Avocent's MPX1550 wireless HD video extender supports higher bit rates

First came the Emerge MPX1000, and this March, we were treated to the altogether upgraded MPX1500. Now, Avocent has introduced the (sort of) predictably titled successor, the MPX1550. This unit looks almost identical to the iteration that came out in March, though it does posses a new antenna on the front and now supports 802.11n for even snappier wireless HD transfers. Aimed at professionals needing to distribute high-def material onto digital signage displays, the box also supports bit rates as high as 110Mbps (compared to 20Mbps in the past), which pretty much guarantees that your up-to-1080i content looks as sharp as ever to prospective customers. 'Course, such a commercial device touts a commercial price tag too -- unless you consider $1,145 within most consumers' reach, that is.

[Thanks, Mufasa]

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 11th 2008 3:54PM]

Does that say HDMI right above the DVI port?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 11th 2008 4:18PM]

I was thinking the same thing.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 11th 2008 4:47PM]

Yes that does say HDMI above the DVI port. They use a DVI to HDMI adapter to go to an HDMI display. However they also have adapters for RGB, Component and Composite. Kind of an odd way to support multiple connections but it does make it so the back of the device can be smaller. They are betting on people not minding using adapters.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 11th 2008 4:50PM]

This may be splitting hairs, but doesn't HDMI imply audio support as well?

Otheriwse it's just DVI. Maybe the DVI logo just isn't impressive enough.

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 12th 2008 5:54AM]

This is worthless considering you STILL HAVE TO DECODE AND DECOMPRESS the video stream. This means you still have to have a STB at the display. And until they can wirelessly transmit uncompressed video (which would require Gigabit levels of bandwidth) they are SOL and marketing to ignorance.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 21st 2009 11:14PM]

I worked on this project. The 1550 does support audio through the DVI -HDMI connector. It is also HDCP compliant. As far as ghostdoogie's complain, every wireless HD device out there has some form of STB. Samsung and others have said they will integrate receivers into their TVs but guess what - There are no transmitters to support them.