Partnered Software - DLNA™
The Future of the Digital Home
What is the problem?
Every home is becoming increasingly rich in digital content, and every user has their own individual way of managing that content. For example, one user might choose to view a family movie or slideshow on the TV, whilst another might prefer to watch it on their mobile phone handset.
Problems arise, however, when users want to store and share this digital content between family members and different rooms within the home and across any manner of different digital devices - and they don't want to be restricted to a single device manufacturer to do this.
Consumer challenges
Consumers want to acquire, view and manage different amounts and types of digital content from consumer electronic, mobile and PC devices. They want to do this simply and conveniently, irrespective of the manufacturer behind the technology. They also want it to work across different devices and locations in the home.
These demands have been driven by increasing popularity in digital media and IP networking and are supported by rising sales in digital devices, worldwide adoption of broadband connections and the growing number of wired and wireless home networks.
Such consumer challenges present great opportunities for manufacturers, but only if their devices are built to a universal standard that enables each one to operate with other digital products. In order to ensure interoperability between these digital environments and secure consumer trust, manufacturers must address the three fundamental consumer demands:
- Products need to be easy to install and manage, providing obvious user value
- Products should be affordable
- Products must communicate with each other as well as with existing devices in the home
Why is DLNA the answer?
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) has been set up to provide interoperability guidelines for the digital home, enabling PC, mobile and consumer electronics products to work seamlessly together, irrespective of the manufacturer.
It means that products complying with these guidelines can operate and interact with other compliant devices, ultimately realizing the 'digital home' concept that is talked about so often amongst consumers and the press.
The consumer electronics industry is recognizing the potential that DLNA brings and a number of manufacturers, including Buffalo Technology, are already backing and actively promoting the standard. Such companies include Microsoft, Intel, Nokia, Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and Pioneer - and the list is growing!
What does it mean for manufacturers?
To expect consumers to buy all of their digital devices from a single manufacturer is not only narrow-minded but also unrealistic. No one manufacturer can claim to specialize in every component of the digital home, from mobile phones and DVD players to cameras and radios. By developing products that meet the DLNA guidelines, manufacturers are allowing their target audience to 'mix and match' devices so that the DVD player from one company will be compatible with another manufacturer's High Definition TV (HDTV).
All manufacturers design products in reaction to consumer demand, which right now lie strongly in favor of the digital home. But how is this demand ever to flourish if companies stifle the development of the digital home by restricting consumers to a single manufacturer? The answer is it can't, so it is vital that companies designing and developing digital technology recognize the opportunities that DLNA presents and embrace the standard as a matter of course.
What does it mean for consumers?
With widespread adoption of the DLNA guidelines, consumers will be able to visit any number of retailers, e-tailers or indeed manufacturers directly to build their digital home piece by piece. They will not be restricted to a single manufacturer, meaning that they can shop around, compare prices and weigh up the functionality benefits to deliver the most cost effective solution for them. It will no longer take a technological genius to make one device talk to another within the digital home. With interoperability a key component of a product's functionality, set-up and inter-working will be simple and straightforward - all thanks to the DLNA guidelines and independence of manufacturers. Welcome to the digital home - it is now finally a reality for the consumer!
About Buffalo
Buffalo Technology is a leading global provider of innovative wireless networking, storage, multimedia and memory solutions for the home and small business environments. Buffalo's strong international industry alliances with companies such as Intel, Broadcom®, Nintendo and Microsoft have allowed it to lead the industry in the development of the latest technologies into practical tools for business and the home. Buffalo, a member of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), is proud to be the first manufacturer of DLNA™ CERTIFIED Network Attached Storage (NAS) products for the consumer market - the LinkStation™ Home Server and TeraStation™ Home Server are designed to allow consumers to easily, seamlessly and affordably store and share digital content throughout the home. Headquartered in Japan, Buffalo Technology has offices in the UK, Ireland, Germany, USA and Taiwan.
Learn more about Buffalo LinkStation™ Home Server and TeraStation™ Home Server products.
Buffalo Technology, Buffalo Technology logo, LinkStation and TeraStation are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Buffalo Inc. DLNA and DLNA CERTIFIED are trademarks and/or service marks of Digital Living Network Alliance. Some contents may not be compatible with other DLNA CERTIFIED™ products. The names and logos of other companies mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
