Chapter 2

Introduction
Scope
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Glossary
About the Author
Index
Acronyms

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 starts with a description of the 20th century home entertainment system that is cumbersome and hard to manage. A mish-mash of analog and digital equipment and media will fill the room. Besides multiple devices, several remote controls are needed to enjoy watching a simple movie. Records, CDs, VHS tapes, and DVDs all need to be stored in a large home entertainment center. There has to be a better way.

Here's a drawing from the book showing a technophile's 20th Century Home Entertainment System

The better way is the broadband home that consolidates all of the content and devices into a single entertainment server. The entertainment server plays all types of optical discs (CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs) and connects to broadband networks for content-on-demand. The broadband networks may be cable, satellite, over-the-air broadcasts and the Internet. The entertainment server is a digital marvel that not only stores hundreds of gigabytes worth of content, but it interfaces to other devices over home networks such as WiFi. The entertainment server also delivers higher quality with Surround Sound, HDTV and online gaming. The entertainment server is connected to a world of content and distributes that content with ease throughout the home.

Here is a picture of the 21st Century Home Entertainment System that is elegant and powerful.

To see an explanation of the differences between these pictures, click here.

The chapter continues by predicting the penetration rates of entertainment devices and equipment through 2010. The entertainment landscape is mainly changing in the realm of Internet access and personal video recorders. Narrowband (dial-up) Internet access has peaked and will be replaced by broadband connections. The personal video recorder (the first generation entertainment server) that stores the streamed or downloaded content is growing rapidly and will change the entertainment landscape.

The PVR is changing everything more than piracy because people can skip commercials. This will rob the television industry of their revenue streams and lead to subscription and pay-per-play services.

The chapter continues with discussions of networking the home and controlling the entertainment server with remotes, PDAs and computers connected to the Internet. The entertainment server will change the way we are entertained.