From the Inside Flap
Preface
Many consumers access the Internet, e-commerce stores, and e-mail accounts from the comfort of their homes. The home networking business is now only beginning and is expected to soar in the next couple of years as more and more households around the world connect to the Internet. Many large IT and telecommunication companies are planning to offer a range of new products that will allow entertainment devices and PCs scattered around your household to "talk to each other." Allied Business Intelligence estimates that the home networking equipment marketplace will grow dramatically to reach $2.4 billion by 2005.
Simply put, a digital home network is a cluster of audio/visual (A/V) devices, including set-top boxes, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, and general-purpose computing devices such as personal computers. Companies that are involved in the home networking industry need to convince consumers that the new technology can help them save time, make organizing activities more convenient, and can even entertain them. With the steady rise in high-speed access to the Web and the proliferation of households with multiple PCs, the need for home networking solutions has increased dramatically in recent months. Several companies and organizations have responded to this need by developing standards and affordable solutions for consumers. The creation of open standards is an important catalyst for creating high-growth consumer markets. Adopting such a strategy will allow the home networking market to grow faster, without interruption, and will keep consumers confident that the products they buy today will continue to be viable solutions for the future.
Because no single technology fulfills all of the application requirements of the home network, multiple technologies will be deployed at different times, each addressing the needs of unique market segments. Several technology development efforts are currently underway to support the application requirements of the home network. Organizations like HomePNA and HomeRF are primarily focused on the networking of PCs and peripheral devices together. In parallel to these developments, groups, companies, and technologies such as HAVi, UPnP, HomePnP, LonWorks, Digital Harmony, and Jini are actively promoting software systems for networking PCs, home control, and entertainment systems together. In parallel to these in-home technology developments, an industry group called OSGi is working to define and promote an open software standard for connecting the coming generation of smart appliances with commercial network service providers. This book unravels the benefits, technical details, and features of all of these. What Will I Learn?
After reading this book, you should be able to:
Understand the core computing models that are used to run digital applications across an in-home network.
Recognize the companies and organizations that are developing technologies for the home networking marketplace.
List and explain the broadband technologies that are used to connect home networks to the Internet-DSL, HFC, wireless cable, satellite, and powerline wide area networks.
Understand phone-line technologies and the standards group that has been established to promote this technology-Home Phoneline Networking Alliance.
Explain how powerline technology allows home networking users to transmit data over the existing AC infrastructure.
List and explain the most popular powerline technologies-Enikia, X-10, CEBus, and Inari.
Outline in detail the high-speed serial technologies that promise home users the ability to easily connect electronics devices such as digital TVs, cameras, cable set-top boxes, and stereo equipment to each other and to PCs.
Understand the basic principles of wireless based home networks (RF and IR).
List and explain the industry initiatives that are developing interoperable wireless in-home appliances.
Learn about the various types of residential gateways that connect the broadband local loop to the in-home network (cable modems, digital set-top boxes, personal video recorders, DSL modems, and home servers).
Explain the core services that are required to support the smooth operation of an in-home network.
Describe in detail the most popular home networking middleware and API solutions-HAVi, Jini, UPnP, Digital Harmony, OSGi, and HomePnP.
Explain content protection and watermarking technologies in a home networking environment.Keeping up to date and contact details
Since the home networking universe expands at an astonishing rate, this book can only provide a time-dated snapshot of the entire industry. Industry groups and organizations are constantly developing technological solutions that will allow people to be able to connect and communicate at any time from anywhere. To stay in tune with the evolution of home networking technologies, please visit the set-tops family of Web sites at set-tops. If you have comments or suggestions about this book, feel free to drop me a line at the following address: gerard@set-tops. Time permitting, I'll try my best to get back to you within a week of receiving your e-mail.Who Should Read This Book?
This book assumes some degree of knowledge about general networking and Internet concepts. It is intended for a wide range of computing professionals who are interested in learning about the myriad of home networking standards and technologies that are currently available. These include:
Small-business owners and remote telecommuters who want to implement and manage an in-home networking system.
Members of the software development community who are conceiving and developing applications for the emerging home networking industry.
Business development executives, system integrators, and technical managers who want to learn about the capabilities of the various types of home networking technologies.
Executives in cable companies, broadcast, terrestrial, and satellite providers who want to build revenue streams and profits through the deployment of home networks at their customers' premises.
Anybody who wants to understand the options before selecting a particular technology for networking their in-home appliances.
IT engineers, researchers, or strategic decision-makers who want to understand the value of the new digital economy.
Personnel engaged in the convergence industries, including infrastructure operators, device manufacturers, content publishers, and service providers.
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