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Expanded Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines Now Available From Digital Living Network Alliance

Posted on: Monday, 8 January 2007, 09:00 CST

LAS VEGAS and PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) today announced the availability of its expanded DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines, which, for the first time, contain link protection guidelines. DLNA's new link protection guidelines serve to protect content streams on the DLNA network, a facility that is essential to the flow of commercial content.

The DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines, as expanded in October 2006, continue the work laid out in the latest version from March 2006, which defined a total of 12 product device classes used by manufacturers of DLNA CERTIFIED(TM) personal computing (PC), consumer electronics (CE) and mobile devices.

In addition to the link protection guidelines, this latest edition of the DLNA Guidelines contains architecture and protocol enhancements, as well as new media format profiles. The new guidelines benefit from DLNA's experience in developing the certification and testing tool, which is used to declare products "DLNA CERTIFIED."

The DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines are aimed at device implementers and manufacturers who develop products that will work together on the DLNA network. To help the community of implementers and to verify the guidelines, DLNA organizes plugfest test events, where products in various stages of development can be hooked up to see that they are indeed interoperable. These Guidelines will also be the basis of a more formal test procedure that products will have to go through before they qualify as DLNA CERTIFIED. DLNA's certification program has been in operation for more than one year, and is now being augmented to include the link protection and other portions of the new guidelines.

With the inclusion of link protection, the DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines greatly benefit content owners and service providers by offering a method to protect commercial content streams as they flow between devices on the DLNA network. This opens the door for content owners and service providers to develop innovative and creative content and services that is bound to appeal to broad audiences.

"MPAA members continue to ramp up their efforts to make commercial content available through a multitude of new digital distribution channels, and home networking is clearly an important enabler of the growth of these new channels," said Brad Hunt, EVP & Chief Technology Officer of the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA). "The MPAA is pleased to see the link protection specifications now incorporated into the DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines. This provides consumers with the added benefit that DLNA devices implementing these link protection guidelines will have the ability to access the broadest range of both personal and commercial content."

"Increasingly, consumers expect to be able to move content between their personal computing, mobile and consumer electronics devices and enjoy it on each one as they please. DLNA's newly delivered link protection guidelines provide this flexibility for even commercial content, by meeting the content industry's understandable need to ensure that their content is only enjoyed by the person who purchased it," said Scott Smyers, president and chairman of the board of Directors for DLNA. "The latest DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines were created to protect the rights of consumers to enjoy their content on their DLNA networked devices conveniently, and the rights of content owners, service providers and artists."

The complete Guidelines are available online from the DLNA web site (http://www.dlna.org/ ) at no cost to DLNA members and for a fee to non-members.

About DLNA

Members of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) share a vision of an interoperable network of personal computers (PC), consumer electronics (CE) and mobile devices in and beyond the home, enabling a seamless environment for sharing and growing new digital media and content services. Founded in 2003, the group established and maintains a platform of interoperability based on open industry standards that, when used by manufacturers, will support the sharing of media through wired or wireless networks. More than 220 multi-industry companies from around the world have joined DLNA, committing the time and resources necessary to achieve their vision. Additional information about the alliance, its participating companies and membership information is available at http://www.dlna.org/ .

Digital Living Network Alliance

CONTACT: Ray Berardinelli of DLNA PR, +1-503-619-0505, or mobile/day ofshow, +1-503-341-0542, or pr@dlna.org

Web site: http://www.dlna.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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