Media Servers
Many people are already saving their photo and video memories to PC hard disks, and now they want to use home-networking technologies to enjoy that content—as well as other similar content, such as digital music—throughout the home. Although a home PC is a great way to acquire and manipulate digital content, a PC's typically small screen doesn't make for a great presentation. Instead, people would like to use their big-screen TV or other screens located in more comfortable rooms around the home.

The key to this scenario is a home media server, which can be a PC or other device with a large hard disk. This device stores your digital content and is connected to your other PCs and devices through the home network. Numerous manufacturers are releasing dedicated media servers, and we'll be looking at some of those solutions throughout the year in Connected Home Express. But if you're interested in using an aging or secondhand PC to create your own media server, drop me a note and I'll consider the topic for a future issue.

Portable Entertainment
Apple Computer's iPod was all the rage in 2004, but the future of portable entertainment is the smart phone, which will converge cell phone functionality with that of digital cameras, PDAs, MP3 and movie playback, video games, and other forms of entertainment. We'll even see car stereos converging with MP3 players in far more pervasive ways, including units with removable hard disks that you can synch with your home PC or media server, or units that have Wi-Fi hardware that lets you sync from the driveway.

For video, Microsoft's Portable Media Center computers only hint at the ways in which digital video on-the-go will one day become mainstream. Throughout 2005, portable DVD players will continue to outstrip portable digital video player sales by a wide margin, but these two devices will gradually merge into the same product.

Smart Kitchen Accessories
As the Internet age dawned, we all joked about the Web-connected toaster, but now it's here, and the laughter has stopped. Smart kitchen accessories are kitchen devices that combine traditional functionality with new technologies. For example, at Best Buy today, you can find refrigerators with embedded TVs, but did you know that you can also use those screens to access the Internet and order groceries? Don't scoff: Just 20 years ago, the idea of making a phone call from anywhere in your home—let alone almost anywhere on Earth—was farfetched, but today cell phones are required devices for many people.

Silly as it might seem, the smart kitchen is just an indication of a wider movement to more pervasive technology. In other words, your PC has historically been an island of functionality, but why can't you access the Web from a Tablet PC in bed, or from your TV, or while cooking dinner? As we move forward, other more traditional devices will pick up computational and connection smarts and become more useful. Why not be able to Google a recipe when you're standing in front of the fridge?

Video Gaming and Interactive Entertainment
People of my generation who grew up in the late 1970s or early 1980s understand that video games aren't just a passing fad. And to many who are younger than I am, games are simply a way of life. But gaming isn't just about moving pixels around on a screen. Today's video games offer sophisticated and interactive entertainment, boasting graphics and sound effects that rival the best Hollywood movies. And speaking of Hollywood, Tinseltown had better step aside: Video game sales have outstripped box-office receipts for several years now. Put more succinctly, video games are big business.

How popular are video games today? In the United States, more than 35 percent of all homes have one or more video game consoles, or a computer that's used to play games. Game maker Electronic Arts recently scored an exclusive multimillion-dollar deal with the NFL to use that organization's team names and logos, players, and stats, in its Madden line of video games. And game fans skipped work last year to play titles such as DOOM 3, Halo 2, and Half-Life 2 the day they were released. When was the last time anyone skipped work for a movie?

It's unclear whether Microsoft and Sony will ship their next-generation video game consoles by late 2005, but this year will still be huge for gamers, thanks to the continued success of today's consoles and new forms of portable gaming, such as the Nintendo Dual Screen (DS) and the Sony Portable PlayStation (PSP).

Telematics
Like cell phones, kitchen accessories, and other devices we've been using for years, automobiles and other vehicles will be profoundly changed by the integration of new forms of communications technology in 2005. This technology, called telematics, describes any electronics embedded in a vehicle that let that vehicle communicate with remote services. One such application of this technology is Global Positioning System (GPS), which lets vehicle operators discover where they are, how to get to a new location, and how to find nearby services. GPS devices typically interoperate with satellite systems far above the earth.

But telematics can also be more pedestrian. Other examples of telematics include satellite radio systems, such as Sirius and XM; integrated, hands-free wireless phones; and emergency monitoring systems. And in 2005, we're going to see new wireless services that will beam games, videos, and other content to our cars, no matter where we are at the time.

Stay Tuned
However 2005 shakes out—and we'll know more after CES concludes next weekend—one thing is clear. This is going to be an amazing year for people who get excited by technology. I, for one, can't wait.

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Reader Comments
The media server trend raises a question that I think is starting to be a real issue for many consumers - how do we back this stuff up??? I am an old time IT guy that trys to stay current with technology - our house has 4 Win XP PCs on a wireless LAN and an X-box. We have high speed DSL, multiple layers of firewalls, current on virus, patch and spyware sofware. My wife is going wild with digital photography. We are running a small business with an Internet presence. I am a full time tele-commuter for a large corporation with all sorts of work data 'temporarily' stored on my work provided laptop. None of the data is getting backed up! and no, putting it on writable CD or DVD isn't going to work any better than putting stuff on floppies did. Alternatives I am considering: a file server with replication (but I really don't want my own Windows AD domain and the cost is high!), a backup appliance like Mirra (interesting, but the damn thing can't be upgraded, no Raid or mirroring and it runs that other O/S), a strictly software replication solution like Groove (leading contender using a older PC as a logical server to get all of the replicas). I actually got a call from a friend over the holidays: The kid deleted all our photographs while making room for a download of some undefined (and probably unlicensed) items - how do I get them back (kid knew trash took up space and emptied it first thing)? Have fun at the show! -Jeff Erickson Jeff Erickson -January 5, 2005 ith respect to ... "if you're interested in using an aging or secondhand PC to create your own media server, drop me a note and I'll consider the topic for a future issue" Sure I'd be interested.The system would need to be quiet (to run in the living room), wireless keyboard, have software that easily (ergonomically) could access the main system containing audio and video files ... Wireless or wired? WHat about HiDef video? Thanks for listening. Damian Szigeti -January 5, 2005 Backing this stuff up has become a challenge. I've decided to set up an IDE RAID 5 instead of backing stuff up. it may not be the best solution but it's better than going out and buying an LTO tape drive. david -January 5, 2005 I recently purchased a Hauppage PVR along with a WD 160GB external media drive. As if that wasn't enough, I proceeded to install a 60 GB HD on my media box to store mp3s. Still not enough, so I installed a WD 200GB HD in another PC and transferred all the mp3 files so I could utilize the 60 GB drive for making movies with my 8mm Sony camcorder. Do you think I could tie all that together any better than through shares across my network? AND, what about that back up that would protect all my media? Keep looking for ways that we could use our current PCs in bigger and better ways to keep us company on those long winter nights. Curtis Aldrich -January 5, 2005 I deleted all of my pictures 2 days ago, and luckily, I didn't panic. but I did find what was a GREAT solution. Active@ Undelete restored the files AND the folders, which another program I bought wouldn't do. $39.95 and worth every penny! Others wanted 59-99 for similar capabilities. I think the biggest issue for media PC is the power supply. Are the quiet ones really quiet? Are they quiet enough to justify the 70-100 for a new one? If it's worth it, I don't mind. Also, I would like to find a sweet little inexpensive CE device I could put on my phone desk in the kitchen to browse the Internet, check email, and connect to a family calendar. I have all of the jacks, just need the device. Thoughts? Clayton -January 5, 2005 I'd be interested in a summary of the current marketplace for media servers. I'm starting to set this up at home, so you may save me plenty of time and effort! ed grigson -January 6, 2005 I built my own media server. It has a 200gb disk with about 200 full-length movies and right at 50 home movies, mainly using DIVX compression but also SVCD movies that give near-dvd quality audio and video. The server also has a 120gb drive containing almost 1300 CDs ripped to MP3 at 192kbps minimum bitrate, up to 256kbps. That breaks down to 18,780 songs. It contains a third 120gb drive that holds almost 2000 family pictures. Unfortunately, my only backup solution is burning to DVDR and CDR. My house is networked with wired ethernet, and we watch all of this great digital entertainment in every room in the house using the Prismiq digital media receiver, which is a networked client that connects to your television and audio system. The Prismiq displays DVD quality video, is compatible with mpeg1/2/4 and Divx, and can play actual VOB files ripped from DVDs. It also can decode the Dolby Digital audio information. All that for only $199 per Prismiq. Oh yeah--it also plays Internet radio and right now I have about 75 stations programmed into it. I have so much entertainment I'll NEVER be able to enjoy it all! T. Cloud -January 6, 2005 it sucks badley sarah -January 7, 2005 > But if you're interested in using an aging or secondhand PC to create > your own media server, drop me a note and I'll consider the topic for a > future issue. I am starting to look at a media center. Initially something to store AND FIND the contents of numerous CDs. Then something to function as a PVR. I would like to get something usable without a lot of investment or commitment to costly subscriptions. Joe -January 9, 2005 Have you tried the Flipr All Media Server? I have it running on my Dell Dimension to network my plasma TV, record showws and store music. see Flipr.com Julien -January 27, 2005 Another note about "... PC to create your own media server, drop me a note" ... I've had this idea for some time. The file server is the easy part ... The part I'm concerned with is the "living room user interface". I've already got a couple machines in the home office on a LAN and lots of spare PC parts. The issue is how do you set up a PC in the living room and (1) display a decent quality on the TV, and (2) provide a user interface that doesn't require me to sit down with a separate screen, keyboard, and mouse to choose music and video for output to the TV? I see now, some readers mentioned media clients like the Prismiq. I've not looked at these closely since I'm somewhat intersted in roling my own. Incidentally, I just discovered your site/magazine. I look forward to seeing some good (cost effective?) solutions. T Friend -January 27, 2005 I feel that with technology, things are made easier, it is no longer those days that you travel, to a particular place to buy something or wacth something, you can do anything where ever you are anytime, any climatic condition. Emmanuel -August 25, 2005 Your Comments (required): Name (required): -April 23, 2006 i want more information about IT fileld. kilbertajay -August 30, 2008 READER COMMENTS: We want to hear what you have to say about this article!     Acceptable Use Policy Your Comments (required): Your email is only used if our editors need to contact you. It is not used or stored for any other purpose, nor posted with your comments. Enter the text from the image below Please refresh the page if you have trouble reading this text.