DS2, Powerline and the future
You'll know the names of many chip-makers but possibly not DS2 - not even under its formal title of Design of Systems on Silicon S.A.
However, this Spanish firm claims to the world's leading supplier of chipsets for Powerline network-over-mains kit and also the designer of reference-standard chips for the Universal Powerline Association.
Victor Dominguez Richards is DS2's business development director. He, along with top-knobs from a couple of his big trade customers - Powerline-hardware-makers Comtrend and Corinex - explained at a briefing this morning how they see high-speed home networking growing apace.
Growth, they reckon, will be fuelled by the rapid penetration of ever-faster broadband and the need for home networks able to cope reliably with the bandwidth requirements of TV-over-IP, internet gaming and media-streaming from PCs - all being used at the same time.
Not surprisingly, they maintain that the demand will be best satisfied by using Powerline networking hardware, initially, the current 200Mbit/sec version, said to ensure 30-40Mps around the home and, if carrying the Universal Powerline Association's "UPA Plugtested" seal-of-approval, guaranteeing interoperability with other such approved products.
It's possible to run a bucketful of Powerline adaptors in the home but the most basic set-up uses two adaptors. One would be connected to a broadband router's Ethernet port and plugged into a nearby mains socket. The other would be connected to the Ethernet port of, say, a PC or an Xbox 360 gaming console and also plugged into the mains. All comms happen seamlessly over the mains wiring.
Currently, 200Mbps is the fastest offering but speedier iterations of Powerline are promised to be ready when they're needed for high-def TV over internet. At that time, DS2 predicts, you'll start seeing greater integration of Ethernet into TV sets along with Powerline chips.
Interestingly, Mr Dominguez Richards highlighted a recent announcement by Intel of the integration of Powerline into a PC motherboard. He was too polite to mention it but this was significant since Intel is firmly in the HomePlug camp and is even a stake-holder in one HomePlug chip-maker, Intellon.
Another worthwhile innovation mentioned was the inclusion of Powerline chips and Ethernet ports in external power supplies for laptop PCs - rather than within the PCs themselves.
The idea here is to allow mains-borne network connections that would otherwise not be possible (without a separate Powerline adaptor) because there is no direct mains connection to laptop PCs.
Power-supply-makers can provide these units now, according to Mr Dominguez Richards, who said that Ethernet and Powerline will also be available on external power supplies for other products that don't run directly from the mains.
A PC isn't necessary to take advantage of Powerline.
Homes without PCs could use Powerline to bring TV-over-IP to a television set, using one adaptor at the router and another connected to a media-streaming device that feeds the TV set.
And, for such applications, it's now possible to buy adaptors that, at the push of button, interrogate one another so as to enable tight security settings, without use of a PC.
DS2 and its allies claim that the superiority of Powerline is clearly demonstrated by its fast adoption by many leading telecom companies and internet service providers.
These companies, they say, use Powerline to conveniently get TV-over-IP distributed around homes and to create home networks - and have opted for Powerline over the 200Mbit/sec AV version of the rival HomePlug mains-networking technology.
The fact that there's no drilling through interior walls, no cable-laying and no mess guarantees that the task is far simpler than it would be if using Ethernet (or if having to learn the black magic of wireless) and simple enough for most consumers to do themselves without trouble.
It also means that if installations are carried out by professionals, they can carry out far more jobs in a day.
But much the same would be true if using HomePlug.
Also, it's our understanding that HomePlug has itself had plenty of contract-wins with telecos and ISPs. Further, the confusingly-named HomePlug Powerline Alliance (which has nothing to do with Powerline!) has a considerably longer list of member-companies than does the Universal Powerline Association.
Telcos and ISPs favour Powerline 200, according to DS2, because it just plain works better than HomePlug.
We've looked long and hard at devolo's 85Mbps HomePlug hardware (coming away impressed, as our devolo review shows) and tinkered with 200Mbps HomePlug but not yet had a chance to put the rival 200Mbps standards head-to-head, though we plan to do so.
However, world domination by one faction rather than the other is not on the cards.
In fact, Mr Dominguez Richards had to concede that there's every likelihood of an amalgamation of the best features of the two competing mains-borne technologies.
This, he admitted, is the almost certain result of on-going deliberations by standardising bodies around the world, such as IEEE centred in the USA and Cenelec in Europe.
Consequently, unlike the long-ended war between VHS and Betamax and the current bitter battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, there is not going to be a winner-takes-all conclusion to the tussle between Powerline and HomePlug.
And, for that, we should all probably say a little prayer, since, in our view, mains-borne is indeed set to become the prevailing standard for fast home networking.
Thoughts on Powerline, HomePlug and home-networking options generally? Be keen to hear 'em in the HEXUS.community.
HEXUS.links
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External.links
DS2 - home pageCorinex - home page
Comtrend - home page
Universal Powerline Association - home page
HomePlug Powerline Alliance - home page
Intellon - home page
Cenelec - home page
IEEE - home page
