Building a data bridge to the TV

FRANKFURT: They go by a variety of names, including multimedia receiver, network media player, or streaming client. What they share is a mission: Acting as a data bridge to bring media like photos on USB sticks or films stored on PCs onto the home television. Some are also capable of accessing the Internet as well.

At present this type of device is still considered a niche product, says Roland Stehle from Germany's Society for Entertainment and Communications Electronics.

"There is a trend toward these devices, though," Stehle adds.