Netgear intros home theater Internet kit

SAN JOSE, USA: Netgear Inc., a provider of networking solutions, introduced its powerline networking kit, Netgear Home Theater Internet Connection Kit , for turning electrical power outlets into high-speed Internet and home network connections.

Announced at the CES show in January, the Kit makes it possible to connect multiple Ethernet-enabled entertainment devices, such as gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, HDTVs and media streaming set-top boxes, to the Internet and the home network simultaneously.

Through a high-speed powerline connection of up to 200 Mbps, this powerline kit enables high-performance applications such as HD video streaming, Voice over IP (VoIP), Internet gaming and large file transfers to networked devices in the home theater.

The kit contains one Powerline AV Adapter with 4-port Ethernet Switch (XAV1004) and one Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter (XAV101). This "no new wires" powerline technology enables customers to carry high-speed data network traffic on their existing electrical wiring - using affordable, simple to install adapters.
Additionally, advanced energy management capabilities provide automatic port- and device-level sleep modes and wake-on-activity functionality to reduce overall energy usage.

The kit also incorporates several ease-of-use features: port-based Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure that the highest priority applications are allocated more bandwidth; Push-N-Secure to secure the Powerline AV network with the push of a button; and Pick-a-Plug, a multi-color LED to determine the strength of the powerline connection without having to look at a computer.

The Kit eliminates the need to add an external switch for connecting additional devices to the network by integrating a 4-Port Fast Ethernet (10/100) switch. The product is also the first 4-port powerline switch to use the Intellon(R) 6400 chipset, which provides higher performance than any existing 4-port powerline switch on the market. Because it is based on the HomePlug(R) AV standard, the Powerline AV Adapter with 4-Port Ethernet Switch (XAV1004) and Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter (XAV101) are compatible with -- and can easily and affordably extend -- any existing HomePlug AV network.

Netgear's Home Theater Internet Connection Kit (XAVB1004) is now available worldwide through leading retailers, e-commerce sites and value-added resellers. The kit is backed by a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support.

The kit (XAVB1004), containing one Powerline AV Adapter with Ethernet Switch (XAV1004), one Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter (XAV101), two Ethernet cables, one AC power cord, an installation guide and a set-up CD, has an MSRP in the US of $179.99.

Additional Netgear Powerline AV devices, including the Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter (XAV101), Powerline AV Adapter with Ethernet Switch (XAV1004), and Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit (XAVB101)-- winner of PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award -- can extend an existing Powerline AV network and have an MSRP in the US of $69.99, $99.99, and $149.99 respectively.