Audio Video News

You may not recognize the name of DLNA, the Digital Living Network Alliance. But you’re probably familiar with its implementation of plug-and-play technology, which enables A/V receivers to access music from a connected computer. It also embraces mobile devices, NAS drives, set-top boxes, game consoles, TVs, and other products, all happily sharing media with industry-approved DRM.

The recently announced DLNA 4.0 spec addresses a “media format not supported” problem by mandating transcoding on the media server. Compliant products will wear the DLNA 4.0 logo.

DLNA members include Comcast, Dolby Laboratories, Intel, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony (a leading developer of the standard), Time Warner Cable (recently absorbed by Charter Communications), Verizon, and others.

DLNA is used in 25,000 different products, and by the end of next year, there will be six billion DLNA devices in use. DLNA’s VidiPath is one of the leading contenders in the FCC’s latest cable-ready initiative.