China CE giants back DIVA networking spec

China's major consumer-electronics companies have formed a consortium with the mission of driving the adoption of the next-generation interface known as DIVA, or Digital Interface for Video and Audio, tailored for interactive TV and home CE networking.

The DIVA Consortium's charter members, called the Promoters Group, include CE and home appliance manufacturers such as Sichuan Chang Hong Electric Co.; Qingdao Haier Co.; Hisense Electric Co.; Konka Group; Nanjing Panda Electronics Co.; Skyworth Group; SVA Information Industry Co.; TCL Corporation; and Synerchip Co. Ltd.

In addition to the transmission of uncompressed video and audio data, DIVA technology embeds a reliable, high-speed bi-directional data transmission channel to allow the consumer to locate, connect and control various CE devices from a DIVA-enabled DTV. As consumers increasingly integrate more electronic entertainment devices and digital appliances, the DIVA interface will help streamline and simplify the connections among all technologies, offering ease of connection and use while maximizing their entertainment experience. Leveraging a single interface, which integrates multimedia and data communication, the DIVA standard promises to upgrade home networks to a new level—making DTVs the center of the home entertainment network.

For CE manufacturers, today's digital interfaces are point-to-point connections that are limited in their ability to accommodate a network of devices. DIVA is offering the ability to connect multiple source devices to multiple displays, to monitor and control various digital home appliances from the TV in the living room, and to organize various personal and mobile entertainment devices in the same home network.

The organization of China CE manufacturers—the China Video Industry Association (CVIA)—has agreed to fully support the DIVA standard. The CVIA leadership committed to push for the consistent adoption of DIVA, ensuring interoperability among brands implementing the standard.