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DLNA and the Importance of the Digital Home Network to the Custom Install Industry (5/11/2007)

By Scott Smyers, DLNA

Consumers are acquiring, viewing and managing an increasing amount of digital content on devices in the consumer electronics (CE), personal computer (PC) and mobile industries, within a networked environment. They want to enjoy this content easily and conveniently across different devices and locations in the home, regardless of the source. While one of the first and most obvious uses of a home network is to share broadband Internet or networked printers, one of the highest consumer needs and interests for the use of a home network is for accessing and enjoying digital entertainment content from one device in the house to another.

With more manufacturers developing new products that store and play digital entertainment content, creating a custom-built network with products that interoperate inside the home presents unique challenges for those parties at the centre of that development, from custom installers and builders to architects and electricians.

Key challenges

In order to build-in such interoperability and win customer confidence, industry leaders must address some key challenges cited by consumers and substantiated by the industry and research:

* Products designed for the home should be easy to install, provide noticeable user value, and be affordable.

* Devices must interoperate with each other without requiring the consumer to undergo complex setup and configuration for connection between devices.

* Digital home products must interoperate with each other and within existing CE devices, such as televisions and stereos.

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)

Formed back in 2003 by 17 leading companies in the PC, CE and mobile devices markets, the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and its current membership base of more than 240 member companies, share a vision of a wired and wireless interoperable network of products in the home, enabling an environment for sharing and growing new digital media and content services. In the near future, digital homes will contain one or more intelligent platforms, such as an advanced set-top box or network-attached storage server device, which will manage and distribute digital content to devices such as televisions and wireless monitors from other devices such as digital cameras, camcorders and multimedia mobile devices. The consumer experience will be further improved and enhanced because many mobile devices can also manage and distribute content to other devices.

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) logo.

To answer the opportunities and challenges of the home networking marketplace, DLNA has taken the initiative by creating design guidelines developed in response to the most valuable consumer use case scenarios. The DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines refer to standards from established, open industry standards organisations and provide CE, PC and mobile device manufacturers with the information necessary to build compelling, interoperable digital home platforms, devices and applications.

These guidelines from DLNA specify the interoperable building blocks that are available to build platforms and software infrastructure, focusing on interoperability between networked entertainment and media devices for personal media uses that involve images, audio, and video. By implementing these guidelines, manufacturers can participate in a growing marketplace of networked devices, leading to more innovation, simplicity and value for consumers.

DLNA certification

Once manufacturers develop products according to the guidelines, they can have them become 'DLNA Certified' after they go through rigorous testing. Within the scope of the guidelines and DLNA use cases, there are a number of ways DLNA Certified devices can be used within a home network, such as:

* Using a digital camera to send its images to a PC for viewing and/or storage.

* Enabling a mobile phone to transfer a song from the PC to a stereo.

* Viewing a photo stored on a media server on a television, and then sending the photo to print on a networked printer.

* Using a personal media device as a server to send a music video stored in the device to a television for viewing.

Example of wired and wireless DLNA Certified products that will automatically configure the network and communicate using their built-in DLNA technology.

Since the DLNA certification and logo programme began in September 2005, more than 1,300 products and devices have been designated as DLNA Certified, with more than 740 listed on the DLNA product web site as of October 2007. These products include televisions, desktops, laptops, audio players/receivers, digital cameras and DVD players/recorders. With the recent expansion of the certification programme to include mobile devices, the organisation anticipates adding mobile phones and other mobile products to the list once DLNA members who manufacture such products obtain DLNA Certified status.

Benefits to the installer

This wide array of DLNA Certified devices provides custom installers with a diverse selection of products, offering consumers the power of choice when they work with their installers to design a digital home network that fits their needs. From the ever-growing pool of DLNA Certified devices, a customer can choose a television from one manufacturer, a laptop from another, and a digital camera from yet another vendor, and the products will all talk to each other to share content at the consumer's direction. Working with products that are DLNA Certified, custom installers can be assured that the products will recognize each other and create the ultimate digital home network experience for their customers.

DLNA in Europe

A number of PC, CE and mobile device companies headquartered in Europe have been with DLNA from the very beginning, along with other member companies who have key locations across Europe. Currently there are 39 DLNA members that have their primary offices in Europe, spanning across multiple industries such as personal computing, consumer electronics, automotive, components, networks, mobile devices, content and service providers, and semiconductors.

Conclusion

Whether a business is a large, global entity providing multiple products or a single location company offering a product that plays a key role in the digital home network, all can greatly benefit from being a member of DLNA and developing devices that can be DLNA Certified. The device guidelines by DLNA truly enable DLNA Certified products to talk with one another - real interoperability - using open, established industry standards. This process delivers an increase in market opportunity to all members, large and small, as consumers continue to demand a diverse product selection when developing a digital home network that meets their needs. For those manufacturers and developers who want to get involved with DLNA, please contact the organisation via the website below.

Scott Smyers serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Digital Living Network Alliance, and as President of DLNA Corporation. He is also Senior Vice President of the Network and Systems Architecture Division at Sony Electronics.

www.dlna.org