Applications and Services for Networked Home Entertainment

Background:

With DSL, cable and fiber/LAN access growing in availability, broadband networks are gaining in acceptance in European households. At the same time the digitization of consumer home electronics is continuing in a rapid pace. This development has created a new type of consumer electronic device for the living room ¿ the Digital Networked Client. These clients are different types of digital Audio/Video products that have a built in broadband connection, e.g. digital-TV set-top box, game console, DVD and DVRs etc.
These new devices will, aside of their main purpose, (i.e. watching TV & movies for DVD¿s and other TV-centered devices and playing games for game consoles) enable the consumer to access new types of multimedia content/applications, add-on functionality and other types of home network connectivity over the Internet.

Accedo Broadband is aggregating and creating a portfolio of leading edge entertainment applications for cross-platform usage for new types of Digital Networked Clients.

Description:
The thesis work should contain an analysis of prerequisites, a comparison and programming of a selection of cross-platform entertainment applications for networked devices for TV usage. A choice of 2-4 platforms and 2-4 applications will be chosen at the start of the thesis work and used for evaluation and comparison during the project.

The project is suitable as a joint thesis for two thesis workers for 20 credits.

Qualifications:
The thesis requires knowledge and interest of programming in e.g. Java and/or C++, as well as Internet and networking technology. A personal interest and drive for the technical development of consumer electronics is greatly appreciated.

Organization:
Accedo Broadband is a small company, and the thesis work will be done in close connection with the company's core business.