Home Multimedia Service Needs - Homes need a mix of services including phone, data, and video. The transmission requirements for these services can be significantly different.

Home Multimedia System Needs - Home media networks have a mix of operational and functional needs which include co-existance with other systems, no new wires, simple, low cost equipment, and others.

Home Media Transmission Types - Home media networks send signals through transmission lines or on radio carriers. A home media network may include a mix of transmission line types which may include: - Phone Line - Coax - Power Line - Wireless - Data Cable- Optical

Access Control - Home media networks coordinate who can access the network, what they are allowed to transmit, and what priority levels are they assigned.

Home Media Operation - Home media networks are designed to allow devices to randomly request and receive data signals which may be classified and prioritized based on the type of service (voice, data or video) that the user is transferring.

Home Media Systems - Several types of systems have been developed and standardized which include: - HomePNA, HomePlug, MOCA, WiFi

Device Co-Existence - Home media networks are designed to co-exist with other home media networks and other signals that may be sharing the transmission lines or resources (such as gateways routers).

Media Rights Management - The owners of media objects (movie producers and even consumer who create their own videos want to be able to distribute the objects but protect the usage rights they have. For example, if a teenage boy has a video of him kissing his girlfriend, he probably does not want his or her parents to have access to the video.

Home Media Networks - Home media networks are systems (such as Digital Living Network Alliance - DLNA) that are designed to allow users to identify, transfer, and control the operation of media devices in the network.