Dynamic and Robust Streaming i

Consumer electronic (CE) devices are no longer the boxes, whichoperate on their own for a given fixed applicaTIon (like TV watching).Instead, CE devices are becoming more complex, incorporate morefuncTIonality, and have to operate in an environment that is constantlychanging. In addiTIon, the CE devices are interconnected.Consequently, the possibility emerges to update them on the fly. Suchflexibility can only be supported by realizing a large part of the CEfuncTIonality in software.On the other hand, the latest chip technologies like Network on Chip(NoC) or Systems on Chip (SoC) incorporate more functionality on anever-decreasing surface and volume. The CE industry is clearly at acrossroad: flexibility asks for software solutions, but performance asksfor hardware solutions. Currently there is no general rule that will tellus whether a given functionality should be provided in software orhardware. This open choice is clearly reflected in this book, whereboth approaches are equally represented.Within the context of ever-increasing complexity, one subject isbecoming more important over the years: communication media andprotocols. Gradually, homes now contain multiple PCs or digitalappliances, which drives the emergence of home networks. Thesubject of streaming video between CE devices becomes importantgiven the arrival of (wireless) home networks. The chips thatconstitute the CE devices are reaching such levels of complexity thatnetworks are also used on chips within CE devices. Therefore,networks are used between CE devices as well as within the CEdevices themselves.Traditionally, a network operator manages the network to adapt touser wishes. In the home, no such operator is present and measuresmust be taken in chips and network to auto-manage the network.