Powerline Standard.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance is committed to working with the industry in support of Smart Grid interoperability initiatives. HomePlug worked with the ZigBee Alliance to enable application-layer interoperability between ZigBee wireless and HomePlug powerline devices.
The ZigBee/HomePlug Smart Energy Profile has been named in the United States National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Smart Grid interoperability standards roadmap.
HomePlug devices account for 75 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, and over 40 million devices have shipped to date. The Alliance works with key stakeholders to ensure all of its specifications are designed to meet the requirement for interoperability stated by service providers, utilities, equipment and appliance manufacturers, consumer electronics and other important stakeholders. The Alliance operates the powerline networking industry's largest Compliance and Interoperability Certification Program to ensure true multi-vendor co-existence and interoperability. The program has certified more than 190 products and will also begin certifying IEEE 1901 products in 2010.
Topscomm Selects Accent for China Smart Grid Powerline Communication Applications
Milan, Italy and Qingdao, P.R.C., March 16, 2010 ― Accent S.p.A., a leading fabless SoC provider offering highly differentiated platform-based System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions, and Topscomm, an leading Powerline Communication (PLC) solution supplier, today announced that Accent will provide a highly-integrated SoC device featuring a complete solution for China Smart Grid. The mixed-signal design will integrate a number of key functions, such as a powerful PLC engine, providing Topscomm a cost-effective solution for their Single,Three Phase Power Module products.
"We selected Accent over a number of companies," said Mr. Jianhua Wang, the CTO of Topscomm. "Accent's ability to provide a solution that would meet our product needs as well as their impressive track record was the right fit for our program."
"Our collaboration with Topscomm illustrates Accent's ability to deliver tremendous value in high-volume, cost-sensitive markets," said Federico Arcelli, CEO of Accent. "We look forward to working with a market leader such as Topscomm and insuring their continued success."
"We selected Accent over a number of companies," said Mr. Jianhua Wang, the CTO of Topscomm. "Accent's ability to provide a solution that would meet our product needs as well as their impressive track record was the right fit for our program."
"Our collaboration with Topscomm illustrates Accent's ability to deliver tremendous value in high-volume, cost-sensitive markets," said Federico Arcelli, CEO of Accent. "We look forward to working with a market leader such as Topscomm and insuring their continued success."
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Duke Energy Joins HomePlug(R) Powerline Alliance Board of Directors
Major Utility Upgrades HomePlug Membership to Sponsor Level to Support Smart Grid and HAN Ecosystem Efforts
PORTLAND, Ore., Mar 10, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The HomePlug(R) Powerline Alliance, the global driving force for powerline network technology, today announced that Duke Energy has joined the Alliance's board of directors. Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States delivering energy to approximately four million U.S. customers, has upgraded their membership to sponsor level, enabling them to join the Alliance's Board of Directors."Powerline networking will play a key role in connecting home appliances and systems to the Smart Grid enabling intelligent management and monitoring for energy savings and efficiency," said David Mohler, VP and chief technology officer, Duke Energy. "HomePlug, as a base specification within the IEEE 1901 Standard, offers an interoperable standards based technology roadmap from low cost to high-bandwidth and next-generation solutions that will meet the needs of the robust home network that is necessary for the smart grid. We look forward to increasing our involvement with the Alliance."
"The Smart Grid has been a key focus for HomePlug, with HomePlug's Green PHY (GP) specification at the center of our smart grid efforts," said Rob Ranck, president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance. "Utility companies are key players in the roll out of the Smart Grid, and having a major utility like Duke Energy join our board of directors is a very exciting development for the HomePlug Alliance. We see them playing an integral role in shaping the future of the Smart Grid connectivity."
Last month, HomePlug announced the expected finalization of the HomePlug GP specification for the first quarter of 2010. HomePlug GP is a low power, cost-optimized powerline networking specification targeting Smart Grid applications such as HVAC, smart meters, home appliances and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles (PEHV). Major utility companies gave direct input into HomePlug GP technology, optimizing the specification for real world deployments. HomePlug GP is fully interoperable with HomePlug AV and the new IEEE 1901 Draft Powerline Standard.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance is committed to working with the industry in support of Smart Grid interoperability initiatives. HomePlug worked with the ZigBee Alliance to enable application-layer interoperability between ZigBee wireless and HomePlug powerline devices. The ZigBee/HomePlug Smart Energy Profile has been named in the United States National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Smart Grid interoperability standards roadmap.
HomePlug devices account for 75 percent of the world's broadband powerline communications market, and over 40 million devices have shipped to date. The Alliance works with key stakeholders to ensure all of its specifications are designed to meet the requirement for interoperability stated by service providers, utilities, equipment and appliance manufacturers, consumer electronics and other important stakeholders. The Alliance operates the powerline networking industry's largest Compliance and Interoperability Certification Program to ensure true multi-vendor co-existence and interoperability. The program has certified more than 190 products and will also begin certifying IEEE 1901 products in 2010.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
New HomePlugs from Aztech
New HomePlugs from AztechBy SUBASHINI SELVARATNAM
PETALING JAYA: AZ-Technology Sdn Bhd has unveiled its latest HomePlug device, the Aztech HL106E, which turns the electrical wiring in your house into a local area network (LAN) for transmitting data.
“The HL106E is a plug-and-play gadget that can be used in any part of the house with a wall socket. This sleek gadget is smaller than a size of a credit card,” said AZ-Technology technical manager Yap Zee Chieun.
Once you plug the HL106E into a wall socket, you can start streaming videos, send photos, and other high bandwidth content at up to 85Mbps throughout the entire home, the company said.
The HL106E is able to encrypt data with 56-bit DES (Data Encryption Standard) encryption to protect against data eavesdropping or hacking.
The plug is designed to work with both ADSL and cable modem extensions with up to 200m of point-to-point coverage.
Aztech HL110EW
The company also unveiled another HomePlug, the HL110EW, which offers up to 200Mbps speed (over electrical wiring) and comes with two Ethernet ports.
It also has the ability to extend a wireless network into any spot at home at a speed of 300Mbps.
The HL110EW has a power button that allows users to switch off the wireless feature when it is not needed, thus saving energy.
To ensure security, it uses Simple Connect which is an automated security system that uses 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. The HL106E and HL110EW are priced at RM99 and RM249 respectively.
PETALING JAYA: AZ-Technology Sdn Bhd has unveiled its latest HomePlug device, the Aztech HL106E, which turns the electrical wiring in your house into a local area network (LAN) for transmitting data.
“The HL106E is a plug-and-play gadget that can be used in any part of the house with a wall socket. This sleek gadget is smaller than a size of a credit card,” said AZ-Technology technical manager Yap Zee Chieun.
Once you plug the HL106E into a wall socket, you can start streaming videos, send photos, and other high bandwidth content at up to 85Mbps throughout the entire home, the company said.
The HL106E is able to encrypt data with 56-bit DES (Data Encryption Standard) encryption to protect against data eavesdropping or hacking.
The plug is designed to work with both ADSL and cable modem extensions with up to 200m of point-to-point coverage.
Aztech HL110EWIt also has the ability to extend a wireless network into any spot at home at a speed of 300Mbps.
The HL110EW has a power button that allows users to switch off the wireless feature when it is not needed, thus saving energy.
To ensure security, it uses Simple Connect which is an automated security system that uses 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. The HL106E and HL110EW are priced at RM99 and RM249 respectively.
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