CES 2011: Onkyo Adopting Avnera-developed Rocketboost

All Onkyo receivers introduced in 2011 will connect via the company's proprietary U-port to an optional Rocketboost transceiver module to transmit audio to a remote Rocketboost receiver module, which will either be built into or plugged into planned Onkyo Zone 2 audio systems.

Onkyo's first Zone 2 system will be a compact one-piece unit with networking capability, built-in speakers, iPod/iPhone dock and optional Rocketboost card. The system will be the first of a growing line of Rocketboost-enabled Onkyo products, the company said.

via TWICE

New Insignia 450W 5.1-channel home theater with Rocketboost adds anchor to Best Buy's wireless audio standard

There is now a centerpiece device for Best Buy's Rocketboost wireless audio standard. This Insignia NS-R5101AHD-A is a pretty impressive home theater receiver with modern features such as:

• 3D pass-through
• 5.1 channel surround processing, Dolby, DTS, super plus happy technologies, yadda yadda yadda.
• Audyssey suite of dynamic EQ technologies
• 3 HDMI inputs
• 450 Watts of total output power

Add to that the Rocketboost features/capabilities that come via the included NS-RB1 transceiver:

• multi-room audio
• wireless surround sound speakers
• wireless subwoofer
• wireless zone-B audio
• wireless iPod dock receiver
• wireless headphones

...and you have one of the most capable home theater systems ever built. Of course you'll have to pick up some of the existing or upcoming Rocketfish Rocketboost accessories to round out the scenarios you need.

Congrats to everyone who worked on bringing one of the most flexible and extensible wireless audio systems to market. I hope consumers find great uses for wireless audio. I know we spent a lot of time spec'ing these scenarios out at Avnera, and that team has continued to work hard to make all the user-scenarios possible by working with device makers applying Avnera's highly integrated wireless audio ICs to build numerous affordable product choices.

G930 gadget pr0n redux

Digging a little deeper into the photos at FCC and these do in fact look like Avnera board designs... very cool.

A little G930 gadget pr0n courtesy of the FCC

Avnera handiwork all over these pups.



via DZLA00023 and DZLA00024

Logitech's 2nd Avnera-based headset hits in the form of G930, for gamers

Logitech has begun taking pre-orders for their new Wireless Gaming Headset. Based on Avnera's latest wireless headset chipset, and coupled with some cool innovations targeted at the PC gamer, these will prove to be immensely popular, as well as make a great follow-up to their omnipresent Clearchat PC Wireless set introduced a couple years ago.

It also marks the third company – Freetalk and Creative being the first and second, respectively – to launch a second wireless headset model based on Avnera's solution. A great validation for the product concept, and the underlying technology enabling it.

It's immensely gratifying for me, and I'm sure plenty of other early Avnerans, to see a new category of electronics mature based on the work of a startup company placing bets on an application all the way back in 2004. Sounds so long ago! This headset is based on the latest generation silicon from Avnera, and contains many new capabilities that make it more better.

Some of the nice features Logitech wrapped up into this US$159 piece include:

• Noise canceling mic with auto-mute
• Integrated charging cable, and charge-while using
• Some audio effects for virtual surround and voice morphing
• Programmable G-keys for mapping to specific game functions
• Laser tuned headphone drivers
• Memory foam headband
• 12-meter range
• Driver-less operation

Head over to Logitech's website for more pretty pictures and feature overviews, and pre-order one now.