XAVi announces DS2 200Mbps Powerline HD lineup
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jun 7th 2006 8:21AM
posted Jun 7th 2006 8:21AM
XAVi of Taiwan just announced their new product lineup exploiting the DS2 200Mbps Powerline HD chipsets shown as a reference design to the right. Just like Netgear's hardware, XAVi promises the ability to stream high-definition video to any room of the house via your existing electrical wiring -- something promised by first generation HomePlug devices but never quite achieved. XAVi says they'll begin shipping their XP302A and XP302H wall adapters starting this month with their XP302D -- a power supply integrated with the DS2 chipset -- shipping later in the summer. It's not clear from the press release but we assume that some magical combination of the devices will allow simultaneous access to high-definition TV streams, internet access, and voice over IP services when the XP302D is mounted or plugged into XAVi's lineup of xDSL and cable customer premise equipment. We'll just have to hold on for a bit to see where XAVi is taking us with all this.
Video distribution was never "promised by first generation HomePlug devices". The second generation, called HomePlug AV, will do this. HomePlug AV is an open standard with 3-4 chip providors supporting it (DS2 is properitary).
Next, the "magical combination of the devices will allow simultaneous access to high-definition TV streams, internet access, and voice over IP", is no more that IP. DS2 and HomePlug products are nothing more that Ethernet over Powerline devices (more or less). If you can put it on Ethernet, you can put it on the powerline.