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The Digital Home is still in its infancy with consumers confused over what to buy a recent research study has found.
Also compounding the problem is a lack of standards and the emerging phase in home networks, is a multimedia network that blends in consumer electronics (CE) devices, which early adopters have been testing.
However these first-generation networked media devices, are still far away from the average mainstream digital home, according to In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). In fact, the high-tech market research firm reports that about two-thirds of those with home networks still only use them to share Internet access and have no other devices connected to their networks, not even PC peripherals.
“Consumer awareness of the new breed of networked media devices (CE media servers, media adapters, and other networked CE devices) and Media Center PCs needs improvement,” said Joyce Putscher, In-Stat analyst. “The good news is that In-Stat research shows that there is considerable consumer desire for using digital content stored on PCs elsewhere in the home.”
Recent research by In-Stat found that the worldwide market for basic media server shipments to be placed in home networks within one year is expected to grow by 62% from 2005 to 2010. The worldwide market for enhanced media server shipments to be placed in home networks within one year is expected to grow by 57% from 2005 to 2010. Growth for home networks with at least one PC and at least one networked CE device will approach 100% over the same time frame.
