Designed for use in development labs and for technology demonstration purposes, DVEO’s eYe Catcher ATSC M/H is a portable frequency agile modulator with IP, ASI, or SMPTE 310M input and ATSC M/H output.  It delivers real time or stored video to cell phones, PDAs, handhelds, and vehicles.

ATSC M/H, also known as A/153 or Mobile DTV (mobile digital television), is a relatively new standard approved by the ATSC organization as the American broadcasting methodology for delivery of TV broadcasts to mobile and handheld devices.

The eYe Catcher ATSC M/H is ideal for laboratory applications, and for testing set-top boxes and mobile devices,” comments Al Delir, Technical Support Engineer for DVEO.  “It’s also suitable for in-store demonstrations of ATSC M/H devices.  For example, retailers can install one unit each at each store, send stored or regularly updated video from a satellite feed or over IP, and play the video on cell phones, mobile TV sets, and other ATSC M/H devices.  This makes a perfect demonstration server for handsets.”

The eYe Catcher ATSC M/H modulator includes a comprehensive Windows XP playout application with a playback scheduler.  Linux and Windows SDKs are available for customization, and sample transport streams are also available.

Features:

• Input: IP, DVB-ASI, USB, or SMPTE 310M
• Supports captured file play, live from external ATSC M/H mux through ASI or SMPTE-310M input
• Output: ATSC M/H (ATSC A/153 Part 2 compliant) or DVB-ASI
• Frequency agile
• RF Output Frequency: 55-860 MHz
• IF Output Frequency: 36 MHz/44 MHz selectable
• Field upgradeable — can be reprogrammed to add additional profiles
• Playback Scheduler for Day, Week, or Month
• Ships with Windows XP based GUI
• Linux and Windows SDKs available for customization
• On board channel 1-135 selectable RF output up-converter
• Sample transport streams available
• SNMP support
• Tested with LG-2160

Suggested Retail Price:
eYe Catcher ATSC M/H — $4,295 U.S.

DVEO and eYe Catcher are trademarks of Computer Modules, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

About CMI and DVEO
CMI, founded in 1982, is a privately held company headquartered in San Diego, California.  DVEO, the Broadcast Division of Computer Modules, Inc., sells digital video and high definition television (HDTV) products to the top television broadcast companies throughout the world.

For more information on CMI and DVEO, please contact Rebecca Gray at +1 (858) 613-1818 or rebecca@dveo.com.  To download DVEO’s press releases and product images, visit the news section at http://www.dveo.com/.

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/