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Belkin kills the FlyWire -- does wireless HD / HDMI even have a chance?
We sort of saw the writing on the wall, but now Belkin has went and made it official: the FlyWire is dead. Originally showcased at CES 2008 and at practically every AV-related trade show since, the wireless HD-enabling FlyWire was seen as the poster child for wireless HD / HDMI by many, and the death of this product certainly doesn't bode well for the technology as a whole. It's true that AMIMON -- the wireless startup responsible for the WHDI technology within the FlyWire and a few other devices -- just landed an extra $10 million in VC funding, but still, we've literally been waiting years for this so-called "promising technology" to get a foothold in the market. Or even make a wave, really.As has become customary these days, Belkin is also pinning the cancellation of the FlyWire on the economy, with a spokesperson telling us that the "retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy." She continued by stating that the company has "opted to halt production of FlyWire" and "will no longer be introducing [it] to the market." Granted, the company does seem somewhat apologetic, concluding that "there will be some disappointed folks out there, but [Belkin's] end goal is to introduce products that are accessible and that make sense in the current environment." Frankly, we're not buying it. In April, Belkin affirmed to us that while AMIMON's WDHI technology was "solid," it was taking its sweet time in order to "pay very close attention to the user experience, such as the packaging, setup, and the quick install guide." We could be way off base here, but we'd say the economy was sucking quite a bit harder in April than it is today. And honestly, that's beside the point. A $1,500 device that enabled a Blu-ray player to communicate wirelessly with an HDTV is obviously a luxury item, and regardless of unemployment numbers, Belkin had to know that the FlyWire would only appeal to upscale consumers. You know, the same folks who also put in an order for a Ferrari California in 1H 2009 while their hedge fund dived. To us, the sudden death of the FlyWire is more of an industry signal than anything. For quite some while, we've been wondering when the industry at large would embrace wireless HD and HDMI technology, and now we're beginning to think that said embrace will never happen in any significant capacity. Even Wireless USB couldn't cut it, and we're guessing there are an awful lot more USB users out there than HDMI. If the price dropped dramatically and the sector consolidated a bit in order to agree on a single standard, we'd say wireless HD / HDMI has a fighting chance. 'Til that happens, you can pretty much bank on the FlyWire fiasco becoming a model for the rest. Belkin's statement in full is past the break.
Belkin's $1,500 FlyWire delayed again, now slated for August release
And you wonder why people refuse to take wireless HD / HDMI seriously. A full 15 months after Belkin's FlyWire was introduced at CES 2008, the world is still waiting for it to ship. When launched, it promised the consumer world a device that would take multiple HDMI devices and stream them (one at a time, obviously) to your HDTV sans wires. The box itself relies on AMIMON's WHDI technology, and while we've seen with our own eyes just how marvelous it works, Earthlings won't be able to purchase one until -- drumroll, please -- August 2009. According to a Belkin PR manager that we spoke with on the matter, the January 2009 ship date has now slipped to late summer for the US market, though the altogether painful $1,499 price tag remains firmly in tact. So, what's the over / under on Belkin actually keeping its word this go 'round? Update: Contrary to some reports, the delay is absolutely not related to WHDI. Belkin's own PR team has confirmed that the hold-up is in no way related to WHDI, but that it is "paying very close attention to the user experience." In other words, it's delaying things to get things totally right, and for $1,500, we'd expect nothing less than perfection.
Belkin delays FlyWire Wireless HD box yet again
You've got to be kidding us. No, seriously -- this has to be a joke. Just last month, we witnessed in person a FlyWire unit beaming a 1080p Blu-ray signal wirelessly to an HDTV, and the results were nothing short of astonishing. For whatever reason, the box -- which was officially unveiled back at CES 2008 -- won't even be ready for next year's Vegas extravaganza. While we were told at CEDIA that the unit would begin shipping out in October (like, right now), Melody Chalaban, a marketing executive and spokeswoman for Belkin has informed Electronic House that it "won't be able to make [its] anticipated deadline of the winter CES show." Unfortunately, she gave no indication of when it actually would ship, leaving us to wonder if the dawn of the wireless HD era is being pushed back altogether. Again.Update: Melody herself contacted us to clarify a bit and provide some guidance for release. According to her, the FlyWire is being delayed due to "compliance issues, and it will be available late January 2009."
Belkin's FlyWire hands-on at CEDIA
Belkin has been dangling its FlyWire wireless HD box for, what, ever now? Thankfully, it seems that all the kinks have been worked out, and the October ship date should actually stick. A few tidbits we learned while hanging out at the outfit's CEDIA booth: first, we confirmed that the technology within the device is AMIMON's, so we're guessing it's WHDI. Secondly, we heard that the retail price of the top-end AV69003 may scoot up to $1,499 when it's finally released. We know, that's a lot of coin to make your components cord-free, but the demonstration showing off Blu-ray streaming through thin air was nothing short of astounding. No hiccups, no jaggies, no hints whatsoever that there wasn't a direct HDMI connection. Check the box (and the receiver) out in the flesh over at Engadget HD.
Belkin's FlyWire does 1080P without wires
We've all dreamed of wire clutter-free home theaters for years (admit it), and Belkin is about to make things a lot easier with the FlyWire. The new wireless transmitter and receiver can send 1080p video over a 5GHz band. Belkin promises little to no interference and no latency even for you gamers. As for connections, we're looking at three HDMI ins, two component ins, one composite, and one HDMI out. Remote control is done via IR, which should be welcome news to those of you with universal remotes. FlyWire will come in two packages: The FlyWire AV69003 at $999.99 is meant for a whole-home solution with an IR backchannel for multi-room control, while the FlyWire R1 AV69000 at $699.99 is meant for a single room without the IR backchannel. Not exactly cheap, but a heck of a lot cheaper than those custom wireless installs, and a lot more pretty than ripping a hole in your wall for cables. FlyWire should hit store in October.
Ask Engadget HD: When will wireless HD / HDMI take off?
This week's Ask Engadget HD question is near and dear to our hearts, and quite frankly, it's one of the best inquiries we've heard thus far. After a veritable onslaught of wireless HD, wireless HDMI, WHDI and other cord-free HD apparatuses were introduced and trumpeted at CES 2008, the hubbub has completely died in the months after. Sure, we realize many firms were simply showing off unreleased kit back in January, but it seems the push for untangling one's components has been (at least momentarily) halted. Check out Jeff's concerns for yourself:"When is wireless HD finally going to hit the market? Philips introduced a wireless HDMI product that never saw the light of day; now Belkin (FlyWire) and Gefen have announced similar examples at CES, but there's no word on when either will hit the market. Yes, this technology comes with a large price tag, but when will those willing to pay for a clutter-free setup have the chance to?"Beyond all that, we're wondering if these kinds of products will even impress once unleashed. In our experiences, transmitting loads of data over any form of wireless setup has been prone to dropouts, hiccups and all sorts of annoyances. Heck, even PowerLine has yet to overcome the stigma attached to it -- and it's a wired technology! Personally, we're hoping companies with wireless HD wares are taking the time to perfect them rather than handing them over unpolished, but still, will you be willing to subject yourself to possible early adopter woes when this stuff finally greets retail floors en masse?Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Belkin's FlyWire Wireless HD solution ready for CES
As the war between wireless HD solutions heats up, AMIMON is looking to make a splash by partnering up with Belkin. Reportedly, the firm's Wireless High-definition Interface (WHDI) -- which was just recently HDCP certified -- will be the heart of the Belkin FlyWire aimed at streaming HD DVD / Blu-ray (among other uncompressed content) to television sets sans wires. Unfortunately, little more is known beyond that (aside from the price range, set at $499 to $599), but here's to hoping that we'll get a closer look in just a few days.