Home-network innovations aid connectivity, self-installation

In-home installation and networking remains the hardest part of IPTV, so it’s no wonder that vendors are looking to innovate in that arena. Among recent innovations are Comtrend’s PowerGrid902, Universal Powerline Association compliant Ethernet adapter that promises self-installation of IPTV service and Actiontec's zControl home automation controller, which enables other in-home devices to be connected and controlled by PCs or mobile phones.

The Comtrend PowerGrid902 is already being used in Europe by IPTV providers such as British Telecom and Telefonica and uses the UPA standard to deliver Ethernet signals over a power line, said Andrew Morton, general manager of the Americas for Comtrend.

“A lot of IPTV providers tried powerline before, and it didn’t work,” Morton said. “The power products were premature, so they moved on to use either in-home coax or copper.”

The problem with those approaches using Multimedia over Coax (MoCA) or Home Phone Networking Alliance (HPNA) is that they require technicians to be in the home to install IPTV, taking 4 to 8 hours to do the wiring, Morton said. The Comtrend PowerGrid902 is a small unit, not much larger than a plug-in air freshener, that plugs into an outlet near the TV set and is connected to the IPTV set-top box via an Ethernet cable. With as few as two units, a home network is created, Morton said.

The units, which cost about $120 a pair, can also act as repeaters. Up to 32 can be deployed in a home to connect multiple TV sets. The units are manageable by TR-069-compliant systems.

“This can enable a service provider to let the customers do their own installation,” Morton said. “That saves the time and cost of sending a technician out, and it prevents a lot of hassle for homeowners.”

At NXTcomm08, Comtrend was taking orders from distributors in the US and expects to have customers here shortly, Morton said.