Apple's AirPlay - Networked Audio Products Get Another Boost

Apple's AirPlay is going to boost the market for networked audio devices, just as BridgeCo and DLNA's efforts should in the next few years.

Digital Living Conference & Showcase features keynotes from Sony Pictures, Samsung, Sony Electronics

Parks Associates announced the preliminary agenda for CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase, which will address the future of digital entertainment and connected CE with keynotes from Sony and Samsung. In addition to the focus on digital content and new service offerings for consumers, the three-day event will feature research presentations and speaker panels on support services, DRM, energy management and controls, advertising, and mobile applications and services.

CONNECTIONS™, in its 14th year, will take place June 8-10 at the Santa Clara Convention Center and is the premier event for research and analysis on connected home technologies and digital living solutions. CONNECTIONS™ attracts over 600 executives in the connected home industries and is the only event that addresses developments within each industry sector while also focusing on the impact and opportunities for convergence across industries.

Keynotes include:

· Scott Birnbaum, Vice President, Samsung LCD Group

· Mitch Singer, CTO, Sony Pictures Entertainment; President, DECE

For more information, visit www.connectionsus.com.

DLNA Flunks Best Buy Tests? Some Controversy Brewing at CONNECTIONS

We're glad to see that the CONNECTIONS conference last week brought out some interesting insight on the home networking space. Rick Merrit at EE Times writes that DLNA may have some interoperability issues, based on tests conducted by Best Buy. We had both Best Buy and VIZIO represented on different panels last week, and we got some interesting comments from them regarding DLNA's issues.

We'll be updating the CONNECTIONS blog with additional notes about the event. I'm following up with speakers on my panels for some additional comments.

Should Silicon Image's LiquidHD Effort Worry DLNA?

Rick Merritt at EE Times would like to think so, anyway. Silicon Image is targeting silicon-based solutions for whole-house secure media distribution, arguing that CE manufacturers are more silicon based than software-based (taking a swipe for sure at DLNA).

LiquidHD is a new personal entertainment technology designed to quickly and easily connect TVs, consumer electronics (CE) devices, personal computers (PCs), portable media devices (PMDs) and home theaters into a seamless network where consumers can enjoy digital content from any source device on any LiquidHD-enabled display in the home.

LiquidHD technology is a suite of protocols that runs over commodity IP networks such as Ethernet, Coax like MoCA, powerline like HomePlug and wireless like WiFi (802.11n). Key components of the LiquidHD technology include:

• LiquidDiscover: Automatic discovery and authentication of all LiquidHD-enabled devices in the home - just plug it in and the TV automatically discovers your LiquidHD source devices;
• LiquidMedia: High-definition, high-fidelity media streaming from live and stored sources;
• LiquidPixels: Pixel accurate, low latency and low bandwidth remoting of any source device’s user interface to any LiquidHD display device. Includes a single remote control at each display to control all source devices on the LiquidHD network;
• LiquidControl: Secure control and communication between all devices;
• LiquidPlay™: Comprehensive security and content protection architecture built on a robust hardware solution. Enables consumers to move and play their legally obtained content on any LiquidHD device they own. Also protects CE devices from malevolent attacks by securing the control commands and LiquidPixels remote user interface.