CES: Gefen Introduces Wireless HDTV Extender

Consumer electronics manufacturerGefen is helping household HDTVs go wireless with its DVI extender.

Using cable-free technology, the system extends up to 40 feet away from the source. The extender uses point-to-point lasers--with the sender and receiver facing each other--to send the signal across the room.

This introductory version offers home theater system support for homes that use DVI to transmit HD video in resolutions up to 1080i and RCA stereo audio connectors.

Other HDTV extenders are compatible with CAT-5 or multimode fiber optics cable that reaches hundreds of feet, according to Gefen.

The wireless DVI extender should start shipping in the first quarter of 2005.