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Asus' wireless HDMI streamer coming next month?

By | October 20, 2009, 5:13am PDT

Summary: An anonymous tipster provided Engadget with a juicy scoop yesterday regarding the latest attempt to produce a commercially viable wireless HDMI streaming device. Asus is apparently nearly ready to introduce the BR-HD3, a $650 box that can transmit the signal (up to 1080p) from one device to your HDTV. While the BR-HD3 has been in [...]

An anonymous tipster provided Engadget with a juicy scoop yesterday regarding the latest attempt to produce a commercially viable wireless HDMI streaming device. Asus is apparently nearly ready to introduce the BR-HD3, a $650 box that can transmit the signal (up to 1080p) from one device to your HDTV. While the BR-HD3 has been in the pipeline for a while, it might be officially released as early as next month.

That single source is a notable limitation, since you won’t be able to hook up a Blu-ray player to it if you already have your cable box connected to it. Asus supposedly will release a version with three ports by the middle of next year. There’s also no solid information regarding how far the BR-HD3 can transmit the signal.

Wireless HDMI that’s affordable is a bit of the Holy Grail that has mostly been offered by TV manufacturers for their sets. Sony has the $499 Bravia Wireless Video Link, which doesn’t do 1080p and is designed for its HDTVs, while Panasonic uses the WirelessHD standard for its $5,500 Panasonic Z1 plasma. Gefen offers the Wireless for HDMI Extender, with a range of 100 feet, for $899, a couple of hundred dollars more than Asus will supposedly sell the BR-HD3 for. Belkin generated plenty of buzz with its FlyWire device, but that HDMI streamer was to retail for $1,499 and was killed off earlier this year.

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Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.

Disclosure

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist; currently, all work that Sean does is on a contractural basis. Sean has also written corporate communications documents for CA.

Sean does not accept gifts from companies he covers. All hardware products he writes about are purchased with his own funds or are review units covered under formal loan agreements and are returned after the review is complete.

Biography

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy started his tech writing career at ZDNet nearly a decade ago. He then spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. He received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. from the University of Southern California.

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RE: Asus' wireless HDMI streamer coming next month?
Aspen500 28th Nov 2009
HD is not just a BS gadget for the rich.
How can you get a decent signal from a satellite receiver thoughout your house without having to buy/rent multiple HD receivers at additional cost? That doesn't take into consideration running numerous wires/cables outside where the satelite dish is, or HDMI cables around the house so that you can see HDTV in say the bathroom, basement, kitchen etc!

I can't wait to get WIRELESS HD re-transmit from an original source(s) without spending thousands on tearing out interior walls, studs, drywall, paint, plaster because some people are too stupid to understand the possibilities that are opened up by wireless HD.
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+ -
fast and reliable streaming won't be here for a while
Linux Geek Updated - 20th Oct 2009
limitations because of low power and interference will slow down adoption.
If it works in lab conditions, that's no guarantee for a home environment.
You are probably better off today with a WD media player or with a DVD player with a USB2 port.
Playing media from a local flash or Hard drive is less challenging and a lot cheaper.
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Unfortunately they are also expensive. Using the Amimon or Sibeam solutions you can stream HD content reliably. The SiBeam solution is single room owing to the 60GHZ but is reliable and does Full HD, (1080P 60HZ). The Amimon solution is multi-room but only does 1080P 24 or 30 Frames per second.
Someone had better go back to the drawing board why in the hell would you pay this amount for something you can get for about $100.00?
Why are there idiots out there who assume that wireless HD is just a BS gadget for the rich??
How can you get a decent signal from a satellite receiver thoughout your house without having to buy/rent multiple HD receivers at additional cost? That doesn't take into consideration running numerous wires/cables outside where the staelite dish is, or HDMI cables around the house so that you can see HDTV in say the bathroom, basement, kitchen etc!
I can't wait to get WIRELESS HD retransmit from an original source(s) without spending thousands on tearing out walld. studs, drywall, paint, plaster because some people are too stupid to understand the possibilities opened up by wireless HD.
HD is not just a BS gadget for the rich.
How can you get a decent signal from a satellite receiver thoughout your house without having to buy/rent multiple HD receivers at additional cost? That doesn't take into consideration running numerous wires/cables outside where the satelite dish is, or HDMI cables around the house so that you can see HDTV in say the bathroom, basement, kitchen etc!

I can't wait to get WIRELESS HD re-transmit from an original source(s) without spending thousands on tearing out interior walls, studs, drywall, paint, plaster because some people are too stupid to understand the possibilities that are opened up by wireless HD.

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