What is DLNA?
What is DLNA?
Today we will continue to talk about acronyms. It is clear that this world of digital technology has many long and concepts from the point of view, nothing better than using acronyms and if it is in English the better. So here almost all the new things have a name of this type. Today I want to tell you something about the DLNA .
Is the acronym for Digital Living Network Alliance, in free translation would be: Alliance for digital home networks.
The DLNA is an organization formed by some of the largest manufacturers of hardware and software in the world. It was established in 2003. Ie it’s about to turn 10 years. The idea that led to all its members to form the DLNA was to get a “standard” to allow transmission of digital information in domestic environments. Even then many saw a future where people would want to share information between various media and various devices. And nothing better than a standard search from the beginning.
But let the story and go to something more concrete: what use is the DLNA? to share and access multimedia information from many devices. An example will clarify this. Suppose we have stored on a hard disk the copies of family photos in recent years. And now we have bought a tablet this Christmas and want to see the pictures on the tablet. For if the hard disk with the photos is a DLNA compliant device (either a COMPUTERS, a NAS, a multimedia hard drive …) and our tablet we use a DLNA-compatible software, this task is very simple. And the same example, we can put it with other devices. Suppose we want to see home videos to save on your PC, in our brand new digital TV, or want to hear the music from your PC to the phone … I mean if we DLNA devices and a data network, multimedia information as video, photos, music … can flow from a central source to the device where you want to enjoy it.
Here we will put a short summary of what you can do the DLNA:
We would have a system where communication easily and easily a PC, laptop, tablet, television, digital camera, speakers, printer, external hard disk media and a mobile phone. The arrows indicate the flow of information. There are devices that are capable of sending and receiving, others only to send and receive another one.
The above scheme can lead to the following question What types of DLNA devices I can have? In summary, we have five main classes, namely:
- DMS Digital Media Servers: those who are able to send media files to other devices. Most commonly, this paper will make a PC, a NAS, a multimedia hard drive with DLNA support
- DMP, Digital Media Players : These are those that can find and play files that reside on a DMS. Here we could have TVs, mobile phones, tablets, other PCs, game consoles …
- DMR, Digital Media Renderer: DMP-like, but can only play files, not searchable.
- DMC, Digital Media Controllers : These are devices that can search and list a DMS multimedia content, but not replicate. In many cases go along with a DMR.
- DMPr, Digital Media Printer: are devices that can print files through DLNA.
The standard then provides variations of the above types, for example by addressing them to be mobile devices. Thus a mobile server, would be an M-DMS …
Well, it seems that we understand what makes DLNA, so the next question is classic: What do I need to use DLNA in my house?
Well the first thing you need is a local network where devices connect. The network can be wired or wireless.In both cases, we have to make the network as quickly as possible and without interruption. If it is a cable network, with a minimum speed 100 mbs and recommendable to 1000 mbs. If a wireless network that meets the standard high-speed N and has stable signal in the area where we want to use the DLNA.
And second, as two devices that meet the DLNA standard. If you are unsure whether your hardware supports DLNA, we can go to their website and consultation .
Well we know more than DLNA, now we lacked know what types of content are in the standard? . DLNA player, at least to play: JPG images, LPCM format Audio and MPEG2 video. Optionally can have support for PNG, TIFF, GIF, audio in AC3, AAC, WMA9, MP3, ATRAC3plus. Video could have also MPEG1, MPEG4, VC1 and MPV. Then in some cases, manufacturers integrate non-standard extensions. So some TVs come with proprietary software that allows playback of MKV over a DLNA network. Thus it is important to see that our device support DLNA have.
And here the first entry on the DLNA, which has been very theoretical. In the next go into practice and see how play media via DLNA devices.
