Product Reviews

In What's New, Shopper April 2005 we tested Devolo's dLAN starter kit, which sends data between power sockets over the mains. This adaptor uses the same system to stream audio, but it requires another dLAN Ethernet or Audio plug.

With an Ethernet plug, you can stream music from your PC, or you can pair two Audio plugs to carry music from a hi-fi to some amplified speakers. Music is carried digitally, so there's no audible interference, but the bit rate is limited to 192Kbit/s.

Setup was easy, although it is harder on a network without DHCP. The signal quality didn't seem to be affected by the distance between the plugs, but we noticed a delay that increased with separation.

The plug uses up a socket, and its size may make it unsuitable for confined outlets. It's more expensive than Apple's wireless AirPort Express, but it has a wider range of functions including digital inputs and outputs. It's a good product, but it won't suit everyone.