IBC 2008 – AMSTERDAM. A clear trend has emerged among receiver manufacturers displaying product at IBC 2008. MP3-based music files, photos, and video content from a home network can be displayed in the front room via a DLNA-enabled set-top box.
Pace, ADB and Humax could all be found with devices capable of extracting content from a home network and seamlessly displaying it alongside video content on a satellite, cable, DTT or IPTV set-top. DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) has been signed up to by a number of consumer electronics manufacturers.
As with all such innovations it will take time before it is emerges as to whether it is a real trend, or simply an aspiration, with the final test coming from if platforms are prepared to allow distractions from pay-TV content.
The trend also takes set-top boxes towards devices such as the Microsoft Mediacenter, which is currently travelling in the opposite direction.
