A new HomePlug AV specification, which is designed for sharing HDTV, Digital Audio, and Internet access around a home, is nearing completion. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance said laboratory tests and early field trials have shown that the preliminary specification enables the transfer of high-definition video and digital audio by simply connecting a device to an electrical outlet. The preliminary specification now being released to the alliance's Specification Working Group (SWG) for further input. Key features include:
- 200-Mbps capacity
- an advanced physical layer that offers near-capacity throughput performance
- a high-efficiency MAC layer that incorporates both scheduled access (TDMA) with Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, and contention access (CSMA).
- advanced network management functions and facilities capable of supporting plug-and-play, user and service provider set-up and configuration
- Broadband over Powerline (BPL) co-existence, multi-network operation, hidden node service, and backward compatibility with HomePlug 1.0
HomePlug alliance Board member companies include Arkados, a subsidiary of CDKNet.com, Cogency Semiconductor, Comcast, Conexant, DS2, Earthlink, Intellon, Panasonic, RadioShack (RSH), and Sharp. http://www.homeplug.org
