The Washington, D.C. area will be the “showcase” late this summer for broadcasting Mobile DTV programs based on the Advanced Television Systems Committee mobile television standard promoted by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC). In addition, four TV stations in Atlanta and Seattle will be “model stations” for Mobile DTV research and development.
Washington stations that will showcase the Mobile DTV programs include Fox’s WDCA, Gannett’s WUSA, ION’s WPXW, NBC’s WRC, PBS’ WHUT and MHz Networks, and Sinclair’s WNUV. Also, PBS’ National Datacast, which coordinates a service that transmits programs and data over stations’ vertical blanking intervals, will participate in the trial.
The OMVC says it anticipates adding other stations in the near term. So far, Washington’s CBS and NBC on the list, but not ABC. Also, the “flagship” PBS station, WETA, is missing.
R&D stations
ION’s WPXA and Gannett’s WATL in Atlanta, along with Belo’s KONG and Fisher’s KOMO in Seattle, will begin full-time broadcast testing beginning in the spring, the Coalition says. Harris Corp., Rohde & Schwartz, Roundbox and Triveni Digital are supplying the Mobile DTV transmission equipment and assisting with technical development.
I’m glad the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has been chosen because that’s where I live and work. Washington often is selected for early trials of telecommunications services because it’s the place to impress elected officials, other senior government officials and a wide variety of movers and shakers.
I hope I’ll get a chance to test the Mobile DTV service.
Mobile DTV launch country-wide
The OMVC says 21 broadcasting companies have committed to launching Mobile DTV in 2009. As I wrote in January, 63 stations in 22 markets that cover 35 percent of households in the United States have committed to starting Mobile DTV broadcasts.
Several hardware manufacturers are developing prototype Mobile DTV products, such as LG, Samsung, Kenwood, Visteon and Dell, the OMVC says. Dell has used its Inspiron Mini 10 netbook (see left) as a test device for different mobile TV protocols.
Update (4/22/09): In addition to developing a prototype for Mobile DTV, Dell also is testing at least three other mobile TV standards: DVB-T (Europe), CMMB (China) and ISDB-T (Japan), according to Netbook Choice.
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