Introduction of Broadband Entertainment

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

Introduction

Here is the introduction from the book:

The two separate worlds of entertainment and computers have been on a collision course for years. The computer industry promotes entertainment applications to sell more computers, while the entertainment industry uses computer technology to create and distribute their products. The entertainment industry is in an uproar over pirates delivering music and movies over the Internet to millions of people for free. More people have downloaded KaZaA’s file sharing software, 230 million, than any other software in history. The convergence of entertainment and technology will accelerate as both industries try to increase their revenues through the use of entertainment and technology.

Pirates are using the latest technologies to exchange content for free, while the content creators are not taking advantage of advances in computer technology. The pirates understand the technology and are ready to use it, with or without the consent of the entertainment industry. Instead of learning from the pirates, the entertainment industry has often chosen to fight them. Instead of going to court, the entertainment industry needs to use advanced technology to sell content to consumers. The convergence of the entertainment industry and the computer industry on the Internet is inevitable.
Broadband Entertainment delivers a roadmap to a paradise when you can have any movie ever made, any song ever sung, and any game ever played. This digitized content will be delivered over existing networks, like cable, satellite, and over-the-air broadcasts, as well as over the Internet. Traditional networks are ideal for delivering the same content to millions of homes. The Internet is ideal for delivering niche content to individual users. Both delivery methods will coexist.

Broadband Entertainment proposes a new device that will bridge the gap between the online world and the entertainment world. This new device, called an entertainment server, will interface with computers, televisions, stereos, gaming consoles, and broadband networks. You can already view movies on your computer. This book shows how you can view those movies on your television as well. The separation between the Internet and your television can vanish today. The convergence of digital formats and divergence of available content will create a broadband entertainment paradise.