GLOBAL PRESS ROOM -Sony Technology(LocationFree)

Live Beyond the Living Room ---
Watch Your Living Room TV Without Even Being There!

Since October of last year when the revolutionary concept of “living beyond the living room” was first introduced, LocationFree has become a hot topic. “PSP” (PlayStation Portable) became one of the first devices to offer LocationFree functionality and subsequently this technology gained additional notoriety for capturing the NetKADEN Grand Prize* for 2005. With mobile phone compatibility having been announced as well, LocationFree is quickly becoming a “must have” item for many. This issue of Sony Technology takes a closer look at what LocationFree technology is all about.

*In 2005, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry launched this award to recognize equipment and services that “create a new sense of value.” This award not only recognizes outstanding consumer electronics products but also information equipment which can be connected to the internet and related services.

What is LocationFree?

LocationFree is a revolutionary technology developed by Sony to enable users to watch all the content they would normally view on their home TV regardless of where in the world they happen to be and requires only minimal setup. One advantage of this technology is that by connecting the base station (LF-PK1) to a wireless LAN within the home, users can enjoy the wireless freedom of watching TV from any room using a device such as a PC or “PSP” (no internalized TV tuner required). Furthermore, whether on business or overseas, by connecting to the internet, the user can access their at-home base station to watch televised or video content just as if they were in their living room watching TV.

When using a device such as a PC or “PSP” to connect to the at-home base station to watch televised programming from outside the home, maintaining a stable connection is a key issue and one which LocationFree addresses effectively. Creating a connection with the base station requires the use of the base station’s IP address. Just as a street address identifies the physical location of a building within a city, an IP address identifies the location of an internet-compatible device within a network. However, not all IP addresses share the same characteristics. While servers have static IP addresses that are (for the most part) static, an individual using a dialup modem, for example, to connect to the network is assigned a temporary IP by the user’s internet service provider (ISP) that is unique only for that session. Next time the user connects to the network, the ISP assigns a completely different IP address. Therefore, IP addresses that are assigned only temporarily are not static but “dynamic.”

DNS stands for “domain name system” or “domain name server” and is the means by which easy-to-remember domain names (such as www.sony.com) are linked to hard-to-remember IP addresses (series of numbers and decimal points). A “dynamic DNS” (DDNS) is a special server designed to effectively handle “dynamic” IP addresses, such as temporary IP addresses assigned by one’s ISP (as mentioned above). LocationFree means that with minimal initial setup, the user’s at-home base station will constantly inform the DDNS of random changes in the IP address assigned by the user’s ISP. This empowers the user to use their PC or “PSP” to connect to their at-home base station via this DDNS whenever and from wherever they please.

Sony EMCS Senmaya TEC possesses a wealth of experience in communications related products. Senmaya TEC’s early beginings centered onradio transceivers, and currently extend to manufacturing products utilizing telecom technologies such as mobile phones. As the entity in charge of manufacturing the base stations (LF-PK1), Senmaya TEC is making full use of its production expertise. Not only is the core portion of the base station manufactured in-house, but the Senmaya TEC team also developed a special shield box to prevent external radio wave interference during the adjustment and testing phase of manufacture. This contributed greatly to LF-PK1 quality assurance.

At Senmaya TEC, “flexible manufacturing” is also important and symbolizes the aim of this facility to become an operation extremely sensitive to sales so that the need to maintain finished product inventory can be eliminated.

Within its operations, Senmaya TEC has established a LocationFree dedicated call center. The aim of this call center is to provide the kind of caring service that effectively addresses the concerns of customers and their individual network issues. This center strives to offer customers truly comprehensive service and test various devices themselves to determine their ability to utilize LocationFree so that regardless of whether the customer is using LocationFree with a recommended device such as a PC or “PSP,” or a different device altogether, their viewing experience will be an enjoyable one.

Possibilities as Limitless as the Imagination ---
LocationFree Offers Numerous Ways to Enjoy Home Entertainment