4. Digital Multimedia Products

Toshiba was showing its Home Media Server, which separates multimedia and data networking data streams. The server can support four simultaneous multimedia streams - one High definition (1080i), two Standard definition (480i), and one audio - over 802.11a wireless or IP-over-coax links. The concept product also includes an 802.11g wireless link, which is dedicated to data-only networking.

I wasn't able to determine whose compression system the 11a link was using, but the coax link uses . (More on IP-over-coax later).

Toshiba was also demonstrating an HDTV over a UWB connection, but I wasn't able to stick around long enough to see the demo or get any other details.

Samsung will be fielding its Home AV Center by the end of this year. Although they were also demonstrating a wireless 50 inch plasma TV that also uses an 802.11a link based on , the AV center relies on wired distribution only. Computers connect via normal Ethernet, but audio and video gear will use "AV Clients" that receive their digital streams over normal coax cable, using an IP-over-coax system from partner UCentric. Last I knew, UCentric was pushing an 802.11g-over-coax system, but the Samsung person I spoke with said something about HPNA-over-coax. At any rate, there was no wireless in at least this version of Samsung's home multimedia vision.

Over at the Philips booth, wireless multimedia was certainly included in their vision. Their new relies on 802.11g wireless connections to distribute content from its MX6000i Wireless Home Entertainment system via SL300i and SL400i Wireless Multimedia Links. But I couldn't get any info on which video formats Streamium supports.

are networkable televisions, or at least they will be when they actually get networking capability. The dual CardBus slots in the show demo units were empty, but the Sharp rep I spoke with said wireless connection will be MPEG 4 based. He didn't say whether 11a or g would be used, or whether the networking capability would actually be available when the 20" LC-20PX1U and 15" LC-15PX1U ship in April and May respectively this year.

Finally, Sony checked into the wireless multimedia competition with its Location Free Broadband TV system. It's pretty much an Americanized (a similar product that was only available in Japan). But the "portable personal broadband LCD television system" seems positioned to avoid the fate of Microsoft's recently killed SmartDisplay by focusing on its TV vs. Internet browsing aspects. Connection will be via "the industry's first (sic)dual band wireless connection and high speed Ethernet port". The product uses a 12" 800 x 600 SVGA LCD panel and "802.11a/11b/11g for a wide selection of transmission channels and switches the channel for minimized interference when used up to 100 feet from the base station". Uh, ok, I guess. We'll see if this one really does hit the shelves "later this year" and what it ends up costing.

The traditional consumer networking companies were also following Gateway into the multimedia products business. Linksys introduced a networkable DVD player and new streaming audio adapter, while NETGEAR was showing its MP101 Wireless Digital Music Player and previewing its MP115 Wireless Digital Media Player, both developed with partner digital 5.

The MP115 will handle MPEG 3 and WMA audio, MPEG 1, 2, 4 and DivX 4, 5 video and JPEG, GIF and BMP image formats. NETGEAR said the product will eventually have PVR capabilities, but not when it ships sometime in the next few months. Both the MP101 and 115 use the T6305 and T6306 chips from Ali.