數位家庭剛推出時只是豪宅的另一種代名詞。隨著電腦以及電腦網路的普及，高速網路技術的精進，許多國際元件廠商與系統廠商推出各種硬體設備以及軟體服務。就如同電腦一樣，硬體再如何的進步，如果沒有軟體的搭配，各種硬體只是一堆高級廢鐵。數位家庭也是如此，光有快速的網路，強大的伺服器，但是沒有軟體的服務，數位家庭也只是淪為口號。目前數位家庭服務以居家照護(Home Health-Care) 、數位娛樂(Home Entertainment)、能源管理(Energy Management System)以及居家保全(Home Security)為主要應用。本文介紹數位家庭的基本定義與概念，並且介紹目前全球各個區域(美國、歐洲、日本、中國、台灣)數位家庭使用的規範。進而介紹目前台灣數位家庭最常使用的應用。最後本文點出數位家庭所遭遇的困難及推動的阻力。

Digital home has the imagination not only for consumer but also for industry. With the widespread penetration of broadband access services and the electric products, amazing products have made it possible for everyone, which brings many tremendous changes. There is no such a specific definition of “digital home”. General speaking, a “digital home” is a home management system that allows home users to easily manage their daily lives by providing for a lifestyle that brings home security, energy and environmental management (lighting, gas, temperature, humidity and remote control), entertainment(Audio/Video control), and communications. The increasing demand from users on the control of household electric products, home security, and resources sharing, the concept and application of digital home network gains the attention of telecom industry, IT and household electric product industry. Digital home service providers offers lots of choices not only software but also hardware. Telecommunication technology, IT technology, house hold products, and many applications are released every day. The main purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of “digital home” and the development status of digital home. This article also spend lots of space to narrative the standards of different area about the digital home and applications of digital home, such as home security. The article states current bottlenecks encountered and the difficulties need to break through at the final pages.