Actiontec Mega Plug AV Powerline Gaming Kit (200mbps) Review
Being an ECA chapter president (long island, to be exact) I was lucky enough to be able to test out an amazing product from Actiontec – the Powerline Gaming Kit. The idea of the kit is to have one of the supplied adapters act as an access point, while the other acts as a wireless card, if you will. In my time using the devices, I had a lag free fighting experience, free of any hiccups. So lets get to the scrubs of the Powerline Gaming Kit.
Background Information
Actiontec is known for their technological grace and precision hardware creation. They offer many useful devices such as IPTV and Video solutions, Home Controlling and Monitoring kits, Broadband Access kits, and last but not least, the Home Networking kits such as the Powerline Gaming Kit. They have many partners including Qwest, AOL, Verizon, Radioshack, Best Buy, and more on their list of powerhouse suppliers and great broadband providers. This is no low-qual-kiddie product, people.
Unboxing
The PGK (Powerline Gaming Kit) came in a nice looking, well designed box, displaying of course the Actiontec logo, the name of the product, what it can do (which immediately will draw a gamers attention) and what it’s perfect for. It also bullet outlines the maximum transfer rate of 200Mbps, the ping rates, and again what it can do for your gaming console. They have also posted various awards on the front, and on the back of the box there is an organized, well designed display of it’s features, it’s perks (no new cables required, uses your existing power line, and 128-bit AES security!), and a small diagram showing exactly just how easy setup should be. If you’re a Spec tech, those are listed on the side panel, too – but for your pleasure, I’ve typed them out:
Standards: IEEE 802.4, IEEE 202.3U, HOMEPLUG AV
Additional Protocols and Features: CSMA/CA CHANNEL ACCESS SCHEME (UPGRADEABLE TO TDMA); CO DEVICE GENERATES A PERIODIC BEACON CARRIER FOR CHANNEL ACCESS SCHEME.,FORWARD ERROR CORRECTION(FEC),AUTOMATIC CHANNEL ADAPTATION
Data Rate: PHY Rate: Up to 200 MPBS over standard home power lines and 10/100 MBPS over Ethernet
Operation Range: Up to 300 meters in wall power lines | capable of passing through circuit breakers
Security: 128 -bit AES Link Encryption with Key Management
Frequency Band: 2MHz- 28MHz
Modulation: OFDM Symbol Modulation on Line Synchronization, QAM,QPSK,BPSK,ROBO Carrier Modulation
QoS: Integrated, Prioritized Random Access, Contention-Free Access, Segment Bursting
LEDs: Power, Link, and Ethernet
Power Input: 100 to 240v@ 50/60 Hz internal
Regulatory Compliance: FCC Part 15, Class B, UL, Homeplug Certification
Environmental Ranges: Operating Temperature: 0C to 40C, Humidity: 10% to 90% (Non Condensing)
Warranty: Limited 1 Year Warranty
Once you open the box, the neatness comes into play. Inside, there is another snugly fit white insert which houses the two adapters in compartments, separately. They are wrapped nicely in plastic and everything appears to be well accounted for. The box also contains an instruction manual and a setup disk to help you get started. The only thing I would put on the box is Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 rather than Playstation and Xbox – there are some people that would think the product is old on that merit alone.
Product Design and Appeal
I myself prefer that the product just gets the job done, and I can modify the looks myself, or void my warranty and integrate it into my own shell, later on; but as you all know, it does not always work that way with everyone. That being said, this product is not phugly, but just a little bleak. It has a smooth, Lexus like curvature about it’s surface, and great placement of the LED’s and Ethernet port, too. It’s just that the off-white color and the plain box and curve look of it make it looks like a Windows 95 PC component (no offense windows users). Maybe some glossy paint or larger color offering could do the trick, but for now, I couldn’t see many people jumping up and down to buy the PGK based on it’s “this will fit my modern home well” category. With a little touching up, though, this can be modified just a bit and just fine for gamers.
Functionality and Performance
The PGK hardware packs a punch. It has bright indication LED’s, a solid Ethernet jack, and a sturdy design which won’t fall out of your wall when you’re playing Street Fighter IV and you lose that crucial fight online. I have every system you can think of, plus more, and this monster of a PC. My first test was my PC, because usually, when I use wireless, I experience a significant difference in down/upstream speed and ping times. It has nothing to do with my hardware, as it’s an amazing setup; it’s just that wireless doesn’t work well in every home, due to different frequencies all over the place.
Wireless: PC to Apple Airport Extreme | 6000KBPS Downstream(Download Speed) 800KBPS Upstream(Upload Speed)
Not bad, just not great, either. I’d much rather have it somewhere in the 1mbps Upstream area. Now, with the Powerline Gaming Kit
Wireless: Powerline Gaming Kit (Connected to Airport Extreme) | 12,000 KBPS Downstream(Download Speed) 2000 MBPS Upsteam(Upload Speed)
Ca-ching? It worked! It’s not another loosely advertised home networking solution! It’s the Powerline Gaming Kit (screams from the stadium, chanting, SUCCESS! With the exclamation point pops up from every japanese RPG or fighting game).
But no, the functionality and performance increase with my PC is genuine, and desired. The second system I tested was PS3, and the third and last, but not least, was the XBOX 360 . I tested the PS3 against it’s internal wi-fi component, and I must say, if you’re a serious gamer and you want to have the least amount of lag possible when using wifi, this adapter will hold to it’s claims. I didn’t find much of a performance difference when placed against the Microsoft adapter, though, and the Microsoft adapter does have the added convenience of being connected to your system through those weak plastic prongs on the back. What I did notice however is a slightly lower ping with each game I played online, but nothing to lose your sleep over. Either way, I’d feel safer with the Actiontec PGK: it’s definitely a more sturdy piece of hardware, it performs a little better, and it’s a much nicer alternative if you have a long set of Ethernet cables, as you can run the cables out of the way of devices and to an outlet almost completely free of interference from other frequencies. You have to remember, though, every setup differs – if you’re download and upload speeds are capped low by your provider (meaning that you can’t go over a certain speed, anyway) then you can’t blame the product. Do a little homework on your ISP (Internet Service Provider) before you call Actiontec or blast me with e-mails saying how stupid I am.
The Verdict
Aside from the old school PC component with curves look, the Actiontec Powerline Gaming Kit is an amazing set of adapters that does exactly what it says, which is a rare occurence in the everday changing game of technology. If i were you, I’d definitely give it a shot. It’s a bit of a High price tag ($150.00) but you can go to the buy section of the website here which lists the best prices from different vendors, and I’ve even seen as low as $124.00. If you do end up purchasing, send Actiontec and E-mail saying you read the Chad Hughes (nerdsoftheyear, thealteredmindstate) review of the product, and see what happens. It’s an outstanding product, and I give it a 9 out of 10.
