Device routes audio across powerline LANs

Link PC to hi-fi over the mains

By Tony Smith, 29th January 2008

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Devolo has launched its latest powerline Ethernet product: an 85Mb/s adaptor designed to connect a hi-fi to a mains-hosted network so it can play streamed music.

Devolo's dLAN Audio Extender: ready for remote playback

The dLAN Audio Extender looks like a typical powerline adaptor, but in place of the usual Ethernet port on the bottom it has RCA stereo ports and a 3.5mm headphone-jack socket. A set of cables come bundled to connect the unit to your music player.

Devolo's also bundling one of its regular 85Mb/s powerline adaptors. This gets plugged into the mains and to your PC, this time with an Ethernet cable.

The company's own software - Windows only, alas - taps into the operating system's own sound-control facilities, making the Audio Extender appear as a sound card, allowing you to choose it as your sound playback device in place of the on-board audio sub-system.

Whatever sound your system generates, from whatever application, is then sent out over the powerline link to the Audio Extender and a hi-fi or powered speakers.

Already got an 85Mb/s powerline network? The Audio Extender alone will set you back £80. Devolo's also offering a starter kit containing the Audio Extender, an 85Mb/s powerline adaptor and cables for £120.

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Posted Wednesday 30th January 2008 14:47 GMT

Anonymous Coward

@Scott Mckenzie: Interference

Audio freaks will believe what they are told by marketers about overpriced sillies to make their music sound better, even when they make no difference at all. I'm sure they'd buy one of these if the prongs were gold plated.

The rest of us are more sensible and some of us even realise that this is a digital system so will be able to cope with reasonable amounts of noise on the mains without it making the slightest difference. If it gets through to your badly-designed amplifier, it will get through via its existing mains cable just as easily as by this device.

And I'm astonished that people still think that this thing is likely to put mains down their audio leads. They obviously have no understanding of electronics at all. Still, fodder for the marketers...

Posted Wednesday 30th January 2008 12:49 GMT

mike brockington

Wireless

Personally I just use an RF link - cost me about £30 iirc and lets me move things around wherever I want, even out in the garden, where there is a surprising lack of 13amp sockets.

Posted Wednesday 30th January 2008 10:53 GMT

Nexox Enigma

Just stereo?

Seems like this would be much nicer if it was optical. Not only would that do all sorts of surround goodies, but there isn't much chance of a rogue current roaming down a plastic/glass fiber. Not much chance at all. And if you don't have a reciever with optical input, then you probably don't need to be wasting this kind of cash on powerline networking to connect up your pc to it.