DLNA helping devices connect

The Princeton Netbox iTunes media server is DLNA compliant

Amid the dizzying swirl of acronyms that envelops the consumer-technology market, it's pretty easy to lose sight of what products are best suited to one's own needs and to end up buying something wholly unsuitable. One acronym that seems particularly ill understood is DLNA , or Digital Living Network Alliance.

DLNA is actually a pretty simple concept - it's all about providing a standard that will allow digital products from different companies to be compatible with each other for sharing data, whether it's music, video or something else entirely.

In the old days, this was usually a matter of finding square pegs for square wholes and plugging gadgets together, but in the era of HDTV, copy protection and a hundred different wireless standards the importance of making sure devices can talk to each other is obvious. The ' How DNLA Works ' section of the official website is a useful resource for finding out more.

Given that membership of the DLNA includes firms like Sony , Microsoft , Philips , Nokia and Intel , it's reassuring to know that the standard is likely to stand the test of time. Here in Japan, the DLNA logo is already a common site on many new high-definition TV sets, wireless speakers and computers.

One such-certified product is Princeton Japan 's new iTunes media server, the PEC-NAV Netbox. For 18,800 Yen (£82), the Netbox sits in the middle of a home network and, through the magic of DLNA, can communicate with any other such devices and deliver whatever content they request from its hard drive.

The Netbox is being touted as ideal for shifting iTunes music around the house but it can actually serve up video, transfer data files and communicate with connected printers as needed.

The price doesn't include a hard drive - you'll have to add that yourself - and there are concerns about restrictive copy protection that might come with DNLA but the peace of mind of knowing things 'just work' is surely worth most compromises. J Mark Lytle

Tech.co.uk was the former name of TechRadar.com. Its staff were at the forefront of the digital publishing revolution, and spearheaded the move to bring consumer technology journalism to its natural home – online. Many of the current TechRadar staff started life a Tech.co.uk staff writer, covering everything from the emerging smartphone market to the evolving market of personal computers. Think of it as the building blocks of the TechRadar you love today. 

Latest in Wi-Fi & Broadband
Eero 7 mesh Wi-Fi system on a wooden table
I tested the affordable Eero 7 mesh Wi-Fi system, and as long as you don't need 6.0GHz Wi-Fi, it's great for bringing those dead spots back to life
Eero 7 on a nightstand
Amazon's new Eero 7 and Pro 7 complete a 'comprehensive lineup' for its customers – here's everything you need to know
A hacker wearing a hoodie sitting at a computer, his face hidden.
I just learned something awful about my home Wi-Fi setup thanks to iFixit’s ‘worst of CES 2025’ awards
Extendable WiFi 7 KV
Don't buy a router, buy a fast and secure ASUS WiFi 7 extendable router
Netgear Nighthawk router next to its box on a table
Netgear Nighthawk RS200 review: Netgear’s latest Wi-Fi 7 router is competitively priced – but makes compromises to get there
Netgear Orbi 770 router system resting on a table
Netgear Orbi 770 review: fast speeds, low Wi-Fi 7 prices
Latest in News
DeepSeek
Deepseek’s new AI is smarter, faster, cheaper, and a real rival to OpenAI's models
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
An aerial view of an Instavolt Superhub for charging electric vehicles
Forget gas stations – EV charging Superhubs are using solar power to solve the most annoying thing about electric motoring