Glossary
Twonky
Home network
Connected Home/Digital Home
Server
Beam
DLNA
UPnP
Twonky
Twonky is a family of software and applications for your PC, Mac® or mobile phone that finds all the digital media in your household and shares them with PCs, TVs, stereos and other devices connected to your network.
Home network
Connect your computer (Mac and/or Windows PC) and other devices to a broadband Internet connection (Cable or DSL). A router offers multiple points of network access for direct connection using an Ethernet cable. You can also use a wireless router to connect any device that has wireless capabilities, as well as having the option of a direct connection. Depending on the device, this setup enables Internet access or communication with other devices on the network.
Connected Home/Digital Home
The Connected Home, or Digital Home, refers to anything that links to your home’s Internet connection. In addition to your computer, TVs, gaming systems, mobile phones, digital photo frames and many other devices can hook up to the Internet through either a wired or wireless connection. Once connected to the Internet, these devices can access some of the files stored on your computer, as well as online content.
Even if you have an older TV that doesn’t directly connect to the Internet, you can use a gaming system, like an Xbox 360® or Playstation® 3, or a special device called a digital media adapter specifically made to connect your TV to your broadband feed and give yourself a connected home. Watch our videos on YouTube to see how to set up some popular devices that work well with Twonky.
Beam
Beaming is the ability to send digital information, such as a music file, over a network for playback on different devices, without having to actually store the information on that device.
Server
A server provides the connection between where you store your digital media files and where you want to play the media. Without a server, you couldn’t share media files across your home network.
DLNA
The Digital Living Network Alliance is a consortium of the world’s leading consumer electronics, PC and mobile companies, who have joined together to ensure that you can enjoy your media throughout the home. DLNA created guidelines to make sure devices can work together — no matter what brand. DLNA helps ensure that your music, videos and photos aren’t stuck on just one device; you can share them throughout your network. The DLNA website has a list of all DLNA-compliant devices. The DLNA website features a Search & Match section, where you can select a particular product, to see a list of other products that work with it.
UPnP
UPnP, or Universal Plug n’ Play, like DLNA, is a set of standards that enable interoperability with the devices in your network. Learn more on the UPnP forum.
