Consumers want Internet on TV

In line with consumers' desires, home networking is migrating beyond its PC-centric beginnings to incorporate a variety of entertainment-oriented consumer-electronics devices, including DVD recorders, cable modems, digital televisions (DTVs), multi-room digital video recorders (DVRs), digital media adapters, set-top boxes (STBs) and games consoles. Shipments of these network-equipped devices, along with consumer PCs and home network bridges and gateways, are expected to rise to 732.9 million units by 2011, more than triple the 225.3 million that were shipped in 2006, according to iSuppli.

"The awareness and demand for media home networking is growing rapidly among consumers," said Steve Rago, principal analyst, networking/optical communications for iSuppli. "According to iSuppli's first-quarter 2007 consumer-demand survey, 61% of respondents 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that they wanted the ability to network the Internet to their televisions. Male respondents were even more favorable, with a 71% 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' response."

By 2011, Wi-Fi will be the most common network physical interface for such products, followed by Cat5 , power line and coax. The interface technology of choice will be significantly influenced by geographic region.