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Digital Stream Plans ATSC-M/H Add-On

admin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:20:03 +0000

LAS VEGAS – Korean supplier Digital Stream Technology is coming to the show with a pair of RCA-brand ATSC-M/H (Mobile/Handheld) TV tuners that will add mobile DTV reception to previously installed car A/V systems.

Separately, Winegard is coming to CES with its previously announced ATSC-M/H system at a suggested $799 with 10.2-inch touchscreen. It’s due in the first quarter.

For its part, Digital Stream plans two versions of its car ATSC-M/H tuner. One is a dual-tuner that will add ATSC-M/H and standard ATSC reception to a vehicle, while the other would add only ATSC-M/H reception. The dual tuner is designed for use in markets where ATSC-M/H stations aren’t yet on the air, although ATSC reception would be limited to stationary situations such as tailgating parties or camping, said sales and marketing VP Chris Lee.

The single-tuner ATSC-M/H model will retail for a suggested $99. Pricing on the dual tuner version was unavailable.

Both are palm-size models with channel-selection controls and wide-angle IR eye. They connect to already installed car- A/V systems through a composite- video output. Each comes with two types of antenna. One is a telescoping monopole antenna that attaches to the tuner. The other is a magnet-mount antenna with long coaxial cable for exterior mounting.

Both models get power through a cigarette-lighter adapter or through hardwiring. An AC adapter is included for in-door use.

The two will be available in January on the company’s RCA. com web site, followed by availability through other online sites and brick-and-mortar retailers, Lee said.

Here at CES, the company also plans to unveil RCA-brand portable TVs with dual ATSC and ATSC-M/H tuners at $99 to $159.

Mobile Broadcast TV: New Options and New Headaches

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:21:05 +0000

Broadcasters are looking forward to the imminent availability of new mobile devices that can pick up broadcast television while on the move.

With broadcast TV viewing down over the past decade, broadcasters believe that they can grab additional viewers and increased ad sales with this new technology, which will let dedicated devices as well as smartphones receive live broadcast TV channels, even while traveling up to 160 miles per hour (don’t try this at home). In fact, the BIA/Kelsey research firm predicts that the mobile video advertising market could be worth more than $1 billion to broadcasters by 2012.

While mobile video may bring new ad revenue to broadcasters and new opportunities for viewing to consumers, it also brings with it new dangers. By April, at least two devices will be on the market that will make watching TV on an iPhone a snap; one is a separate unit that will transmit the broadcast signal via Wi-Fi, while the other, a cradle, wraps directly around the phone.

While it is illegal to watch video in a vehicle’s front seat in most states, easily receiving live video on an iPhone (and other smartphones) will make flouting the law that much easier.

Does watching live broadcast TV on a small mobile device appeal to you? Are you likely to purchase one of these add-on devices? And if you do, do you think you’ll be able to refrain from flipping on CNN when you’re stopped for a red light — or worse, when you’re driving down the freeway?

Article Source: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/22/mobile-broadcast-tv-new-options-and-new-headaches/

Mobile TV Debuts in April with 30 Broadcast Stations

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:26:00 +0000

In April, 30 television stations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington will begin broadcasting a signal that will allow a new class of mobile devices to show the stations’ programming, in a move that is a “game changer” for local broadcasters, according to Dennis Wharton of the National Association of Broadcasters.

The ability to access TV on a smartphone, laptop or in a car will provide “a renaissance for over-the-air broadcast TV,” Wharton says (

The DTV Mobile technology – stations have installed equipment at a cost of as much as $150,000 – allows for new portable televisions, as well as smartphones and laptops with special adapters, to receive the new digital TV signals. The new devices, becoming available in April, include a TV-DVD player from LG; a palm-sized device from Valups which retransmits a mobile signal to a smartphone or iPod via Wi-Fi; PC dongles and set-top boxes for cars from iMovee; and an iPhone/iPod mobile TV cradle from Cydle, The New York Times reports.

The potential for mobile TV for broadcasters is that it would increase viewership from an on-the-go audience – TV viewing has slipped 25% in the last 10 years – and allow them to charge more for ads. And if mobile TV takes off among viewers, broadcasters could add specialty channels such as sports and weather, creating new advertising opportunities.

Mobile TV Vs. FLO

Mobile TV, known for now by the clunky name ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) Mobile DTV Standard, could prove to be a challenge to FLO TV, Qualcomm’s subscription service that offers programming from the Big 4 broadcast nets as well as Comedy Central, ESPN and others. FLO TV is available via a compatible smartphone or a special receiver; users pay $150 a year for a subscription to the service.

FLO TV believes it will be able to sell its services as an add-on to mobile TV. “There could be a ‘Best of FLO TV Channel’ that we’d sell bundled with free digital channels,” Alice Kim, svp of strategy, is quoted as saying.

FLO TV Enhancements Unveiled

Qualcomm unveiled new mobile TV apps for smart books this week in a move that will improve the viewing experience, the company says. The apps marry video with features such as Twitter feeds, news updates or sports statistics, the San Diego Union Tribune reports. For example, a viewer could watch a sporting event while simultaneously receive real-time stats and communicating with other sports fans.

Other smart-book applications include a real-time web feed, personalized by location, which offers local news, traffic and weather.

TV for Cell Phones: Yea or Nay?

Wall Street has been slow to get excited about FLO TV for cell phones, in part because it is hampered by the price, as consumers seem hesitant to shell out money for the pricey subscription fee.

Another obstacle is the small phone screen. Qualcomm is attempting to solve that problem by making the service available on a broader range of devices, like the FLO-powered handheld it announced last fall.

But the broadcasters behind digital mobile TV are not convinced the small screen of a cell phone is a turn-off, and are eager to see their service developed for cell phones. Samsung Electronics is currently testing mobile TV in a modified cell phone to discover whether the technology offers a strong business case for wireless carriers.

Article Source: http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/entry/48879/mobile-tv-debuts-in-april-with-30-broadcast-stations/