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Technology
Technology is available from designs based on a number of different non
compatible silicon vendors. These include Intellon's INT6000 silicon which meets
the HomePlug AV specification (not interoperable with HomePlug 1.0 or Intellon's
proprietary 85 Mbit/s Turbo mode) or DS2 DSS9 silicon which complies with
Universal Powerline Association standards and other solutions from Panasonic and
SiConnect. Some solutions are based on OFDM modulation with 1536 carriers and
TDD or FDD channel access method. DS2 silicon may operate between 1 and 34 MHz.
It provides a high dynamic range (90 dB) and offers frequency division and time
division repeating capabilities. These characteristics allow the implementation
of quality of service (QoS) and class of service (CoS) capabilities.
Technologies deliver speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s at the physical layer and 130
Mbit/s at the application layer although actual throughput rates are much lower.
Standards
Several competing standards are evolving including the HomePlug Powerline
Alliance, Universal Powerline Association, ETSI, and the IEEE. It is unclear
which standard will come out ahead. X10 is a de facto standard also used by
RadioShack's Plug'n'Power system.
CEPCA
Consumer Electronics Powerline Communications Alliance (CEPCA) (Sony, Mitsubishi
and Panasonic) is developing a standard to realize coexistence between various
Powerline technologies, available today.
ETSI PLT
The following is from the ETSI PLT homepage .
The project will progress the necessary standards and specifications to cover
the provision of voice and data services over the mains power transmission and
distribution network and/or in-building electricity wiring.
The standards will be developed in sufficient detail to allow interoperability
between equipment from different manufacturers and co-existence of multiple
powerline systems within the same environment. Harmonized Standards will be
developed to allow presumption of conformity with the relevant EU/EC Directives.
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