New data from DisplaySearch* suggests that networking has become the key feature TV manufacturers are focusing on in the development of next generation HD displays, but not for the reasons you might think. In a previous blog post, written when connected TVs were just gaining mainstream availability, (Easy Internet Connectivity of 3D Frills), we showed consumers prefer a networked TV solution over 3D. With consumers making their demands known, TV makers are now responding.


Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Features Report

What we found particularly interesting about the findings was that people weren’t most interested in directly accessing web content on their TVs, but rather using TVs as “companion screens” to directly communicate with smartphones and tablets. The small screens of these devices are the biggest inherent drawback, so making it easier to access on a bigger screen makes a lot of sense.

Fortunately for smartphone users, IOGEAR already makes an HD AV Cable with Charge and Sync for Droid users and a Composite AV Cable with Charge and Sync for iPhone/iPod users, which provides basic hard-wired connectivity between smartphones and TVs. On the horizon though, new networked TVs will take this technology a step further.

According to Paul Gray, DisplaySearch Director of TV Electronics Research:

“Consumer wishes are very clear – no new wires. The incorporation of wireless allows more than just networking, with powerful ad-hoc functions such as transfer of photos and video from a smart phone to a TV using Wireless Direct, or a program guide to be navigated without interrupting viewing.”

Since it will likely be awhile until networked TVs become the de facto display device in every living room, it’s important to understand that there are still solutions available to bring wireless connectivity to an HD display.


Provided it has an Ethernet port, the Universal Wi-Fi N Adapter allows you to connect an HDTV (or Blu-ray player, game console, etc) to any Wireless-N network in a home or office. This low-cost alternative is an ideal accessory for someone who’s just invested in a non-WiFi enabled display, giving them the flexibility to install a home entertainment center anywhere, while remaining connected to the Internet.

It’s easy to see why manufacturers are so committed to networked TVs, but we’d like to how you would take advantage of an Internet-connected TV? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

*The DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Features Report is a quarterly update of the issues and rapid shifts in TV feature developments. The 250+ page report examines and forecasts video processor and signal processing IC market development, including 120/100 and 200/240 Hz frame rates as well as market shares for major IC vendors. In addition, the report also features forecasting for MPEG-4 decoding and the digital broadcast environment around the world, including a forecast for DVB-T2; TV connectivity, such as wired and wireless networked TVs; LED backlighting; 3D-capability and implementation; remote controls and chassis design; and power consumption.

Last year, we asked for your help to build a massive list of streaming media resources, and you delivered! We took an initial attempt to organize these resources in order to provide the most value using Delicious and it’s tagging features. In the end there were over 700 links!

With devices like the Roku and Apple TV making its way into mainstream use, not to mention the built-in streaming functionality included with modern HDTVs and gaming consoles, the options for viewing streaming media has greatly increased. Now, armed with your 700 links and the right hardware, your choices increase to amazing new levels.

Our Wireless HD Computer to TV kit helps make it easy for you to get your audio and HD video streaming from your PC to your HDTV from up to 30 feet away with only two pieces of hardware over HDMI. So now you can finally have access to tremendous amounts of content from the comfort of your own couch!



Please take some time and share your thoughts here on the blog, especially if missed your favorite links. We would also appreciate if you followed us on Twitter or liked us on FaceBook.

But wait, before you go, we have a great opportunity to elevate your home entertainment experience to yet another level. We have 100 USB Theater Sound Experience PC adapters to give away in our Unleash the Sound Sweepstakes. It takes just a few minutes to enter. Good luck!

Not too long ago, we delved into the history of Bluetooth, with humble praise to the Danish king who lent the far-reaching mobile technology his name. For this week’s history lesson, we move outside the world of mobility into the highly competitive audio technology segment. With the explosion of iPods, iPod Accessories as well as digital music shopping and storage, audio technology has seen seismic changes over the last 10-15 years.


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Certainly music has gotten easier to store, making it more mobile, but the proliferation of surround sound could be viewed as equally monumental in the overall field of audio development. There are two-channel purists who argue that we have two ears, and thus, two-channels are best, but that hasn’t stopped manufacturers and consumers from creating 5.1, 7.1 and even 11.2 surround sound speaker configurations.

While he wasn’t the first to experiment with it, a gentleman by the name of Walt Disney was one of the earliest pioneers of surround sound technology. His use of Fantasound to reproduce the orchestral production accompanying Fantasia set a benchmark for what could be achieved with multi-channel sound. After Disney, Dolby really became a dominant force in the surround sound game with Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic II and a host of other technologies. They remain a player to this day.

Just about 20 years ago, another major surround sound player took the field, bringing new thinking and hitting the mainstream in 1993 when it introduced its master-quality sound with the release of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster, Jurassic Park. According to the DTS website, every major film studio in the United States uses DTS multi-channel digital sound, and virtually all major Hollywood feature films are released with soundtracks in the DTS format. DTS entered the consumer product marketplace in 1996, and now more than 200 millions devices include DTS trademarks or technologies.

Fast forward to present times and IOGEAR is carving its own niche as the first manufacturer to have DTS Surround Sensation | Headphone™ technology available in a new surround sound headphone adapter called the USB Theater Sound Xperience. An in-depth explanation appears in a previous post, Mobile DTS Surround Sound Adapter for Headphones and Speakers, but we see this as a major progression in the pursuit of surround sound.


The IOGEAR surround sound audio adapter will do for computer audio, what the home-theater-in-a-box did for entry-level home theaters; provide an affordable and enveloping audio solution. More content is making its way to and from PCs, so it’s only natural people will embrace advancements that make the experience more riveting, whether it’s on their headphones or computer speakers.

If you haven’t seen, we’re giving away 100 of the USB Theater Sound Xperience Adapters via a Facebook contest, so go over and like us for a chance to win.

We personally feel this is one of the most innovative implementations of USB 2.0 technology available, but we are curious what you think. How important is audio to your entertainment? Do you think surround sound adds significantly to the amount of enjoyment you get from movies and video games? Let us know in the comments, our Facebook page or via Twitter.

“Convergence” is one of those budding buzzwords that marketers and even scientists use when describing the prolonged combination or mixing of various entities. The blending together of traditional and social media is one example as is the simultaneous inward movement of eyes towards each other.


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Blurred media and crossed eyes aside, the most relevant form of convergence is happening in our living rooms and offices. Traditional forms of entertainment, like radio and TV, are being re-invigorated by a new breed of AV and computer accessories that allow formerly disjointed systems, to work in harmony. Echoing this sentiment is a trade industry publication called Dealerscope, which recently pegged convergence as THE driving force for consumer electronics sales as we head into the second half of 2011 and beyond.

Culling information from interviews with the magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 list of young consumer electronics leaders, convergence was a common theme among those who responded. Quoting the article, Mid-Year Prediction: Convergence To Drive CE,

“We’ll see more technologies being brought into tablet devices that will involve HDMI jacks, and consumer formats that fit the AV world. Your TV is just the gateway drug… The proliferation of high-speed broadband into the home, along with more robust home networks, will continue to change how and where people consume video and audio.”

IOGEAR’s product development has always accepted the TV as a hub (or gateway drug) and considered how TV can be used to enhance the digital home experience. The convergence concept has really become a rallying point for consumers and installers considering new wireless AV streaming and other technologies. Think about the number of devices you interact with on a daily basis. We have content stored on laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, NAS storage devices, desktops, digital music players, DVRs and even in the cloud. Currently, not all of this content is readily available from all access points at all times, but that’s where we’re headed, Netflix Instant Streaming and HBO GO for example.

Currently, we have solutions like the iPhone/iPad Composite AV Cable and the Wireless AV Kit for bringing non-networked content on our devices to a display, but we’re merely scratching the surface of what’s to come. Imagine a scenario where your iPad can act as a complete control device for the entire home. Take the idea of having a TV remote, but make it a tablet and have it control everything from lights and thermostats, to the music that is playing and what will be downloaded for Friday movie night. The best part is, it’s already happening.

There will always be a need for accessories, connectors, and devices that make these convergence scenarios possible, and that’s why IOGEAR is committed to the Convergence through Connectivity ethos.

What convergence advancements would you like to see? Does the concept of an iPad controllable home appeal to you? Let us know here on the blog, on Facebook and/or on Twitter.

When it comes to design elements in a home, men are usually on the outside looking in. And while many men are not overly concerned with duvet covers, throw pillows and the shade of yellow going in the bathroom, they still deserve and enjoy a say in the process, even if it’s just lip service. A better way to get men involved in the design process, however, is to give them a blank palate to work with…like a man cave.


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The origin of the term is tough to pinpoint, but the concept has grown exponentially based on a DIY network show appropriately named Man Caves. Two men, one designer and one ex-football player descend upon one lucky dude’s abode, learn a bit about him, and proceed to build a personalized in-home retreat where the only pink to be found is in a bottle of Pepto handy for washing down piles of buffalo wings or nachos.

Constructing a man cave doesn’t necessarily mean a second mortgage for the house. While some men go all out for their home team or personal passion, most men are just happy to have a dedicated spot where they can watch, listen to and smell like they want. The personalized space is the real appeal but David Lupberger, home improvement specialist for ServiceMagic.com offers this take in a recent video, “It has more to do with digital and wireless than it does with paint colors or faux finishes.” Going a step further, the site offers the following stats on items men desire in their man caves:

1. Flat screen TV (75%)
2. Recliner (69%)
3. Stereo (68%)
4. Refrigerator (67%)
5. DVD player (67%)
6. Computer (65%)
7. Bar (64%)

Based on the fact that only the bar and recliner don’t require power (unless it’s a massage chair), it’s clear the desire for converging entertainment is in high demand for today’s modern man. The rough part is convincing the wife, girlfriend or checkbook in the equation that the home requires this extra set of devices. It may be an uphill battle, but IOGEAR is here to help.

Instead of buying a separate computer for the downstairs, utilize an existing laptop with our Wireless HD Computer to TV Kit to provide a connected TV experience without purchasing one of the uber-expensive new TV sets. Aside from extending the laptop screen to a big screen, the HD kit can also stream a music library or Internet radio from your computer to your home theater system, potentially saving on a pricey AV receiver. Plus, if you throw a wireless keyboard into the mix, you can Trash Tweet with Chad Ochocinco, work on fantasy baseball trades and write lamenting blog posts about the NFL lockout, without leaving your seat in the cave.

Since many man caves are re-finished basements or garages, proper wiring was not always taken into account. For that reason, something like the Universal Wi-Fi N Adapter might be useful for things like gaming consoles and Blu-ray players, which feature an Ethernet connection. If running cables through the floor or wall isn’t your thing, this little adapter allows these devices to pick up a Wi-Fi signal without a single cable cluttering your man space. Streaming Netflix and online gaming will become much tidier, something the ladies will like.

The days of a family huddling around the radio listening to a ballgame are long gone, having been replaced by HD TVs, surround sound systems and other devices that practically give us the in-game or movie theater experience at home. Considering the growing popularity of Staycations, a technology-driven man cave is not only a masculine retreat, but potentially a long-term money saver.
We’d like feedback from both sexes:

Ladies – Would you be cool with a dedicated man cave in the home? How much is a reasonable budget?

Guys – What would you include in your ultimate man cave: mechanical bull, cocktail waitresses, kegerator?

If you already have a man cave, we’d love to see pictures Tweeted to us or shared on the Facebook wall.

If there’s one thing Internet users like, it’s a good list. Whether it’s the top 10 ways to tell if your man is cheating or five killer iPhone apps for foodies, as Internet users, we’re drawn to random bulleted rankings like college kids to dollar drafts.

While scouring the Internet recently, we came across an interesting story by Geoff Morrison from Sound and Vision titled Seven Home Theater Myths Debunked that highlighted some obvious and not-so obvious beliefs people have about the gear and performance that makes up their home theaters or media rooms. Most people know that owning an HD TV doesn’t guarantee your watching HD content. You need an HD equipped source component (like a Blu-ray or HD cable receiver) and the necessary cables. File that under obvious.

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However, the first “Myth” stated in the article is the one that most caught our attention: Expensive HDMI Cables provide better picture quality. IOGEAR manufacturers many different connectivity and convergence products and it pains us to see other companies charging exorbitant prices for products that deliver the same performance whether you pay $150 or $10.95. There’s no doubt HDMI Cables have done wonderful things for our home AV systems, but many consumers have been taken for a ride.

Few topics have raised the ire of consumers and media alike as HDMI, and more specifically marketing of HDMI. Take for instance this statement by a writer from audioholics.com in a post titled HDMI Cable Speed & Features Explained:

“…if you’ve spent any amount of time around home audio/video and home theater, you probably already know that the sale of audio and video cable is a field in which false and fanciful claims and exaggerations are the rule rather than the exception, and that if a sensational statement is contained on the retail packaging of a video cable, it’s much more likely to be false than true.”

He goes on to explain several of the claims made by pricey HDMI manufacturers, shooting holes in the marketing promises that supposedly make three meters of cable worth over $100. IOGEAR prides itself on a price-driven approach with the quality to match. We offer HDMI cables with Ethernet up to 16.4 feet (5 meters) in length with all the features one would expect, including gold-plated connectors for optimal signal transfer and corrosion resistance.

Some AV equipment is worth spending a little extra on, HDMI cables are not in that category. While the cheapest cables may corrode or fall apart over time, buying a fairly priced cable from IOGEAR will ensure your HD display shows its best for as long as it’s in the house. For the final word, we turn it back over to Mr. Morrison from Sound and Vision:

“Audio and video are transmitted over HDMI as error-corrected, packetized data. 0s and 1s. There is no such thing as better or worse in this world. It either is or isn’t. So if the HDMI cables work—at all— you get perfect audio and video. If it doesn’t work, you get nothing, or next to nothing: no picture, the picture will break up, the audio will drop out, or other unwatchable nastiness.”

Still interested in learning more? This CNET Forum discussion covers all aspects of HDMI cable buying and construction.

What has been your experience with HDMI? Do you see a difference in performance with price or are they all the same? Let us know on our Facebook page or via Twitter.

While the market is slowly making a rebound according to CEPro’s State of the Industry 2011, both existing and new homeowners are still looking to maximize their dollars. The funds might not be in their budget for lavish vacations in faraway lands, resulting in more families spending time together at home. In doing so, their meeting place often tends to be in the family room, on comfortable couches and in front of large HD televisions.


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More money is being allocated into the budget of a home theater or media room when buying a home.Many homeowners who were thinking of selling have decided to keep their current house while the market levels out, choosing instead to make upgrades. The family room, den or basement are prime candidates for conversions into home theaters. What they are buying though, is anything but the same old components.

It’s no surprise that the most requested items in a home theater setup are large, flat panel HD TVs (plasma or LCD), all the required HDMI cables, touch-sensitive remotes, Blu-Ray players and 7.1 audio surround systems. What is surprising, however, is the inclusion of wireless HD setups that collectively link PC to TV setups. Among the boom in this trend is the ease of retrofitting an existing wired system to include a Home Theater Personal Computer, commonly referred to as an HTPC, and new installations by the home owner themselves. No longer does a contractor have to come in and run complex cables through walls, ceilings and floors, nor does a computer need to be running right next to the TV. Rather a home owner can painlessly hook up even their laptop that’s sitting on a coffee table between the couch and TV at their convenience and stream the latest shows right from HULU.

What is most appealing is the comparative cost to run a wireless setup from a PC to TV. Right off the bat it’s easy to assume wired would be cheaper, as it’s an established technology. However, this article points out the added costs of labor associated with a wired solution and the physical limitations. The other major problem with a wired solution is your room is now set up only for that particular setup, leaving you no flexibility down the line to change the layout. Wireless on the other hand is extremely flexible way to transmit HD content between devices and gives the homeowner the most freedom to change the layout of their room, and placement of hardware.

This trend of including home theaters will continue to grow; homeowners and families have been making decisions to stay at home and enjoy time together now more than ever. It’s also an exciting time from a technology standpoint, as the available devices and gear has never offered so much, at such an affordable price.

Do you have a home theater? Are any parts of your setup wireless? Have you joined in on the streaming revolution? We would love to hear your comments here on the blog or on Facebook.

Jim Louderback says that “…the average American household may have three TVs, but many, many more screens,” when contemplating a survey by Nielsen that revealed that the average American home has 2.93 TV sets. Consumers want to watch the programming of their choice, when they want and where they want. The use of digital video recorders (DVRs) and services like TiVo have illustrated consumers do follow specific shows, but don’t want to be confined to the original air date of those shows. Furthermore, the ability to stream content on-demand to PCs and other devices has opened yet another door for those who want to watch programming.

To understand what Jim Louderback means by more screens, let’s look at what can now be considered a TV.

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The Traditional TV

Today, we have many options to view content: PCs, iDevices, LCDs, HDTVs, Traditional TVs, Tablet PCs and Smart Phones to name a few. While you aren’t likely to find anyone argue that a home video is best enjoyed on what could traditionally be called a TV (HDTV, LCD or Plasma), there are some new challenges involved with viewing the content you care about on that new HDTV of yours.

One such challenge is that video sources, such as your camera, aren’t always easily piped to the TV (think about snaking your way behind the TV to plug in those cables). And what about the issue of watching content when you want? Well you could buy a DVR; however, hooking up a DVR can be somewhat complicated and in the event of a power outage, a TiVo won’t record shows. This also assumes you pay for home cable or even premium channels.

Connecting a PC to a TV can be even more complicated, even if only considering the most obvious challenge–placing a computer close enough to the TV to get the cables to work. This is one reason why we created our wireless PC to TV solution.

TV Programming vs. Internet Programming

Traditional TV programming is ultimately very limiting. Any given show is on at a specific time, on a certain day, and that has been the industry standard for years. Hollywood does this so they can target demographics to advertisers and sell commercial time, which they’ve been very successful at. Consumers all the while have suffered. It’s rare that a TV series will have a rebroadcast of an already aired event during the current season and live programming, such as the news or sporting events almost never get replayed. Solutions to this issue such as DVRs help you record video for playback, but as mentioned before, have some of its own drawbacks.

The Internet and widely available broadband connections have opened up a whole new experience to consumers, and some Hollywood studios have embraced the new technology in streaming video. Showing programs a day after the original air time on affiliated websites has helped boost total show views and allowed consumers to finally dictate when they will watch preferred programming. Additional sites like YouTube and Facebook, which show videos uploaded by anyone, have spawned a real reason to sit at the computer desk and watch programming. The same can be said about portable devices, laptops, tablet PCs and smart phones.

What will ultimately redefine TV is the bridge between the PC and TV, via wireless audio and video. Most everyone will agree that the best experience will happen from the comfort of your favorite chair or couch, but the pain comes with getting the streaming video and other content from the Internet to the TV. Giving consumers the ability to watch TV shows on the Internet when they want, and allowing them wireless audio and video capabilities for transmitting to their TV will give the viewing audience the ultimate flexibility for enjoyment, without the need to be tied into a monthly cable bill or specific time frames.

Please take some time and share your thoughts here on the blog, on Twitter or FaceBook.

A few weeks ago, we commented on the potential setbacks that may be experienced around Google TV, due to its requests for TV makers to delay their planned Consumer Electronics Show (CES) January 2011 introductions. It looks like these software refinements may open the door for other companies and technologies to make their stake in the next-generation TV-watching experience.

For instance, Sears has just launched an online movie download service, Alphaline Entertainment, allowing Sears and K-Mart customers to download movies the same day they are released on DVD. The service runs on Sonic Solutions’ RoxioNow platform, and will be rolled out on portable media players, mobile phones and HDTVs. It will be interesting to watch how consumers respond to retailers entering the space of digital delivery of video and TV, putting them up as direct competitors against companies as Netflix, Google and Amazon.com.

Recent reports have also been seen from D-Link regarding its Boxee Box product and better than expected sales. The company’s set-top box Internet TV media streaming product hit the store shelves just a few months back in September and the Boxee Box appears to be doing quite well. In fact, the company expects to sell 100,000 units during 2011.

So, while we wait to see what will happen with Google TV, other companies are set to benefit on the demand for streamed content right now. Are you willing to wait for some of these services to hit the market, or are you going to purchase an Internet TV solution in the next few months? Would you prefer to purchase a TV with built-in Internet TV functionality, or is the addition of a set-top box type of device better for your current needs? Tell us here on our blog or company Facebook page.

by Barry Lieberman
 Advantage Plus Marketing Group, Inc.

Overview of Requirements

My vision was to set up flat-panel TVs in two rooms that would allow my family to watch full HD television, have Internet access, Blu-ray DVD viewing, and PC access using those TVs.

The front room would have a Samsung 55″ 8000 Series flat panel TV with 5.1 surround sound. I wanted that TV to be able to double as a PC monitor, an on-demand movie display (Internet Streaming), Blu-ray display and, of course, display full HD TV from our DVR.

Then the game room would have a Samsung 46″ 8000 Series flat panel TV. That TV would also have access to the same PC, Blu-ray player, its own digital HD cable box, and on-demand movie display (Internet Streaming). That room would also have 5.1 surround sound.

Lastly, I wanted all the source equipment housed in a “media” closet. The media closet includes the following equipment:

• 1 Cox/Motorola HD DVR
• 1 Cox/Motorola Digital HD Cable box (non-DVR)
• 2 Pioneer 5.1 surround sound or better Pioneer HDMI (3D ready) Receivers
• 1 Samsung 3D Blu-ray player
• 1 HP Media PC
• 1 WD World Edition NAS device

The Challenges

The front room TV is located 65 feet in a straight line from the proposed media closet. But to run wires the distance is approximately 125 feet because you have to go up to the attic which is above the second floor, across, then back down.

The game room TV is only 25 straight feet from the media closet, but again, because of the need to run the cables up and over, the cable run is 75 feet.

In addition, we are looking at multiple media/input sources so multiple Cat5/6 runs would be needed for each.

Why not Experiment!


Front Room Experiment – WIRELESS for the Front Room (a longer distance)


• Install an IOGEAR Wireless HD device
• Run speaker wire
• Samsung 8000 Series 55″ LED Flat Panel Display

Game Room Experiment – WIRED for the Game Room

• Install a Cat 5/6 HDMI Extender
• 2 Cat 6 cable runs
• Run speaker wire
• 1 Cat 5 cable run
• Samsung 8000 Series 46″ LED Flat Panel Display
• Installation & clean-up Time

Front Room Installation


approximately 4 hours

• Wireless HD set-up and test
• Run speaker wire & test
• Route power & mount TV
• Clean-up
  • Patch small holes where speaker wire enters & exits walls

Installation Cost to me

What is working using the Wireless HD Kit

• Full HD from DVR
• Blu-ray player full HD
• Infrared (IR), which allows me to use native remotes where the viewing happens (on my nice new U-shaped couch potato sofa)
• Direct broadband Internet access through the Wireless HD device to the router/hub
• Very clean with only 1 cable to hide – the HDMI cable from the Wireless kit to the TV
• Incredibly reliable
  • Has been running non-stop since June 2010 (6 months)
  • Resets within minutes when power is lost
  • Seamless change of source using native remote control in the viewing area
  • If any source, such as the DVR, fails then re-starts of the Wireless HD comes up within minutes with no adjustments necessary

What is not working

• 3D from the Samsung 3D Blu-ray player
• 5.1 surround sound still needs to be direct wired
• A very slight latency on audio with cable TV, unnoticeable with Blu-ray.

Game Room Installation
approximately

10+ hours

• Route and run 2 Cat 6 cable runs for HD
• 1 Cat 5 cable run for Internet access
• Run speaker wire & test
• Route power & mount TV
• Install, configure & test extenders with all sources -
  • Ordered, tested and returned 3 vendor’s extenders
  • Found 1 extender that works semi-consistently
• Clean-up
  • Patch & paint 3 holes created for Cat5/6 runs
  • Patch & paint holes where speaker wire enters & exits walls

Installation Cost to me

Item	Cost
Cat 5/6 extender	$300
Speaker wire – 75 feet	$60
2 Cat 6 and 1 Cat 5 – 75 feet each for a total of 225 feet of cable	$100
Labor for speaker wire run & route power	$150
Labor for 2 Cat 6 runs & 1 Cat 5 run of 75 feet	$200
Articulating TV mount	$280
Labor to mount the TV	$75
Labor to patch & paint	$225
IR extender	$50
TOTAL	$1440

What is working using the Wired Cat5/6 HDMI Extender Kit

• Full HD from DVR
• Blue-ray player full HD



What is not working


• 3D from the Samsung 3D Blu-ray player
• 5.1 surround sound still needs to be direct wired
• No IR integration, I had to purchase an IR extender
• Large number of wires behind the TV to hide
  • Three Cat 5/6 cables
  • HDMI cable
• Direct hardwired Internet connection from TV to router/hub
• Un-reliable
  • Whenever power goes down the system has to be manually powered off, the settings changed and then I have to get the extender kit to sync
  • The above also occurs anytime the DVR needs to be reset (cable boxes/DVRs need to reset whenever there is a cable provider glitch)
  • Oh, and it took testing 4 vendor’s “guaranteed” 100 ft extenders to find one that “kinda” works

Summary

The IOGEAR Wireless HD Kit from the start has been truly “plug and play.” It has been 100% reliable over the longer distance and through more walls than the “wired” solution. Actually, we used it to test the displays before we actually started the tests or did any of the wiring in the game room.

Installing the IOGEAR Wireless HD Kit saved me $240 for a longer run with no mess. If I had been willing to keep the audio receiver in the front room and implemented fully wireless audio & video from the media closet, I could have saved a total $585 versus the wired game room.

I suggest you investigate the IOGEAR Wireless HD Kit for these reasons:

• It IS reliable.
• It IS flexible.
• It IS a clean solution

I am not saying to stop doing wired installations. I am advocating that wireless HD can strongly complement what you are currently doing. Plus, open doors to installations where the physical factors make wired solutions difficult, such as long runs, multi-story runs, through masonry and more.

There are many people who would love the “media closet” idea if they knew you were NOT going to be ripping open their walls and creating that mess, and that you can do the install, be out in 4 hours and for less money than wired.
With a wireless solution, you have the opportunity to gain business that you did not have in the past. In the same day, you can complete 2 jobs and almost double your profits. Your liability is lower since you are doing less demolition and patching repair work.

As of now, this creates a wide-open new market for you. Isn’t it time you get in front of the pack as opposed to just being in the pack or following the pack.

I only wish I could run figure out how to get the 5.1 surround sound audio speaker feed split out of the HDMI, then I would not have had to run any cables by using wireless speakers. Maybe you can figure out that piece of the puzzle. If so please let me know in the blog comments.

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