Multimedia, Networking To Lead Home Market

multimedia

The opportunities stretch beyond common networking, thanks to a host of new products. PC-based digital video recorders (DVRs) are becoming the hub of closed-circuit camera/

security solutions. More capable than traditional CCTV systems, the units not only record activity, they sense motion, provide Web viewing and control, and act as alarm systems.

Sixty percent of VARs see moderate to significant

sales opportunities in home multimedia market.

Components tied to PC-based whole-house controllers, the brains behind smart homes, are emerging. The technology surpasses the integration skills of most homeowners. Prices, however, are falling and the protocols are becoming more sophisticated, so the market is worth watching.

Media sharing across networked computers and tied to home entertainment equipment, along with the new breed of media servers, opens the door to multiple product sales and configuration services. Similar to networking, both wired and wireless technologies are used to connect such devices, requiring significant expertise to set them up.

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Multiple computers connected to the Internet makes routing and networking a natural enhancement. Networking adds functionality such as sharing an Internet connection, monitoring Webcam intercoms or migrating legacy data to new systems.

At the basic networking level, some solution providers are working with general contractors to wire new homes with CAT-5 network cable. Wireless is also becoming popular for SOHO do-it-yourselfers, but there are issues with security, interference and coverage,especially in high-occupancy dwellings,that require a solution provider's expertise. Solution providers could readily offer companies a service to lock down the home offices at the endpoints in a VPN network topology.

Line-carrier-current modules, which communicate over a building's electrical-utility wiring, also offer an attractive interconnection technology. The advantage is a faster connection than wireless that doesn't require a site survey or pose security issues. Unlike 100BaseT, the solution doesn't call for cabling. It is also easy to move a network connection or add a new port to any location near a power outlet. Since this is not a well-known technology, solution providers have an opportunity to garner sales by educating clients.