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Frequently Asked Questions About DLNA
- What is DLNA's vision/charter?
- Consumers are acquiring, viewing and managing an increasing variety of
digital media on devices in the CE, PC and mobile domains. In addition, they
want to easily and conveniently enjoy this content using any electronic
devices located anywhere in the home and beyond. The digital living vision
will help realize this world through the goal of developing a ubiquitously
compatible and connected digital media ecosystem, which will deliver the
applications that consumers desire, while providing an opportunity for
manufacturers to innovate and differentiate their products. See The DLNA Vision.
- What business opportunities does DLNA provide to the industry?
- The value proposition to manufacturers and content providers is to
ensure that all devices designed around DLNA guidelines communicate, which
opens up new ways to differentiate and expand existing product categories.
The value of the digital living vision is its ability to provide consumers
with a wide range of compelling uses and experiences. This requires the
availability of a broad spectrum of products across many categories. These
products range from intelligent source devices such as advanced digital
set-top boxes, PCs and access platforms (i.e., residential gateways), as
well as simple sink and source devices that provide media acquisition,
recording, playback, rendering, storage, sourcing capabilities and content
protection. Some examples of these devices include PDAs, notebook PCs,
broadcast tuners, networked storage units, CD/DVD players and recorders, TV
monitors, stereos, multimedia mobile phones, home theaters, wireless
monitors and game consoles as well as other video, audio and image capturing
devices. See The DLNA Value
Proposition.
- What are DLNA's deliverables?
- Digital Living Network Alliance's
Overview and Vision White Paper (pdf, 447k) outlines the potential of
digital living interoperability and also describes design guidelines. The
deliverables cover functional components and technology issues related to
implementation as well as a Certification
and Logo Program to ensure adherence to DLNA guidelines and
interoperability. The DLNA
Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines focus mainly on
interoperability among networked CE devices and home PCs for media
applications involving imaging, audio and video. DLNA delivered a second
paper, "Use Case Scenarios White Paper," outlining use cases driving the
guidelines' evolution.
- How does DLNA differ from existing organizations like the UPnP™ Forum
and the Internet Home Alliance, which have similar visions?
- The UPnP Forum is an industry initiative aimed at connectivity between
stand-alone devices and PCs from different vendors. UPnP technology is a key
standard required for an interoperable network in the digital home. On the
other hand, the Internet Home Alliance, a cross-industry network of leading
companies advancing the home technology market, explores new uses and
conducts field trials to validate consumer needs. Both organizations share
the The DLNA Vision, which is focused on developing and promoting an
interoperable network through a specific framework.
- How does a company join?
- DLNA welcomes new companies at the Contributor level. Applicants may
access membership information at http://www.dlna.org/industry/join/.
- How was DLNA formed, and when do meetings take place?
- DLNA was introduced in June 2003 as the Digital Home Working Group
(DHWG), and was renamed DLNA in June 2004. Today, DLNA is led by 26 promoter
member companies which include Access, AMD, Awox, Broadcom, Cisco, Comcast
New Media Development, DigiOn, HP, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Kenwood, Lenovo, LG
Electronics, Macrovision, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors,
Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial), Philips, Pioneer, Samsung,
Sharp, Sony and Toshiba. The first meeting of the DLNA board of directors
was held in May 2003. Annual meetings are held for the entire membership, as
well as quarterly meetings for promoter members. Committees driving each
DLNA initiative also meet regularly. Exact dates and locations are
determined prior to each meeting.
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