Where can I find the full DLNA specifications?

Question

I'm looking to create a DLNA media server type of thing in Android. I've found myself a UPnP library for Java called CyberLink, and I'm looking to implement the DLNA interface for a M-DMS, or Mobile Digital Media Server, which has a quick description here:

http://www.dlna.org/dlna-for-industry/digital-living/how-it-works/dlna-device-classes/mobile-digital-media-server

The problem is that I can't find the actual technical specification for such a device. I've put in a lot of effort Googling, so please don't throw a 'JFGI' at me. I ran into a forum post that implied I might have to pay for access to the specification, but it was very vague:

http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3608

The link that was posted as the apparent solution is also broken, and I can't find any similar document on the current UPnP website.

Does anybody know where I can find the DLNA specifications? Or perhaps an alternative solution to implementing it myself? Any help will be much appreciated!

Ibbie

Answer 1

The DLNA spec is now available to anyone -- you do not need to be a paying member to download.

From the DLNA.org website: (http://www.dlna.org/dlna-for-industry/guidelines)

Non-member companies may download the Guidelines using the form below.

**Please note that the Guidelines you download today are the most current published version of the DLNA Guidelines. When new Guidelines are released, you will need to download the newer Guidelines to receive the additional updates. Note that not all updates are announced.

Astyanax

Answer 2

Full DLNA specs are available only to DLNA members and dearly paid for. The guy in referenced forum post is mixing things up. UPnP is not a "dlna doc". DLNA is a refinement of UPnP, a set of rules and restrictions in the name of interoperability. A good half of the DLNA specs is just a verbose listing of allowed media formats, subformats, sampling rates, bitrates etc. Whereas UPnP just specifies the abstract device interfaces. The link is correctly http://upnp.org/resources/upnpresources.zip and standardizeddcps is a subfolder there. DCP stands for Device Control Protocol, aka the abstract interface which the device must implement to participate in UPnP network. You would be interested in arch-DeviceArchitecture document to understand UPnP network in general and then MediaServer* folders, most importantly av-ContentDirectory which is a core service to provide DMS per DLNA specification. And yes, Intel Device Spy is absolutely essential tool. Wireshark will be your friend too. Reverse engineering is a daily bread and DLNA specs won't help you :)

Issuance

Thank you very much for you detailed answer. It's a shame to hear that the specs for DLNA are so protected... But it looks like I've got a bit of investigation to do xD. Thanks, I think you've earned an accept. – Ibbie

Now the links have changed, upnp.org leads to openconnectivity.org and you have to search things there because many downloads are moved to other places. – Transmundane

Answer 3

I'm not sure where to get the full DNLA specs but you could approximate the same info by using something like Intel Device Spy to see which services an existing M-DMS device publishes then use the service descriptions from the standardizeddcps directory in the docs available from the UPnP forum

Ahumada

Thanks for that, I'd rather have the specs there but if this works out I'll give you an accept ;) – Ibbie

Just for posterity: this is not useful advice. DLNA guidelines contain a massive amount of very detailed restrictions for services and devices (for reference: Part I of the DLNA guidelines is 762 pages -- that's probably more than all UPnP documents combined). It is not realistically possible to get even close to compliance by just reverse-engineering descriptions or network traffic of a DLNA implementation. – Rotow

Answer 4

You can get DLNA spec from the DLNA Organization, and for that you have to be member of the organization.

There is this DLNA compatible Digital Media Server (DMS) on Android platform and it is free for all Android platforms. It is tested with all leading DLNA certified TVs.

Pixel Media Server.

Suber