COMPTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The new Belkin FlyWire is the simple solution that gives you the freedom and flexibility to place your HDTV where you want—without cables. Featuring an intuitive and simple setup, FlyWire wirelessly connects devices such as Blu-ray® players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors, transmitting high-definition 1080p True Cinema picture resolution with whole-home range.

As the first offering in the FlyWire family, this solution provides a whole-home range with the capability of penetrating walls and AV cabinets. You can now hide your AV components away in a cabinet or a closet, creating an uncluttered living and home-entertainment environment. You can also mount your projector on the ceiling without the hassle of cables.

Operating in the open 5GHz band, FlyWire offers a completely robust connection. It intelligently manages its own connection, adjusting both frequency and power to avoid interference and overcome impedances. Because FlyWire does not compress video, it transmits video content with no latency. Even the most demanding AV applications, like video games, will not be impaired by the wireless transmission. FlyWire’s SD card slot also allows for upgrade and expansion options.

FlyWire comes with a transmitter that connects to your AV components (digital HD or analog) and a receiver that mounts to your HDTV, allowing you to place your HDTV in the living room, kitchen, or even outdoors.

With custom installation costs reaching up to $3000, FlyWire gives you the same custom-installed look without the complications, mess, and labor of wiring.

STATISTICS
In a 2007 study by Parks Associates, researchers found that 49% of respondents wanted to mount their flat-panel TVs; however, only 28% were successful in doing so.
The CEA indicates in their January 2008 Industry Forecasts report that sales of flat-panel TVs in 2007 grew year-over-year by 52%.
ABI Research projects installations of wireless HDTVs to grow 142% between 2007 and 2013.

AVAILABILITY
FlyWire: Late October 2008 in US, Canada, Europe, Asia
FlyWire R1: Q1 2009 in US, Canada, Europe, Asia

Belkin is introducing two versions of FlyWire:

FlyWire (AV69003) – US: $999.99
Offers whole-home range and penetrates walls and windows
Includes IR backchannel, allowing you to control AV devices that might be hidden in AV cabinets, closets, or other rooms
Includes a remote control for switching between inputs
As another option, FlyWire also offers an IR receiver and IR blaster attachments to allow you to use your existing remote controls
Automatic frequency hopping, which searches for the best available frequency whenever FlyWire detects interference in the area

FlyWire R1 (AV69000) – US: $699.99
In-room wireless solution
Includes a remote control for switching between inputs
Automatic frequency hopping, which searches for the best available frequency whenever FlyWire detects interference in the area

Typical HDTV setup problems that FlyWire solves:
Space constraints due to cable or satellite jack locations and challenging room layouts
Wall-mounting that causes wiring problems
Fireplaces, brick, and plaster walls can complicate in-wall installation due to costly and labor-intensive AV cable wiring

Technical Specifications
Connections:
-- Inputs
-- 3x HDMI (one of which has an optional L/R Audio to address DVI inputs)
-- 2x Component + L/R Audio

-- 1x Composite or 1x S-video + L/R Audio (RCA)
-- Interconnect
-- Wireless
-- Output
-- 1x HDMI

Supported Resolutions -- 1080p True Cinema
-- 1080i

-- 720p

-- 576p
-- 576i

-- 480p
-- 480i

Remote Control Type: IR (with RF repeater)
Supports 3rd Party IR Remotes and Universal Remotes
Frequency: -- Audio and Video: 5GHz
-- Remote Control Repeater: 2.4GHz


FlyWire Package Includes:
FlyWire Transmitter
FlyWire Receiver with Wall-Mounting Bracket
FlyWire Remote Control
IR Receiver and Blaster
(3) HDMI™ Cables

You can also mount your projector on the ceiling without the hassle of cables.

Incredible! It'll go great with those "wireless" surround speakers! ;)

That's not really meant to take away from the merits of this device though. However, it's just one of many such items coming down the pipes.

My impression is this is really expensive and if you have multiple HDTV's how much are additional receivers?

this is just the start of many. I believe Panasonic is one of the groups putting money into this endevour and that even Monster is licensing the patent on wireless HDMI

Ya, I would wait for CES 2009 for more products.

Great idea. I hate wires.

Notice the wink I gave above. You are only nixing some of the wire (perhaps only 1). You still need to power that projector on the ceiling, and you still need to plug those "wireless" speakers into the wall (where really, you are just swapping the signal cable for a power cable and are not actually reducing your cable count at all)

Where this technology really shines is in it's ability to distribute signals throughout the home without the need for "structured" wiring solutions. The caveat though - and it's a biggie - is that all displays will show the same picture.

I hope this is Ultra Wideband Technology so we don't have competing technologies out there. (see New HDTV's use Ultra Wideband Technology (http://www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2321/206/))

WiMedia Alliance (http://www.wimedia.org/en/) for more info

I'm disappointed to see the price on the the in room unit. I have been holding off installing my cabling in wall for my wall mounted plasma waiting for this unit. I was willing to go about $300-$500 for one of these units to save me running all the cables as my TV is mounted on an exterior wall and I would rather not disturb the insulation and vapour barrier, and all the work involved with running cables.

But for those prices I think it will be worth the extra effort to run the cables in wall.

I think that Belkin might have misinterpreted the CES coverage of this product to thinking this was a must have item for everyone and jacked up the price.

I think for a product like this to be successful it would need a much lower price point to consider this purchase. When you look at the prices of TV's dropping and the components you will be connecting to it dropping this would be a hard purchase when it would cost more than any of the items you are using it to connect to the TV.

I think for a product like this to be successful it would need a much lower price point to consider this purchase. When you look at the prices of TV's dropping and the components you will be connecting to it dropping this would be a hard purchase when it would cost more than any of the items you are using it to connect to the TV.

It is a new technology, and such the prices will be high. We bought our DLP 3-4 years ago, because flat panels were too expensive (We paid $3000 for a 44", and that was a deal, and cheaper than a plasma/LCD.....)
Now a bigger flat panel can be purchased for a fraction of the price, as production costs drop, and competition enters into the mix
I don't see their price as being too high at all, when you take into consideration the cost of hardwiring (the cables, installation charges, drywall repairs/repainting, etc....)

As a "whole home" distribution product, this is a bargain. As a wireless replacement for a video cable, it is not.

We're installing an UWB-based wireless microphone system and that is over $20K (with 14 mics), so UWB isn't quite inexpensive at this point.

It is a new technology, and such the prices will be high. We bought our DLP 3-4 years ago, because flat panels were too expensive (We paid $3000 for a 44", and that was a deal, and cheaper than a plasma/LCD.....)
Now a bigger flat panel can be purchased for a fraction of the price, as production costs drop, and competition enters into the mix
I don't see their price as being too high at all, when you take into consideration the cost of hardwiring (the cables, installation charges, drywall repairs/repainting, etc....)
Hmm, cables I buy from monoprice cheaply (like less than $20 per 10' CL2 (for in wall), I can get someone to hang a LCD for $150, notch 2 holes, cover it up professionally and fish wires through maybe another $50. So parts and laber for 3 hdmi connection+maybe an optical cable is less than $300.

For $1000, it's not worth it.

Again as JohnnyG noted. If you have an HDTV in your living room, family room, bedroom and kitchen then $1,000 to have whole home distribution is pretty reasonable.

Using it one room is like buying a whole home audio solution so you can listen to the radio in your bedroom - sure you can do it but what a waste of money.

Sony is coming out with this as an add-on for their Playstation 3:

http://www.ps3daily.co.uk/20080723/how-would-you-like-wireless-hdtv-on-your-sony-ps3/

According to this Engadget story (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/23/belkin-delays-flywire-wireless-hd-box-yet-again/)it is now delayed until late January 2009

I sent an email asking when the Flywire would launch and was told that they had "some technical issues" and the launch date has again been delayed until early March?

Does anyone know of another products that are for sale now that do wireless HDMI successfully?

It seems this product has been cancelled.

Belkin will not be releasing its FlyWire wireless HDMI accessory.

CNET has learned that the company has decided not to offer the FlyWire for sale. A Belkin spokesperson confirmed the product's cancellation, saying that "its retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy." (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10288313-1.html)

The FlyWire was introduced at CES 2008. The unit was a transmitter/receiver combo: the transmitter toggled between multiple audio and video sources (HDMI and analog), which were then wirelessly beamed to a receiver. Since the tiny receiver required only AC power and utilized a single HDMI output, it could be stealthily mounted behind wall-mounted flat screens or ceiling mounted projectors, eliminating the need for long unsightly cable runs. At one point, Belkin was mulling two versions: an initial high-end, multiroom-capable $1,499 version for multiple AV sources, followed by a less pricey single-source transmitter.