iPod, HomePlug Docked

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 2/11/2008

IRVINE, CALIF. — Iogear is using HomePlug powerline-network technology in an iPod dock that transmits music over powerlines to up to four stereo systems outfitted with an Iogear transmitter/receiver.

The Powerline Audio System consists of a speaker-less iPod dock that uses HomePlug 1.0 powerline-network technology to send iPod-stored music up to 990 feet throughout the house to receiver/adapters, which in turn connect to legacy stereo systems.

The dock also features a 3.5mm input jack and pair of RCA stereo inputs to connect up to two additional audio sources, but the dock transmits only one source at a time to up to four receiver/adapters at a time. If multiple docking stations are installed, however, users can stream multiple sources simultaneously to different adapters over a home's powerlines.

Consumers can use a supplied remote from remote rooms to control an iPod's play, pause, and track up/down functions, select playlists, and change audio inputs.

The price of a sender/receiver pair is a suggested $329, with additional receivers at a suggested $149. The system lacks video outputs.