Belkin Unveils 'High-End' A/V Solutions

By Jeff Malester On Jan 26 2004 - 8:00am

With the objective of building advanced interconnects, while retailing these to match today's hardware prices, Belkin is creating a premium home theater line, called PureAV, that offers expanded features in an extensive assortment of A/V and digital cables, connectors and power conditioning products.

Belkin said at CES, here, the second week in January, that, as home theater component prices decrease, consumers' demands for premium accessories to maximize those components' full potential are increasing.

A line of PureAV audio and speaker solutions features a range of audio and speaker cables such as digital coaxial, digital Toslink, RCA audio and subwoofer. Suggested retails range from $9.99 to $44.99. PureAV video cables, such as component video, S-Video and DVI, range in retail from $9.99 to $49.99.

PureAV video splitters, speaker pins and audio couplers range from $8.99 to $12.99. Speaker and headphone splitter and audio extension cables have a $9.99 to $24.99 suggested retail.

Home theater surge protectors from the Compton, Calif.-based Belkin, with joule ratings varying from 709 to 2,655, and a choice of six to nine outlets, range from $29.99 to $89.99.

A surge protector, F9A833, with Isolator technology is available with eight outlets and 3,245 joule rating for $119.99, while a 10-outlet version, F9A1033, with 4,720 joules, carries a $139.99 suggested retail.

Shipping this month from Belkin is the TuneCast II FM Transmitter, which connects portable music players to a car or home stereo using FM radio waves. The unit scans all FM frequencies, from 88.1 to 107.9MHz, and selects the best for a music experience. It memorizes up to four FM frequencies and features an auto on/off function. Users just plug the TuneCastII into the headphone jack of an iPod, PDA, MP3, CD or cassette player, or connect to a PC or laptop.

Units come in two models. The gray F8V3080, at a suggested $49.99 retail, comes with a mobile power cord that connects to an auto cigarette lighter. The white version, P8V3080-APL, includes only a DC cable for optional battery-free operation at $39.99.

Belkin is making it easier for travelers in unfamiliar areas to find their way easily with its Bluetooth GPS Receiver, designed to connect quickly to a PDA or laptop. It displays a user's position in real time, shows progress when traveling and illustrates the current location in relation to the destination.

Shipping this month at a suggested $299.99 retail, the receiver includes navigation software and is designed to indicate speed, direction of travel, elevation and latitude and longitude within 10 meters. Special features are choice of destination by address, intersection, point of interest or contacts; reroute and detour options; and four types of map views.

Consumers can keep their desks uncluttered and free of wires with Belkin's Bluetooth Wireless Desktop that comes packaged with a Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard, Bluetooth Wireless Optical Mouse and Bluetooth USB Adapter.

Shipping in February for a suggested $129.99 retail, the F8T042-B works at distances up to 33 feet; consumes less power, extending battery life; has a keyboard offering 104-button support; and a mouse that navigates easily using four buttons and the scroll wheel.