European Custom Installer

System Integration for the Connected Home

Networking & IoT

A BOX for Smart Home Protection

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Bitdefender suggests every devices making the Internet of Things is at risks from hackers, viruses and other security hazards-- thus necessitating the BOX, a device designed to secure all customers web-enabled devices.

Bitdefender BOXAccording to the company the BOX protects PCs, mobile devices, game consoles, smart TVs, smart appliances and more from fraud, malware, data theft, spying and all other online ills. It either connects to a router or acts as one, and intercepts and scans essential parts of the data packets flowing in and out of the network in order to block hazards the network level.

It also provides customers with parental controls and other options via compatible Windows, iOS and Android apps.

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Old TV Frequencies for "Super Wifi"?

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Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) suggest governments should not auction off old TV frequencies to the highest bidders-- instead they be used to create a free "super wifi" network.

KIT super wifiOld TV frequencies allow the transmission of wifi over lower frequencies , resulting in coverage as wide as several kilometres in radius. Such a network could replace pricey mobile services of the 4G variety, leading to far wider mobile internet use.

Current wifi technology operates at high frequencies of 2GHz and above.

The KIT researchers say they also have a technique for the prevention network congestion via the reserving of a 90MHz interval in the UHF bands. Another argument in favour is that in any case the general public should be given preference to the use of electronics communications.

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Crestron Ships Streaming Input Card

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Crestron ships the DMC-STR Streaming Input Card-- a means for card-based Crestron DM switchers to receive H.264 video over IP networks from sources such as IP cameras, streaming servers or a DMC-STRO streaming output card in another DM switcher.

DMC-STRCrestron says the signal can be distributed via HDMI, HDBaseT or fibre, as the DigitalMedia provides both point-to-point and streaming on a single platform. Streaming removes all distance limitations and uses existing infrastructure, enabling signal distribution in applications where dedicated wiring is impractical or cannot be installed.

Installers can configure the switcher on an input-by-input and output-by-output basis.

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ZigBee Reaches Version 3.0

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The ZigBee Alliance unifies multiple ZigBee wireless networking technologies into a single standard-- ZigBee 3.0, a means enabling communications between multiple devices in both residential and enterprise applications.

Zigbee 3.0ZigBee 3.0 is IEEE 802.15.4-based, operates at 2.4GHz and uses ZigBee PRO, the group's standard for network formation and the devices attached to them. However it lacks 2 ZigBee specs, namely Smart Energy 2.0 (an IP-based profile) and RF4CE (a ZigBee version geared at remote controls).

“Underneath the covers we are accommodating these multiple applications in a single standard, so ZigBee thermostats, for example, can be used in either home or office buildings,” the Alliance says.

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AudioControl Ships HDBaseT Extenders

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HDBaseT extendersAudioControl launches an HDBaseT extender duo-- the HDBT-S1 Sender and the HDBT-R1 Receiver, a means for customers to extend HDMI signals for up to 70m via single CAT5e/6 cable.

The system is HDTV and 4K/UHD compatible with 3D pass-through, supports CEC, and is HDCP and HDMI 1.4 compliant. It also extends bi-directional IR and RS-232 signals.

LEDs provide status read outs, while a top and side silk-screen arrangement allows for convenient setup.

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Extron Intros eLink 100 Extender

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Extron starts shipping the "professional-grade" eLink 100-- an HDCP-compliant wireless transmitter able to extend HDMI video and multi-channel audio signals up to 30m designed for both residential and commercial applications.

Extron eLink 100The eLink 100 features wireless communications technology Extron says provides reliable operation and exceptional image quality, with latency of less than 1 millisecond for real-time performance. It supports computer video at up to 1920x1080 (60Hz) resolution, with max data rate of 6.75Gbps with 2.25Gbps per colour.

Further features include 5GHz spectrum use, AES-128 encryption and commercial-grade components ensuring continuous, secure operation with real-time performance. Automatic Frequency Selection (AFS) and Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) actively monitor the RF spectrum to identify and select an available channel, thus avoiding interference from WLAN, mobile devices and additional eLInk 100 extenders, while multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) technology ensure connection stability within environments with multipath signals.

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Next-Gen Wifi From TP-Link

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Archer C8TP-Link launches the Archer C8 AC1750 wireless dual-band router-- featuring 802.11ac standard support with simultaneous 2.4GHz 450Mbps and 5GHz 1300Mbps connections for a total of 1.75Gbps available bandwidth.

It is powered by a dual-core 800MHz CPU for stable performance with wifi, ethernet and USB devices, while 3 dual-band antennas provide what TP-Link says is maximum omni-directional wireless coverage and reliability.

Another addition is beamforming technology allowing the router to locate connected devices and boost wireless signal strength in their direction.

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