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Belkin FlyWire Wireless HDMI Box Beams 1080p Anywhere in Your House, Looks Fantastic
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 4:00 PM on July 10, 2008
We first saw Belkin's slick-looking wireless HDMI kit at CES, when it was due in September for about $US600. Now dubbed FlyWire (nice and catchy!), they've got two initial entries: FlyWire will shoot full 1080p goodness using the 5GHz band to anywhere in your house, walls be damned, for $US999. Plus, it has an IR backchannel for controlling hidden AV devices. Or FlyWire R1 gets you in-room wireless for $US699.99.
FlyWire is set for October, though those looking for the mildly cheaper in-room option will have to wait until early next year. Both of them are pricier than Monster's $US600 wireless HDMI setup, which is also supposed to hit in October (though it cheats a bit by using UWB-over-Coax to nail whole-home streaming). Check out all the specs below to compare for yourself:
[Belkin]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
OB
Posted July 10, 2008 6:28 PM
Interesting.
I hope this system will allow multiple receivers to solve problem where TVs in the bedrooms all want access to the PVR in the livingroom.
HJTravels
Posted 5:31 PM 10/7/08
Aren't there a dozen boxes out there that do this for less the $300?
HJTravels
FritzLaurel
Posted 5:23 PM 10/7/08
I really don't think I need any more 5GHz anythings in my house. Matter of fact, anybody know where I can get some sheets of lead wall lining?
FritzLaurel
The Magnificen7
Posted 5:17 PM 10/7/08
Looks fantastic without a price tag.
The Magnificen7
rahilmehta
Posted 5:09 PM 10/7/08
N/M, it doesn't really even get rid of the cable. It is just an overpriced streamer.
BTW, does it upconvert composite over HDMI?
rahilmehta
Bigby
Posted 5:08 PM 10/7/08
I mean, it's a frickin' wireless router with a TV tuner slapped on top of it. A grand for that? No thanks.
Bigby
Bigby
Posted 5:07 PM 10/7/08
Epic fail.
Bigby
Skorpius
Posted 5:04 PM 10/7/08
True that. I'd rather just run some CAT6.
Skorpius
rahilmehta
Posted 5:03 PM 10/7/08
$700+ to get rid of a couple wires that no one can see anyway (that also cost $5 each)? Talk about a ripoff.
rahilmehta
jrghoull
Posted 5:49 PM 10/7/08
you know due to the way my house is set up i would really love an extra powerful router that could (easily-ish) go through my several feet of brick wall, then i would get one (providing it didnt cost roughly that of a year of cable internet... jebus crepes..)
jrghoull
kris2lee
Posted 5:37 PM 10/7/08
I'm sorry for those stupid people who have to look up to watch telly. It will cause serious neck problems in long run.
kris2lee
SierraJulietGolf
Posted 6:12 PM 10/7/08
There is a statistic in the press release "49% of respondents wanted to mount their flat-panel TVs; however, only 28% were successful in doing so"... SO, the other 21% of that group...what happened...are there really THAT many people with TVs falling off their walls...
SierraJulietGolf
aussie
Posted 6:26 PM 10/7/08
Ok, now for a really dumb question. How does it work? Do you plug in your devices, Bluray, Macbook Air, SKY HD to this box, but how does your HD Projector receive the signal?
aussie
krom
Posted 6:47 PM 10/7/08
i'm wondering how the girl in pic 3 uses the IR receiver/blaster to remote control the ps3.
krom
strider_mt2k
Posted 8:13 PM 10/7/08
It's like...a Cleveland Streamer.
strider_mt2k
ps61318
Posted 10:57 PM 10/7/08
@strider_mt2k: I'm from Cleveland, so you must explain that.
Slowly.
ps61318
ps61318
Posted 10:56 PM 10/7/08
@SierraJulietGolf: fondle them, perhaps, but not mount them.
ps61318
ps61318
Posted 10:56 PM 10/7/08
@SierraJulietGolf: If "49% of respondents wanted to mount their flat-panel TVs" then the survey must have been here on Gizmodo.
Far fewer people elsewhere want to mount their flat-panel TVs.
ps61318
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
Posted 11:14 PM 10/7/08
For the price point, I'd imagine this is more suited for HT and HTPC setups. All your components are at the back of the room in a big ventilated closet and this would save on connecting the TV at the front of the room. After installing a theater room in my mom's basement (only mom I know that has one.. so jealous) she spent nearly $300 on HDMI, video and audio cables running to her DLP TV. Though twice the price, this would also save on installation costs. [i]Plus[/i] you can view the same media in another room in this house. This isn't intended for the general consumer with a TV and cable box. This is for the people with complicated setups, many components and deep pockets.
N@tedog iiinnnnn spaaaaaaace!
maven2k
Posted 11:57 PM 10/7/08
I'm glad I am not the only one that thinks that price is outrageous just to eliminate a couple of wires!
maven2k
Zaos
Posted 11:56 PM 10/7/08
@aussie: wireless hdmi receiver, i think.
probably costs like $500/receiver =p
Zaos
strider_mt2k
Posted 11:55 PM 10/7/08
@ps61318: NEVER!
strider_mt2k
lilaliendog
Posted 1:11 AM 11/7/08
i like wires
lilaliendog
simplegreen
Posted 12:52 AM 11/7/08
and if this isnt the first one out (i didnt do the research), its just another step in the right direction.
simplegreen
simplegreen
Posted 12:51 AM 11/7/08
you clowns are missing the point here. Its the evolution of technology, Im pretty sure this is the first production wireless HDMI receiver/sender. This has nothing to do with the price or the fact it only hides 3 wires of the 30 that probably make up your system. Its the fact that the technology is available. I wont be buying it obviously i dont have the need to not show the 3 wires it supports, however as things get cheaper, wireless power methods take shape this is the start to completely wireless entertainment. Ass clowns.
simplegreen
benign1
Posted 12:51 AM 11/7/08
I gotta say, having a setup that requires running cable from a small cabinet in the living room up to the attic, across the floor and down a cramped conduit bored into the chimney, it's a bit tempting to just scrap all my re-work plans and wait for something like this. Or would be, if it was about half as expensive.
benign1
ps61318
Posted 1:46 AM 11/7/08
@maven2k: I've been trying to eliminate wires. I've had bleeding from that for a week now.
ps61318
ps61318
Posted 1:46 AM 11/7/08
@strider_mt2k: Then I give you a choice: Death, or oogah-boogah.
ps61318
twilight-arc
Posted 3:34 AM 11/7/08
@rahilmehta: And I thought those monster cables were over priced!? Maybe $100 for a 1 meter cable isn't so bad after all ;)
twilight-arc
Ariel_Wollinger
Posted 3:05 PM 11/7/08
999 Ameros? too much...
Ariel_Wollinger
sdsdv10
Posted 8:43 AM 12/7/08
This isn't a traditional video streaming device. It is more like a "Sonos" for HD video (not exactly the same but similar). Put you BluRay disk player, HTPC, HD Sat. box, etc anywhere in your house connected to the transmiter, then place a TV where ever you want with the associated receiving unit. Ta da, HD content anywhere in the house. A nice idea, but as everyone has noted, ~$1K is just too much. Price is the only reason I haven't bought a Sonos system yet.
sdsdv10