Chapter 3

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 3: Entertainment Server Evolution

The third chapter discusses the variety of products that are evolving into the entertainment server. The chapter starts with defining the requirements that an entertainment server needs to fulfill. Some of these requirements are:

Video

decoding and descrambling analog and digital video signals
playing optical discs
Taking video inputs from various other devices
interacting with video service providers to offer video-on-demand, pay-per-view and downloading content

Audio

Surround Sound
AM, FM, Internet Radio and possibly satellite radio
CD player
DVD-audio
Super Audio CD
FM transmitter
Interfaces to computers and MP3 players

Gaming

Plays a wide variety of video games
Supports a wide variety of user interfaces - joysticks, steering wheels...
Optical disc reader
Internet access

Internet Access

Broadband Internet Access
WiFi connections
Flash Animation

Storage

40+ GB disk drive
CD/DVD recorder
Interfaces to peripheral devices

The main products vying to become the entertainment server are:

Multimedia PCs - Media Centers
Gaming consoles - PS3, Xbox 2....
Digital set-top boxes with PVRs
PVRs

By 2006, entertainment servers should be available that meet all of the requirements listed above. Low cost models will go for $200 while more sophisticated models that support HDTV and Surround EX may go for well over $1,000. We'll see.