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UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Switch Review

Jinjuku said:
What about it's benefits on Video?
Click to expand...
The claims about video seem the most ridiculous. The kinds of changes to the picture cited would require this device to somehow change the firmware inside the TV that maps the digital HDMI signal to the image that gets displayed. I'm sure everyone has seen what actual bit errors look like on a HDTV (bad HDMI cable ,etc)... and they certainly don't have anything to do with "more vibrant colors" or any other such nonsense.

I mean - is there some insane theory that "noise" could transfer from the ethernet link through the streaming device/PC and then through the HDMI cable in such a way that it modified the color balance, etc on the TV? That's completely absurd and seems like it would only be possible (even theoretically) if you had a terrible designed/broken panel (and even then it seems implausible).
 
Like several others here, I have a technical background - ECE degree, been involved professionally with computer networking in some fashion (mostly technical sales of packet analysis solutions) for 20+ years. The thing is - you don't need to be technical to see that products like this are complete snake oil. Literally NO ONE uses them outside of gullible audiophiles. Professional sound studios and engineers don't use them, Hospital ICUs don't use them, Streaming media companies don't use them, high end video conferencing doesn't use them, medical testing companies don't use them, financial trading firms don't use them, etc, etc. What do almost all of these firms/people actually use? Standard enterprise networking gear (Cisco, Arista, etc). I mean if hospital ICUs aren't worried about ethernet "noise" interfering with patient data feeds no one at home needs to worry about their ethernet gear interfering with anything.... and for the few times they are worried they'll use something like this:

www.tripplite.com

Ethernet Network Isolator, Hospital-Grade, RJ45, UL60601-1 | Eaton

Protect patients from harmful leakage currents on Ethernet network lines! You can use this 60601-1 network isolator in patient care vicinities.
www.tripplite.com www.tripplite.com

The thing is you can buy nice used enterprise networking gear for 100-200 dollars on ebay (I have a 48 port Cisco swtich with 2 10 Gbps ports that I paid like 150 for a few years ago for example) which performs great. I just checked a couple of days ago and my switch hasn't seen a single frame error (not even 1) on any port since the last reboot - which was like 15 months ago. All my cabling is whatever bulk cat5e the builder used when we had our house built.

If someone is really so paranoid about "noise" they should just use fiber, which is cheaper or wifi - which is WAY cheaper. If this problem actually existed (which it doesn't) both of those solutions would be FAR, FAR more effective.
 
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watts said:
"Protect patients from harmful leakage currents on ethernet network lines!."

Connecting patients to ethernet would be the first concern.
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There are patient monitoring devices that have ethernet interfaces (in fact there are quite a few of them). That data has to get back to the nurses station you know :).

Edit - I'm not saying these devices are necessary - I put a longer explanation below.
 
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watts said:
"Protect patients from harmful leakage currents on ethernet network lines!."

Connecting patients to ethernet would be the first concern.
Click to expand...
During a medical procedure earlier this week they grounded me with a stick on earth, I didn't think to ask if it was a low noise audiophile earth, I hope it wasn't, I'd rather it worked properly.
 
I have a lot of large hospital system customers (I deal with mostly fortune 500 type clients in general). Let's just say that getting FDA certification for network attached patient monitors is a non-trivial exercise for vendors. The technology is not going to be the latest and greatest and this stuff is not cheap. I'm not personally sold on ethernet isolation as something needed (and I deal with packet analysis solutions for security and operations anyways across all verticals - I'm not a health care specialist - just happen to have some big hospital systems as customers) but spending 100 extra bucks on a patient monitor that runs 5 or 6 figures on the theory that it could at least marginally improve patient safety seems orders of magnitude less silly than these audiophile applications.

Keep in mind that part of this is CYA from medical device vendors as well who will recommend things like "ethernet isolation" regardless of whether it's really needed or not.

My larger point was that medical grade ethernet isolation - which is designed (in theory) to improve patient safety - is still WAY cheaper than audiophile nonsense.
 
Couldn't resist:

1639796961886.png
 
Even though the product clearly will do nothing for sound quality, isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say it’s a TP-Link in a fancy box, just because the front panel looks similar ? I mean it might well be, but it would be good to see inside it to confirm…
 
tw99 said:
Even though the product clearly will do nothing for sound quality, isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say it’s a TP-Link in a fancy box, just because the front panel looks similar ? I mean it might well be, but it would be good to see inside it to confirm…
Click to expand...
Indeed it could be any brands 5 port switch. One thing is certain its just a cheap switch in a box with added bollocks
 
Jinjuku said:
BTW it's a repackaged $13 TP-Link:
Click to expand...
That's not far from being fraudulent.

sq225917 said:
Indeed it could be any brands 5 port switch. One thing is certain its just a cheap switch in a box with added bollocks
Click to expand...
>90% of the added bollocks is in the marketing schpiel, starting there with "billet." (Very familiar to me, bike performance parts. Often used together with "mil-spec" and "aerospace".)
 
tw99 said:
Even though the product clearly will do nothing for sound quality, isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say it’s a TP-Link in a fancy box, just because the front panel looks similar ? I mean it might well be, but it would be good to see inside it to confirm…
Click to expand...
The connector design with a single LED behind a small hole is rather unusual. Of course, they could have both chosen the same one by random chance.
 
Katji said:
That's not far from being fraudulent.


>90% of the added bollocks is in the marketing schpiel, starting there with "billet." (Very familiar to me, bike performance parts. Often used together with "mil-spec" and "aerospace".)
Click to expand...

But look at that power cord!? That alone should help lift many veils and could be responsible for most of the cost.
 
tw99 said:
Even though the product clearly will do nothing for sound quality, isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say it’s a TP-Link in a fancy box, just because the front panel looks similar ? I mean it might well be, but it would be good to see inside it to confirm…
Click to expand...

NO. I'm trying to purchase one where I can return it so I can do some final verification but knowing the OEM manufacturing market this is 99% the same assembly.

Or Ted can ship one if he's that confident in the color of his underwear so to speak.
 
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sq225917 said:
Indeed it could be any brands 5 port switch. One thing is certain its just a cheap switch in a box with added bollocks
Click to expand...

It's look with the single round pinhole led indicator is too unique. I didn't look at every single switch offering. I stopped at the TP-Link when I saw it.

Remember the Silent Angle Bonn 8 is just a repackaged Zyxel.
 
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