TV entertainment seems to be shifting away from the idiot box to PCs and handsets. It’s good tidings for those who like to carry around their entertainment in something portable. At the Open Mobile Video Coalition’s Mobile DTV Consumer Showcase this year, an adapter that is capable of sending Mobile DTV to notebooks, iPhones and iPads will be displayed starting from May 3. Visitors will also be able to view local digital TV broadcasts on a number of mobile gizmos including the Samsung Moment phone, Inspiron Mini 10 netbook and LG’s Mobile Digital TV/portable DVD player combos among others.
The OMVC Consumer Showcase is slated to deploy Samsung Moment phones and Dell 10” netbooks starting from May. The Samsung handset will be a specially modified non-commercial version running Google’s Android mobile OS. It has a bright AMOLED display that is viewable indoors as well as outdoors and is available through Sprint. 200 such modified units of the phone will go out to customers who will also be able to avail of live digital TV with the embedded Samsung receiver chip. A joint effort by nine Washington-area TV stations coordinated by the OMVC will enable the transmission of Mobile Digital TV signals that serve up network and cable programming to users comprising of free over-the-air channels and subscription premium programs.
“The Consumer Showcase is a major milestone in the two decade-long effort by the broadcast industry to build the world’s most advanced digital television system for the benefit of all Americans,” expressed Brandon Burgess, Chief Executive Officer of ION Media Networks and Chairman of the OMVC. “The U.S. DTV system already delivers the world’s highest quality video, and also transmits over 4,000 free television channels across the country. Now with the introduction of Mobile DTV technology, broadcasters can reach viewers not just at home but anywhere and anytime – without needing new spectrum and without needing to build new towers, The Consumer Showcase is a truly exciting demonstration of the types of services that broadcasters will deploy across the country in the next few years, bringing a new era of television to the U.S.”
All of the devices to be distributed for this purpose will be equipped with receiving and decoding capabilities in order to permit TV program viewing. The programs to be transmitted on the new service include local NBC programming from WRC, Global News and information on MHz 1, PBS Mobile and PBS Kids shows from WHUT, MSNBC, CNBC and so on. Samsung and LG electronics supply the Mobile DTV receiving/decoding/tuning chipsets being used in a variety of upcoming Mobile DTV products. The Mobile DTV service will provide 416 x 240p quality broadcasts with 30 fps video, and 48Kbps stereo audio, an Electronic Service Guide with light interactivity for voting, rating, and messaging as also conditional access controls and audience measurement collection.
A complete list of Mobile DTV devices to be trialed by consumers during the event comprises of the Samsung Moment phone, Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook, Mobile Digital TV/portable DVD player combos from LG and Tivizen Mobile DTV receivers from Valups.