CES 2009

The HomePlug Powerline Alliance was formed in 2000, and the idea was to develop a unified home networking system that uses the existing power lines in your home to deliver power, internet access and other entertainment without extensive and expensive wiring. in the last seven years 75 companies have come onboard.

So, I have to wonder what the HD-PLC Alliance, which was formed this past Sept., hopes to achieve. Unlike, the existing Alliance, which is an independent organization, HD-PLC is promoted and backed by Matsushita (aka Panasonic). They are highlighting 60 products here at CES that use their standards for implementing home electrical wiring to serve as a high-speed home network.

Yes, networking is the next big thing as we see many major manufacturers integrating proprietary networking protocols into their components. However, let's keep it simple guys and not confuse the customer anymore than we have already.