The Digital Home

I read an interesting article by Erica Ogg of CNET yesterday about the digital home (The Digital Home: Still a Handyman's Special? Wednesday May 9, 2007)).  The premise of the article was although advances have been made in technology, devices and broadband adoption the digital home "puzzle" is still missing some pieces.   The article listed several the devices for delivering digital content to the "centerpiece of the connected-home", video, including the new Apple TV box and the SlingCatcher from Sling Media.  One company with whom I am working may have a solution.  The Company, Digital Media Research (www.dmrworld.com), has developed a device, called the Personal Digital Hub (PDH) that wirelessly controls the digital home, including moving digital content from the device to TVs connected to the network in other rooms.  The device uses the ZWave Alliance Protocol as the basis for wirelessly distributing digital media.  The device has massive storage capability for one's library of movies and music, is easy to set up and use - an important feature for consumer adoption - and also wirelessly controls home automation features, like lighting and blinds.  The GUI is being redesigned by the award winning team who developed the user interface for Digeo's Moxi Set Top Box/Media Center.  The timing of the introduction of the PDH could be right as the FCC continues its campaign for the set top box to be as ubiquitous in CE Stores as the TV. 

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the device is the impulse purchase funtionality that is being developed.  Suppose you are watching your favorite movie and decide you'd like to own the soundtrack, or even purchase the title for your personal library.  DMR's platform is being designed to enable you to make such a purchase without leaving your chair.  This feature should be one the Movie Studios and Music Labels will love!   

DMR is currently in discussions with several major CE companies to license the device for manufacture and merchandising under existing consumer brands.  DMR's business model is to be the ASP providing the impulse purchases and other commerce, having learned a lesson from other companies who have developed and marketed a "new consumer device" when the real benefit of the device was the software platform that managed a consumer's content (e.g. ReplayTV).

There's much more information about the device than I can describe here, so I invite you to check out the PDH at www.dmrworld.com.  Its a clever idea that could be a key piece to the "puzzle" enabling a true digital home.