Work@Home: The Connected Home Office and the New Media Room
The New Media Room
The emergence of the Media Room along with recent developments in large-screen displays, have made it even more enjoyable and productive to work at home.
The Media Room concept takes the home theater to a higher level -- combining communication, presentation, collaboration, and productivity tools with the relaxed environment previously reserved for home theaters and posh conference centers. In the new Media Room, you can work in comfort; collaborate with key business employees, partners, and customers; and combine business with pleasure in a way that strengthens relationships and improves productivity. One popular business/social custom is to invite a few key team members home for snacks and a quick brainstorming session or presentation on the big screen, followed by the latest movie on DVD or a front-row seat for the big game. The key component in a Media Room is a large-screen display, either a video/data projector or plasma display. Other desirable elements include a surround-sound system, computer or network access, a color touch-screen remote control such as the Crestron SmarTouch STS-C, and a multimedia server such as NetTV from Illuminati.
Projecting a Big Image
The key difference between a Media Room and a Home Theater is the choice of projectors. Specialized home theater projectors, such as the PLUS HE-3100 ($3,000 SRP), are optimized for videotape and DVD playback -- with special color wheels, signal processing, 3:2 pulldown (for smoother movie viewing), and other home-oriented features. But all except the most expensive home theater projectors lack the VGA or DVI inputs required for top-notch computer display. Video/data projectors, on the other hand, are fine-tuned to produce the sharpest, most dramatic display of PowerPoint and other common presentation programs, and also do a pretty good job of reproducing video and digital photos. If you need a crisp computer display for both presentations (or games) and ultra-realistic movie reproduction, be prepared to pay $10,000 or more for a high-end unit from Runco, JVC, or Sanyo Fisher. "No-compromise" projection systems, such as the Runco VX-1000c, include specialized signal processing circuitry to ensure optimal reproduction of just about any signal. The Runco projector also employs 3 of Texas Instruments' new DLP/DMD HDTV-capable elements, instead of the single DMD found in many projectors intended for business-only applications. The VX-1000c delivers more than 1,500 ANSI lumens of brightness, has a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and produces top-notch images for computer, home theater, and HDTV display. In our experience, however, a lower-cost 3-panel LCD projector such as the 1,500-ANSI-lumen Epson PowerLight 800P (less than $4,000) will do an excellent job for both video and computer projection.
Plasma Displays
Plasma displays are bright, slim (4 to 6 inches thick), and sexy, but command a premium price for their size -- around $5,000 for a 42-inch diagonal screen. With 50-inch units priced at about $10,000 and 60-inch units going for almost $20,000, large plasma screens are still mostly the realm of the rich and almost famous. But prices are falling every season, and as manufacturing capacity and yield increase, these big screens will soon become more affordable.
Multipurpose LCDs
Flat panel LCDs are getting bigger and cheaper, and the best of them produce the sharpest image of any type of display. With a maximum screen size of about 24 inches, they are still a bit small for group viewing -- but these slim displays can be the best way to get a big picture screen in a smaller space such as a den, workshop, or loft. An 18-inch LCD display, such as the excellent new NEC 1850E ($899 SRP), provides the same viewing area as a much bulkier 20-inch CRT. The top-of-the-line Samsung LTM245W ($6,995 SRP) is a 24-inch LCD with a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio. This unit lets you display your PC data at up to 1,920 x 1,200 pixels and watch HD video or progressive scan DVDs at full resolution. For a more economical way to watch TV or video on your LCD or CRT computer monitor, take a look at the ViewSonic VB50HRTV remote control tuner and scan converter (less than $130).
Networking Home and Office
There are two aspects to networking your work at home -- moving data around the house and getting that data safely back and forth to the office. A variety of systems are available, and the best solution for you depends on both your computing needs at home and your office networking strategy. For many users who want to set up a compatible computer network for office and home, a hybrid system that combines 10/100 Mbps wired Ethernet and 11 Mbps wireless 802.11b (Wi-Fi) Ethernet is the best bet. Most broadband modems already provide Ethernet connections, and many PCs, Macs, and laptops are factory-equipped with wired or wireless Ethernet connectivity. Because these well-established technologies already benefit from manufacturing economies of scale, the price is right, and most computer support pros are already familiar with the ins and outs of these "workhorse" networking platforms.
The most common form of a hybrid Ethernet home network involves a broadband switch/router such as the Asanté FriendlyNet Cable/DSL Router ($150). This device allows all your home computers to share DSL or cable modem high-speed Internet access and to talk to each other at speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Computers in the primary home-office room can easily be connected to the switch/router via short CAT 5 cables. To network a computer located in other rooms (or a laptop on the porch or by the pool), you can add an 802.11b wireless access point (base station) and an adapter card or box for each machine.
Costs for a wired network are minimal -- under $150 for an Ethernet/DSL/cable router, less than $50 for a network interface card (NIC) for each computer, and a few dollars for cables and connectors. To go wireless, add an 802.11b access point such as the D-Link DWL-1000AP (around $150). For a single-box wired/wireless solution, a combination unit such as the Proxim Skyline 802.11b wireless broadband gateway and router (less than $280) is a good choice. For each remote PC, you will also need an adapter such as the Wireless 802.11b PC card from 3Com (under $125) with its durable X-Jack antenna. A single wireless USB network adapter, such as the F5D6050 from Belkin (about $100), can provide cost-effective Wi-Fi wireless access for either a notebook or a desktop PC. For laptop users, the same 802.11b PC card that you use in the office can also connect you to your home network.
Wi-Fi Security and Interference
Though Wi-Fi security is still vulnerable to determined hacking, the 128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security and encryption functions included with most current 802.11b gear are probably robust enough for ordinary office and home-office installations -- if you remember to turn them on! Some higher-end Wi-Fi equipment, from Agere, NextComm, and others, provides additional security fea-tures. The 3Com Access Point 6000 (about $500), for example, enables that company's proprietary Dynamic Security Link, offering user-specific, 128-bit encryption keys that change for each networking session. Wi-Fi systems can also be configured with firewall and VPN (Virtual Private Network) products to virtually eliminate security risks. New "fast packet keying" technology from RSA Security promises to make Wi-Fi systems truly bulletproof. The IEEE has already approved this patch to the 802.11 protocols, and it may be available soon as an update from wireless LAN (WLAN) vendors. If data security is a major concern for your business, be sure to contact a network consultant or VAR for help in developing a comprehensive network protection plan.
A few Wi-Fi users have reported performance-reducing interference from nearby 2.4 GHz wireless phones and microwave ovens. If this is a problem for you, try moving the access points and base phone around to maximize network speed, or consider an 802.11a system that operates in a totally different frequency band.
Higher speed, 802.11a compliant systems can transfer data at up to 54 Mbps, but there are some drawbacks to the first generation of these devices. The cost can be almost double that of the more common 802.11b products, there are some cross-brand compatibility issues, and current 802.11a systems have a full-bandwidth range of 25-100 feet -- less than one-third of that for 802.11b. By the beginning of next year, 802.11g equipment should be available with throughput approaching 22 Mbps, plus hardware and software compatibility with existing upgradable 802.11b systems. To avoid rapid obsolescence, make sure that any wireless system you buy this year has Flash ROM upgrade capabilities.
Other Paths
HomePNA provides a simple method of creating a computer and home entertainment network over existing home phone lines. The current specification, HPNA 2.0, operates at 10 Mbps and is a viable method for simple home networking projects. The 3Com HomeConnect 10X PCI PhoneLine Kit networks two desktop computers through existing phone lines for about $120. For a flexible, multi-standard solution, 2-Wire's Model 100W gateway is available for less than $400 from CDW and other vendors. It's an easy-to-set-up broadband gateway/router/firewall that supports HomePNA, Ethernet, 802.11b (Wi-Fi), and direct USB connections to your computers.
HomeRF is an industry specification that defines a wireless way to network PCs, cordless phones and other devices such as home theaters and home automation systems. Though related to 802.11, HomeRF technology uses different methods for selecting frequencies and encoding data -- and provides a way to prioritize streaming media such as MP3 files and digital video. Siemens and Proxim are among those supporting the standard, and Siemens recently introduced the VDG -- a HomeRF voice/data gateway that supports up to 8 phones and 16 computers at speeds of up to 10 Mbps.
Bluetooth, the wireless standard developed for short-range (less than 30 feet) wireless communication, is supported by an increasing number of manufacturers of wireless phones, PDAs, printers, and other devices. Although it is an exciting technology for wirelessly synchronizing and connecting these tools, the standard is still evolving, and Bluetooth has, at present, few practical applications to home-office networking.
To the Office and Back
To maximize the productivity of your work at home, you probably need to access main office data such as e-mail, accounting reports, and customer databases. Bringing home a laptop from the office offers one solution, and portable drives such as the Peerless from Iomega provide another. The best results, however, require real-time, secure, remote access to all your critical information resources. This can best be accomplished via a virtual private network. A VPN creates a virtual data "tunnel" between your office systems (including mail and file servers) and your home or branch office.
You can set up a hardware-based VPN using equipment from SonicWall, or other reputable vendors of remote security solutions such as 3Com. Initial costs for a professional-level solution should be in the range of $500 to $2,000 per location -- including the distributed costs of main office gear. The user interfaces of the latest generation of security appliances, such as the TELE3 Internet from SonicWall, are easy to set up. Occasional skilled support from your own IT staff, a VAR, or Application Service Provider (ASP) may be required, so pick a system with remote management capabilities. When planning a VPN, be sure to figure in the cost of authentication services and user licenses. SonicWall has a useful needs analysis/system configuration tool at its Web site. Some less expensive broadband access routers also provide VPN capabilities, but check with your IS technician or consultant to see if a particular model will match your security needs.
One VPN strategy that is attractive to growing businesses with limited IT resources is the use of a subscription-based security service such as InstantVPN from Imperito. This product/ service provides virtually foolproof setup, rapid deployment, easy administration, and a high level of security at a reasonable cost -- sort of like AOL with a bulletproof Masterlock. InstantVPN requires no special hardware or expert setup, is compatible with most hardware firewalls and routers, and costs start at $999 per year for 10 concurrent users -- enough to support 20 or more remote computers, depending on their level of use. InstantVPN also adds a second level of security to wireless 802.11b networks. At every attempted login, the system checks to confirm not only the user and password but also the individual PC hardware involved. This means that even in the unlikely event that an intruder is able to pick up and decipher your wireless login process, they would be unable to hack the link to your office using a different computer.
Got to Wear Shades
The future is indeed bright for all of those who approach work as a joyful process -- looking to the quality of the work experience and bottom line results as benchmarks rather than outmoded ideas of workplace location and status. We can expect even greater gains in productivity and enjoyment in the future, as new communication technologies and workstyles combine to make business a real pleasure.
Sidebar: Parks Associates - Reality-Based Intelligence for Emerging Technology Markets
Michael Greeson
Senior Analyst, Director of Broadband Research
There is little doubt that the home of the future will incorporate many of the enterprise-based technologies of the present. Wired and wireless networking technologies, videoconferencing, remote control and monitoring, telecommuting, and distance learning -- these are but a sample of the enterprise applications now trickling down to the home.
Parks Associates believes that opportunities exist in the residential marketplace for vendors and service providers. In order to leverage these new opportunities, companies must be able to distinguish fact from fiction, hype from reality. And that's where Parks Associates can help.
Whether a client needs a comprehensive subscription service, primary consumer data, custom research, or just industry reports and updates, Parks Associates is the resource for many of the world's leading and emerging technology companies.
In addition to providing data to companies, Parks Associates also cohosts CONNECTIONS(tm) The International Home Networking and Gateways Showcase. CONNECTIONS provides an exceptional networking and informational opportunity for players providing networking, gateways, and their corollary products and services for the home.
For more information on CONNECTIONS, please visit www.connectionsconference.com. For more information on Parks Associates' research, please visit our Web site at www.parksassociates.com or call us at 972-490-1113.
Sidebar: Imperito Secure Remote Office Anywhere
Imperito Networks' InstantVPN offers small businesses the most effortless to deploy and manage secure remote access VPN solution on the market. Instant VPN is an affordable solution that provides road warriors and telecommuters the ability make local internet connections from anywhere in the world, tunnel securely back to their home office, and get e-mail, share files, run applications, and use printers -- just like they were working at their desk. InstantVPN also also allows businesses to run extranet applications with customers, partners, and suppliers. Imperito is easy to find at www.vpn.net, www.imperito.com, or call 877-596-4VPN, 408-450-6200.
