The Digital Consumer Technology Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Devices, Standards, Future Directions, and Programmable Logic Solutions

Description:

The consumer electronics market has never been as awash with new consumer products as it has over the last couple of years. The devices that have emerged on the scene have led to major changes in the way consumers listen to music, access the Internet, communicate, watch videos, play games, take photos, operate their automobiles—even live.

Digital electronics has led to these leaps in product development, enabling easier exchange of media, cheaper and more reliable products, and convenient services.

This handbook is a much-needed, comprehensive engineering guide to the dynamic world of today's digital consumer electronics.

It provides complete details on key enabling technologies, standards, delivery and reception systems, products, appliances and networking systems.

Each chapter follows a logical progression from a general overview of each device, to market dynamics, to the core technologies and components that make up that particular product. The book thoroughly covers all of the key digital consumer product categories: digital TV, digital audio, mobile communications devices, gaming consoles, DVD players, PCs and peripherals, display devices, digital imaging devices, web terminals and pads, PDAs and other handhelds, screenphones/videophones, telematics devices, eBooks and readers, and many other current and future products.

 

 

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Generation D—The Digital Decade
The Urge to Be Connected
Our Daily Lives
The Digitization of Consumer Products
Why Digitization?
Converging Media
Faster and Cheaper Components
Broadband Access—The Fat Internet Pipe
Home Networking
The Day of the Digital Consumer Device
Bringing it All Together

Chapter 2: Digital Consumer Devices
Introduction
The Era of Digital Consumer Devices
Market Forecast
Market Drivers
Phases of Market Acceptance
Success Factors and Challenges
Functional Requirements What About the Personal Computer?
Digital Home
King of All—The Single All-Encompassing Consumer Device Summary

Chapter 3: Digital Television and Video
Introduction
History of Television
Components of a Digital TV System
Digital TV Standards
SDTV and HDTV Technologies
Digital Set-top Boxes
Market Outlook
Integrated Digital Televisions
Digital Home Theater Systems
Digital Video Recorders
Summary

Chapter 4: Audio Players
Introduction
The Need for Digital Audio—Strengths of the Digital Domain Principles of Digital Audio
Digital Physical Media Formats
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
Internet Audio Formats
Components of MP3 Portable Players
Flash Memory
Internet Audio Players – Market Data and Trends
Other Portable Audio Products
Convergence of MP3 Functionality in Other Digital Consumer Devices
Internet Radio
Digital Audio Radio
Online Music Distribution Summary

Chapter 5: Cellular/Mobile Phones
Introduction
Definition
Landscape—Migration to Digital and 3G
Standards and Consortia
Market Data
Market Trends
Summary

Chapter 6: Gaming Consoles
Definition
Market Data and Trends
Key Players
Game of War
Components of a Gaming Console
Broadband Access and Online Gaming
Gaming Consoles—More Than Just Gaming Machines
PC Gaming
Growing Convergence of DVD Players and Gaming Consoles New Gaming Opportunities
Summary

Chapter 7: Digital Video/Versatile Disc (DVD)
Introduction
The Birth of the DVD
DVD Format Types
Regional Codes
How Does the DVD Work?
DVD Applications
DVD Market Numbers, Drivers and Challenges
Convergence of Multiple Services
Summary

Chapter 8: Desktop and Notebook Personal Computers (PCs)
Introduction
Definition of the Personal Computer
Competing to be the Head of the Household
The PC Fights Back
Portable/Mobile Computing
Requirements Overdose
New PC Demand Drivers
Summary

Chapter 9: PC Peripherals
Introduction
Printers
Scanners
Smart Card Readers
Keyboards
Mice
Summary

Chapter 10: Digital Displays
Introduction
CRTs—Cathode Ray Tubes
LCD—Liquid Crystal Displays
PDP—Plasma Display Panels
PALCD—Plasma Addressed Liquid Crystal Display
FEDs—Field Emission Displays
DLP—Digital Light Processor
Organic LEDs
LED Video for Outdoors
LCoS—Liquid Crystal on Silicon
Comparison of Different Display Technologies
FPO
Three-dimensional (3-D) Displays
The Touch-screen
Digital Display Interface Standards
Summary

Chapter 11: Digital Imaging—Cameras and Camcorders
Introduction
Digital Still Cameras
Digital Camcorders
Summary

Chapter 12: Web Terminals and Web Pads
Introduction
Web Pads/Tablets
Role of the Service Provider
Summary

Chapter 13: Internet Smart Handheld Devices
Introduction
Vertical Application Devices
Smart Handheld Phones (or Smart Phones)
Handheld Companions
History of the PDA
PDA Applications
PDA Form Factors
Components of a PDA
Summary

Chapter 14: Screen and Video Phones
Introduction
Definition
History
Screenphone Applications
The Screenphone Market
Categories and Types
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) vs. the
Internet Protocol (IP) Network
Screenphone Components
Video Phone (Webcam) Using the PC
e-Learning
Summary

Chapter 15: Automotive Entertainment Devices
Introduction
The Evolving Automobile
What is Telematics?
The Automotive Electronics Market
The Controversy
The Human Touch
Pushbutton Controls Versus Voice Recognition
Standardization of Electronics in Automobiles
Standards for In-vehicle Power Train and Body Electronics
Standards for In-vehicle Multimedia Electronics
Components of a Telematics System
Manufacturers and Products
Satellite Radio
The Vision for Telematics
Summary

Chapter 16: eBooks
Introduction
What is an eBook?
Benefits of Using eBooks
Reading eBooks
Market
Copy Protection
Technology Basics
Manufacturers and Products
Challenges
Summary

Chapter 17: Other Emerging and Traditional Consumer Electronic Devices
Introduction
NetTV
E-mail Terminals
Wireless E-mail Devices
Pagers
Internet-Enabled Digital Picture Frames
Pen Computing or Digital Notepad
Robot Animals—Robot Dogs
White Goods
Lighting Control
Home Control
Home Security
Energy Management Systems
Home Theater and Entertainment Systems
Magnetic Recording
VCRs—Video Cassette Recorders
Custom-Installed Audio Systems
Receivers/Amplifiers
Contents
Home Speakers
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Radar Detectors
Summary

Chapter 18: The Digital “Dream” Home
Emergence of Digital Homes
The Digital Home Framework
Productivity Increases in the Connected World
Broadband Access
Home Networking
The Different Needs of Different Consumer Devices
Residential Gateways
Middleware
Digital Home Working Group
Summary—The Home Sweet Digital Home

Chapter 19: Programmable Logic Solutions
Enabling Digital Consumer Technology
What Is Programmable Logic?
Silicon—Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)
IP Cores, Software and Services
Xilinx Solutions for Digital Consumer Systems
Addressing the Challenges in System Design
Using FPCs in Digital Consumer Applications
Memories and Memory Controllers/Interfaces
Discrete Logic to CPLD: The Evolution Continues
Signaling
Xilinx Solutions for EMI Reduction in Consumer Devices
Summary

Chapter 20: Conclusions and Summary
Landscape
The Ultimate Digital Consumer Device
Room for Many
Components of a Typical Digital Consumer Device
The Coming of the Digital Home
Key Technologies to Watch
In Closing
Index