Up to spec?
According to the spec supplied with system, resolutions up to 1080p are supported, however I failed to get beyond 1080i. The units would just throw out an ‘unsupported format’ warning. Clearly, if you’re routing from a set top box this is not an issue, however full throttle Blu-ray could prove problematic.
The credit card remote navigates the various function
The system uses H.264 encoding and this does a remarkably good job. The process is not transparent and I did detect some picture instability from the receiver’s output when comparing test charts to source. Yet, for the most part video survives its perilous plug-to-plug journey unscathed. If you’re streaming SD or network content, you’ll not spot much difference when you compare input with output.
The system does not support multichannel sound though. There’s no provision for digital audio and it doesn’t recognise multichannel PCM delivered by HDMI. Not that I’d recommend the HD JuiceBox for audiophile use; the receiver outputs a very harsh-sounding stereo PCM signal.
Pricey, but effective
The HD JuiceBox incorporates a 200Mbps Ethernet bridge, allowing you to use the system for data as well as video. The system balances the requirements for any streaming video with your data traffic, nabbing bandwidth as required. Consequently, if you route hi-def around the mains you’ll lose more capacity than if you’re distributing low-bitrate SD.
Oh, and a word to the wise, don’t try and mix and match Powerline and HomePlug devices; the HD JuiceBox will not play ball with rival products and bandwidth is likely to suffer.
It’s also worth noting that the signal from transmitter to receiver can’t get past a fuse box. For most households, that won’t present a problem, however those that have a secondary fuse box perhaps following an extension should be aware. Similarly, it’ll fail when it encounters a mains conditioner/surge protection device.
Verdict
Overall, the HD JuiceBox is an interesting – albeit specialised and pricey – alternative for HDMI distribution. Indeed, when all else fails, it could be a system-saver. ®
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HD JuiceBox HDMI over Powerline kit
COMMENTS
Crud Remote
They want to charge you £410 and then give you a cheap remote that looks like the one that came with my rubbish car mp3 player for £5 from china from ebay that never worked!
May I suggest that they divide their price by 10, then we are in roughly the right price area.
1080i Unsupported format
You're probably hitting HDCP restrictions on the higher bandwidth streams. You'll have to stop obtaining videos through legal means.
Cool, but I can't use it
Already tried Ethernet over power lines and it just doesn't work in my house.
My electrical panel has no less than eight separate circuits, four for the power outlets in the lower and upper areas, four for the lights in the same areas. The room used as office, for example, is not on the same circuit than the living room.
That is significant because the office is where Internet, phone and TV arrive, whereas the living room is, of course, where we watch said TV.
I tried Ethernet over power lines to avoid having to string a cable through the attic. Unfortunately, it never worked.
I doubt this version would work better in the same conditions.
lossy
....mmmm right so I pay 00's for decent kit to play 1080p. It arrives in a lossy compression format, I decompress it then recompress it again in a lossy manner then decompress it again. No thanks
Much better to save source signal and then send it via [link of choice] to something capable of playing it
£400 and still a crappy sub $1 remote
... for that budget they could at least have sourced decent remote controls, not the cheap'n'nasty standard part items that they found that just need overlays to customise them.
