For many Americans, Sunday is not just a time to spend with family and friends — it’s Football Time! All of a sudden, space becomes a premium as family and friends appear out of the woodworks.

If you have more than one HDTV, we have the solution to a crowded living room! Our brand new Wireless 3D HD Digital Kit allows you to view the game in two rooms simultaneously, and without wires!

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What games are you planning to watch? Who are you rooting for? We would love to know how you think this device would make game day reach a whole new level of awesome. Let us know here in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

The Wireless 3D HD Digital Kit is now available at Costco.com!

*Distances may vary depending on environment; solid objects such as steel, concrete and brick may view shorter distances

With skyrocketing tuition costs and a seemingly endless number of tablets, computer accessories and smartphones, not to mention the astronomical costs of college text books, students are looking to save anywhere they can. And while giving up breakfast and lunch in favor of a nightly pizza buffet may seem like a good choice, there are better things for a student’s wallet (and health).
Computers are a mainstay in any dorm room or college apartment, often running non-stop for 4-5 months at a time as students work through and endless stream of term papers, critiques and other projects. Students are practically required to have their own computers, but the peripherals that go with them can easily be shared.


USB is hands-down the most popular connection for computer peripherals, so much in fact, that we’ve seen great success with products such as the IOGEAR 7-Port High Speed USB 2.0 Hub which adds seven additional ports to a computer. Considering the number of USB peripherals available, it’s no surprise. Some of the most popular USB devices include external hard drives, flash drives, webcams, memory card readers, speakers, multi-function printers (MFP) and for the young-at-heart, USB Circus Cannons. Many of these devices are easy to install but would be made all the better if they could be shared.


Fortunately, the IOGEAR product development team recognized this and has come forward with a 4-Port USB Sharing Station (GUWIP204), a computer accessory that allows wireless sharing of up to four USB peripherals in a home or office. By simply connecting devices to the sharing station and configuring it to a Wi-Fi network, devices can be shared by multiple roommates without the 16-foot USB distance limitation.

Beyond just saving roommates the necessity of buying their own printers and removing some clutter from dorm rooms or apartments, the wireless USB sharing station can also be a low-cost security system. Just connect a webcam to the share station in an area where monitoring is needed, and watch like a hawk for any pizza pilfering activity or other shenanigans.

Top Ten Ways to Enhance a Home’s Wireless Network

Recently, one of our IOGEAR team members had a guest editorial (Getting the Most out of a Home’s Wireless Connection) featured in a trade magazine called Residential Systems. We encourage you to read the full explanation of each suggestion, but without further ado:

1. Position is key
2. Avoid devices with the same frequency
3. Stay away from metal objects and floors
4. Be brand consistent
5. Upgrade the router antenna
6. Take advantage of updates
7. Change wireless channels
8. Stick to one access point
9. Add a wireless repeater
10. Upgrade networks

We would love to know what scenarios you think a shared USB system would create. Please take a moment to share with us here on the blog, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Spend time researching IOGEAR and you’ll quickly learn we are pushing the envelope when it comes to implementing wireless PC to TV streaming and WiFi network adapters as a means of accessing and sharing content. But despite our love for the elimination of cable clutter, sometimes getting a device to connect via WiFi just isn’t an option. Maybe it’s your apartment building with thick brick walls or a country estate where the fifth bathroom can’t get a signal. Whatever the reason, it’s worth considering affordable options like a Universal WiFi N Adapter (GWU627) that give Ethernet enabled devices hope for accessing a home’s WiFi network with data rates up to 150Mbps and a range of 320 feet.


If WiFi adapters aren’t in the digital mix, or WiFi is not an option at all, other networking options need consideration, and for that we turn to Arstechnica.com and an article appropriately titled, When WiFi doesn’t work: a guide to home networking alternatives.

Describing the marketplace for networking options, writer Glen Fleishman comments:
“There used to be four alternatives to WiFi, which have gradually faded and specialized as wireless issues were solved. HomePNA (once just phone wiring), MoCA (multimedia over coaxial cable), and powerline (electrical) networking were in contention as supplements or backbones for a home. The fourth, of course, is Ethernet.”

Ethernet is the usually the clear choice, but running Cat5e cables to a third floor bathroom isn’t always a structurally feasible or cost-effective solution.
Describing the other options, Arstechnica offers:

“All three of the other approaches rely on existing in-home wiring to bypass WiFi’s relative slowness and Ethernet’s expense in installation. HomePNA looked originally to the phone wires that used to be installed in every room in a house, and in newer homes may be less available. MoCA works via coax, the wire type used for terrestrial cable television, and many homes were and still are wired for this flavor, too. (Some offices have coax installed as well.) Powerline networking has the most ubiquitous potential footprint, in that every electrical outlet in the same panel is a potential network drop.”

The article goes on to focus on powerline as the most realistic, non-WiFi option, offering advantages and flaws, but clearly choosing a home’s powerlines over the limited MoCA and HomePNA protocols. Ethernet will always be standard, but we’ll be watching how other network solutions evolve and adjusting our R&D accordingly.

Have you had experience with any of non-ethernet network solutions? If so, how has the experience been and would you recommend to others? Let us know in the comments or via Facebook or 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.

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.

In the previous post, we made the argument that it’s time to redefine the meaning of TV because on-demand services , media center applications, gaming consoles, Internet connectivity and more are changing what can be managed and consumed with a TV. However, to benefit from all this magical convergence, proper AV accessories are required.

Because IOGEAR does not make HD displays, gaming consoles, Blu-ray players or any traditional playback device, it’s not always easy to understand practical applications. To further understanding, we’ve created two scenarios based on real life that show IOGEAR’s complementary effect to both entertainment and productivity.

Minimalist Movie Lover

Graduating as a film major five years ago, Jake was unable to become the next Quentin Tarantino. Fortunately, he found success selling office supplies and now has some discretionary income which he invested in a 50-inch LCD display, PS3, Tivo, dozens of Blu-ray discs and a media center PC.

Despite all the new purchases, Jake is a bit of a minimalist and doesn’t want all the component boxes taking up his living space. The TV will be mounted on the wall and everything else, ideally, stored out of sight. Seeking to reduce clutter with a wireless solution that connects his PC and new devices to the TV, he opts for the pro version of IOGEAR’s Wireless HD Kit since it can stream 1080p video and Wireless HD audio. Even better, he can wirelessly stream content from four different A/V devices and eventually add additional receivers to stream content to the kitchen or game room displays.

Greater functionality without the clutter was achieved and now Jake is even future-proofed for his next round of A/V upgrades. While he may not be directing movies, IOGEAR certainly helps him direct content.

Student Gamer Enthusiast

Brett is a sophomore at a California University who always makes time for gaming in between term papers and studying. He’s invested in a PS3, Xbox 360 and a Wii, making his apartment a Mecca for video game enthusiasts across campus and also giving him some added influence in the social media channels.

The biggest issue he’s having is finding an efficient way to chat with fellow online gamers, manage his social web presence, fill out forms or just surf the web using his TV. Fortunately, IOGEAR’s GKM581R wireless keyboard provided a perfect mobile solution that can handle all of his input and browsing demands more efficiently than any traditional gaming console controller.

Going beyond gaming, Brett’s new wireless keyboard is also a perfect accessory for school work productivity, allowing him to move about when emailing classmates, researching online or working on projects. Never one to let school work get in the way of leisure, with a little convergence through connectivity, he can now keep his grades and his profiles at the top of their game.


Two completely different scenarios that show how a little IOGEAR convergence through connectivity can bring more illuminating entertainment and productivity experiences. Do you have any examples to share how IOGEAR has improved your entertainment and productivity experiences? Please share with us 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.

With Microsoft’s ambivalence and a set of open source tools available to hack the Kinect motion-control gaming system, unchecked enthusiasts with creative, industrial and entrepreneurial motivations are increasingly using the technology and their imaginations to explore new applications.

A recent CNET article, Hacking Kinect: Setting sci-fi in motion, goes in-depth on the topic, exploring the potential of controlling software with body movements. Hackers have already given the world hand control of Angry Birds via an iPod Touch and some erotic offerings, and further speculation ranges from robots to research to whatever the mind can conceive.

From a convergence perspective, meshing motion control technology with activities like, streaming content from a computer to TV, could create new ways to manage and control music, videos, photos and other content. IOGEAR has a number of HD streaming kits, adapters and wireless keyboards to help connect everything together and turn a gaming console into the control hub for all different kinds of media.

Filmmakers and game designers also stand to benefit from the creative opportunities of open source motion control design. The creative possibilities for low-cost motion capture elements to be used in movies, music videos and other visual arts could usher new forms of expression through technology.

As Kinect hackers become more sophisticated, the demand for greater connectivity and convergence with other electronic devices will increase, and motion control will work its way into our everyday lives. Much like we are doing for 3D with our Wireless 3D Media Kit, IOGEAR recognizes the increasing role gaming consoles and motion control play in traditional AV entertainment and will develop innovative products accordingly.

Only time will tell what hackers have in store, but CNET writer Daniel Terdimen aptly sums it up with this assessment,
“… what’s clear is that the Kinect hacking community is determined to push the limits of the new device far, far beyond what executives back in Redmond, Wash.–Microsoft’s headquarters–ever imagined.”

What do you think the future of motion control gaming and technology has in store? Please share your thoughts with us here on the blog or on Facebook.

From laptops to iPads, Blu-Ray players, gaming consoles and other devices, we surround ourselves with an increasing number of components, cluttering our living and entertainment rooms with cables and black boxes. While some consumers are happy to live with high-tech inspired decor, many others just want the performance without the visible hardware.

Fortunately, one of the greatest innovations in home entertainment over the last five years has made cable and black box clutter obsolete. Wireless HD streaming, once littered with endless buffering, colorful scroll bars and interrupted audio, has made great strides on the back of research and development by companies like IOGEAR.
Of course, not all wireless HD streaming products are created equal, and settling for an untested, low-end solution can result in the same problems mentioned above, or worse. IOGEAR spent countless hours in the lab developing the most reliable solution possible, and the result…Ultra-wideband (a.k.a. Wireless USB or UWB).

This new radio technology can be used at very low energy levels for short-range high-bandwidth communications by using a large portion of the radio spectrum – 3.1GHz ~ 4.8GHz (WiMedia Band Group 1). By using this frequency, our Wireless Audio/Video Kits have a minimum level of interference with other wireless signals such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or cordless phones.

As mentioned, wireless HD streaming is an ideal solution for eliminating cable clutter, but if signal clutter is wreaking havoc and interrupting your wireless HD streaming, there’s really no convenience at all. Our wireless products may not clean up the clutter in your closet, but they can reliable make your entertainment more accessible.

If you could eliminate one cable or wire in your home, which would it be?

A faulty home theater setup can be one’s worst nightmare. There are many reasons to make sure home entertainment electronics are assembled and connected properly since dangers and hazards can range from fires to electronic device blowouts.

Did you know that many homeowners are still snaking wires throughout their home, which may cause unintended dangers beyond one’s imagination? Our IOGEAR team wants to keep our readers safe, so we have some great suggestions on how you can avoid an unintentional fire or an appliance to blow out due to the outlet configuration.

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1. Properly wire speakers to the receiver: Use consistent polarity from each speaker to the receiver. Simply connect the appropriate speaker to the designated speaker terminals in the back of the receiver. If you are unsure of the polarity, check out this quick guide.

2. Use the right cables to connect your sources: Make sure you are not substituting cables for a particular device for another. That spells danger at some point. Here is a resource about the various HDMI cable options and this resource will help you understand audio/video cables and connectors.

3. Make sure your equipment is purchased from a competent and authorized dealer: It is vital that your home theater equipment (i.e. TV, DVD player, speakers, etc.) come from a dealer that backs its products should anything unexpected occur. Check customer service and return policies before you make your purchase.

4. Avoid snaking wires and plugging too many devices in the same outlet: Nothing spells danger more than the picture depicted above. Make sure you are either using a power strip that can handle the output needed for the devices plugged in, or use more than one outlet.

5. Aim for less wires: Nowadays, wires are becoming more and more obsolete, not only for visually appealing set-ups, but for safety and energy saving purposes. One product to consider is IOGEAR’s Wireless HD Computer to TV Kit, which enables users to stream a variety of multimedia content directly from their computer (PC or Mac) to their TV, from up to 30 feet away, with minimal wires.

6. Hire a professional: As with many projects, it may serve your needs best to hire outside help. Ask your sales representative what is involved with setting up your system, and if he/she sounds as if they are speaking a foreign language, consider that a sign to commission outside help.

For more information and resources, check out one of our previous posts: Do it Yourself Audio/Video Guide

What are you doing to keep your home theater space safe from the hidden dangers that come with snaking wires and creating the octopus effect? Are you looking forward to a wireless future for your home theater setup? Tell us here or on our Facebook page.