Link: http://www.edn.com/article/CA6676165.

html#Revisiting_power_line
CAL-LAB Inventor’s Observations on a cover-
story in EDN-magazine (Aug 20 2009) Quote:
Date: Aug 21 2009 by Paul Chang
Revisiting power line
It was an email exchange that led to CAL-LAB sending 5 units of PLC-CLLI (4X
MD-PLC-3 & 1X MD-PLC-1) to The Senior Technical Editor of EDN for testing – I have so far been unable to dispense with HomePlug AV in my LAN, so I’ve spent some
when he said (to the effect) “If your product functions as you have claimed, I time determining whether I could improve the technology’s robustness. In a sense, the
will use it in my August cover-story!”
power-line approach has an inherent advantage: The adapters can directly transfer data
I am pleased to see a picture he later asked for and the web-site of CAL-LAB
between them over the power grid with minimal router interaction. However, surge
appearing among industry big-guns. Indeed, he has used PLC-CLLI in the cover-
story! My thanks to Brian Dipert! protectors and noise filters are equal parts curses and blessings for power-line networking.

However, the fact that he has not expressed or indicated the ‘WOW!’ factor that I You can’t plug an Ethernet-to-power-line adapter into them because the filter circuitry
had expected him to also find – as those who came to our KL-PJ showroom to siphons off the networking data stream that’s multiplexed on the ac-waveform carrier
put our claims to the test had found, got me wondering if PLC-CLLI (CAL-LAB’s
PLC-Booster-Isolators) had been fully and correctly exploited. See below: signal. Their omission from power-grid noise sources is equally debilitating to the power-
1. Whether all PCs, Servers and Network devices (whose built-in line network, however.
switching power supplies and EMI-filters adversely affect the
performance of PLC-adapters) had ALL obtained power via the
filtered outlets of the PLC-CLLI at the setup during tests; Some signal attenuators are fairly obvious, notably motor-based products,
2. Whether ALL PLC-adapters in use or connected were appropriately such as stand-alone fans, heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, vacuum
connected via the un-attenuated outlets of PLC-CLLI – and ALL
interconnected equipment were powered via the filtered outlets of cleaners, hair dryers, and the like. Other more obscure noise sources include
the same PLC-CLLI.
the switching power supplies in ac/dc converters and battery chargers.
3. Whether any other devices or equipment were plugged into the other
wall-outlets near the one where a PLC-CLLI was added – as full Companies such as Cal-Lab sell specialized hardware that combines an
advantages of PLC-CLLI would only be obtained when all nearby
equipment (noise-generating or not) were powered via the PLC-CLLI. unfiltered outlet for the power-line-networking adapter and a filtered
connection, which also protects against lightning and other power surges, for
I respect Brian’s vast experiences and knowledge and by no means am I
questioning his capabilities BUT simply wish to confirm if he had thought it noise-generating gear (Figure A). Similarly, Intellon recently sent me two
necessary to do as such! PowerNet 200 HomePlug AV adapters that Monster Cable sells; the adapters
I am confident that the following advantages should still be viable, when PLC-
CLLI is widely & correctly employed: integrate two filtered and protected power outlets
1. A 2~5 folds improvement on connection-rate – depending on how
elaborately and widely PLC-CLLI has been necessarily employed! Gigle Semiconductor recently partnered with Belkin to unveil Belkin’s F5D4076 gigabit
2. Low-cost & effective solutions to ALL Inherent-problems currently
stifling the rightful growth of Powerline Home Network (HAN) power-line-networking adapters, which Gigle based on its GGL541 IC. The GGL541
3. The PLC-adapter and ALL interconnected equipment can be
supports both HomePlug AV, which operates in the 2- to 28-MHz band, and Gigle’s
protected effectively from lightning & surges!
…………………………………………………………………………………… proprietary Mediaxtream technology, which uses the 50- to 300-MHz band. Like 5-GHz Wi-
Fi versus 2.4-GHz 802.11, Mediaxtream’s higher frequency delivers potentially higher
Here are some quotes from the EDN Cover Story, Aug-20 2009 – in which CAL-
LAB Powerline Communications Booster was mentioned.
performance. Indicative of this promise, the F5D4076 includes a 1-GbE (gigabit-Ethernet) Broadcom Cal-Lab Dell

transceiver, whereas consumer HomePlug AV adapters belie their "200-Mbps" marketing www.broadcom.com www.cal-lab.com www.dell.com

claims by embedding only 10/100-Mbps PHY (physical-layer) interfaces. D-Link Gigle Semiconductor Intellon

www.dlink.com www.gigle.biz www.intellon.com

However, again as with 5-GHz versus 2.4-GHz wireless, Mediaxtream has notably shorter

usable range than does HomePlug AV. The initial production firmware in the Belkin Linksys Microsoft Monster Cable Products

adapters selects either HomePlug AV or Mediaxtream mode, depending on the power-grid www.linksysbycisco.com www.microsoft.com www.monstercable.com

characteristics that the ICs’ embedded DSPs determine at power-up. As you can see from
Netgear Roku Sony
the Network Performance Tuner plot, the adapters have selected HomePlug AV mode in
www.netgear.com www.roku.com www.sony.com
my setup. In fact, they run slightly slower than my Netgear HomePlug AV-dedicated
Unquote
hardware, even at a two-node deficit. Gigle is working on firmware improvements, both to
increase the number of supported nodes and to bond the HomePlug AV and Mediaxtream
I am also wondering IF anything else could have been done to ensure that
channels together rather than using a more elementary either-not-both approach. PLC-adapters WILL perform effectively and reliably so that the negative
images that had been projected until now might be removed!

(Figure A) To me, it is not IF ALL Inherent-problems can be over-come BUT rather

WHEN will industry-leaders make the needed changes in attitude – by not
launching PLC-adapters while knowing that what they claim are based on
perfect Powerline-conditions, without first offering solutions!

The fact is: There is no perfect powerline, without negative elements!

The least they could do was to be honest and helpful – by acknowledging
that Powerline conditions could be improved with the right technologies &
devices including those from CAL-LAB!

How about becoming a global partner with CAL-LAB to help launch my

patent-pending PLC Booster-Isolators? But first, come and see for yourself
the improvements we have achieved at our correctly installed setups!

Thanks for your time,

Paul Chang
Inventor
For More Information CAL-LAB
August 21 2009
Apple Atheros Communications Belkin International
Contact me: callabhq@gmail.com
www.apple.com www.atheros.com www.belkin.com More info: www.cal-lab.com