PacketVideo debuts receiver for sending mobile TV to WiFi phones, media players

PacketVideo (owned by NextWave Wireless) has introduced a small external receiver (see left) that enables WiFi-enabled cellular phones and personal media players to receive mobile television programs in a variety of formats.  PacketVideo showed the device last month during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and shame on me for not seeing it (because I attended the show) or, at least, for not reading the press release.

The broadcast receiver will work with mobile TV protocols DVB-H, Qualcomm’s MediaFLO and TDtv.  It also works via WiMAX (see previous article about NextWave’s mobile TV WiMAX efforts), PacketVideo says.  Nokia Nseries phones, the Apple iPhone and HTC smartphones are compatible with the receiver, the company says.

“PV’s mobile receiver device decodes a digital TV signal and repurposes it for use on the phone, sending it via a wireless signal, such as WiFi, to a playback device.  The receiver uses specific, patented protocols to ensure optimum rendering of the TV signal on the playback device, and provides secure access to premium channels,” the release says.

Questions, questions

As PacketVideo notes, the device enables cellular phone users to have mobile TV without a handset that incorporates a mobile TV chipset.  The receiver uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery. 

However, are consumers willing to carry a receiver just to get mobile TV?  Also, how much will it cost and how well does it perform?  Lots of questions about the financial viability of this product.

For more information, check out PacketVideo’s demonstration on YouTube (see below).

Perhaps I’ll be able to see the receiver and learn more next month when I’m at the CTIA Wireless 2008 conference in Las Vegas.

Comments

[Cellular Mobile Philippine Phone Sun]

This is really cool gadget,just wishing to have that one.

-Ava

[CellphoneSavant]

Great post. Thanks. I look forward to your future work.