Marantz wants to turn your iPod into a wireless AV goldmind with the IS301 dock. A sleeve piggybacks on the iPod and transmits both the audio and the video to the base station where it will be pumped to the AV system. The wireless system operates on both Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR A2DP and AVRCP (Audio / Video Remote Control Profile) to ensure proper delivery of the iPod tracks, pics and videos to the base station. There isn’t any word if this system will find its way over here to the States, but it look like a solid AV solution for the iPod and even the 26,250 yen ($276) isn’t that bad considering all it can do.
That actually looks pretty cool, even if it is a little on the pricey side. I guess everything looks “a little on the pricey side” in this economy. I like the idea of being able to have the iPod next to the couch and use it like a remote while listing to the tunes or watching the video through the home entertainment center though.
One question though; video over Bluetooth? Really? I can’t imaging that would work, or look good even if it did.
This looks pretty cool, any word on it hitting stateside? I agree with the above comment tho, using my iPod like a remote seems pretty handy.