Mobile DTV, a broadcasting standard designed to provide portable devices with access to a wealth of completely free on-the-go entertainment is to be given its initial North American trial run in Washington D.C., according to the technology’s alliance of contributing broadcasters.
Hopefully Mobile DTV will be more user friendly than this. Image: Marco Raaphorst/Flickr.
According to the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), its Mobile DTV service will function with video-enabled mobile phone handsets and other compatible devices and is set to begin testing in Washington towards the end of summer. The service will be supported by content from local broadcasting affiliates such as CBS, Ion, NBC and PBS.
“The Mobile DTV ecosystem we are encouraging brings new opportunities to broadcasters [and] device manufacturers, as well as consumers,” enthused Brandon Burgess, OMVC president and chairman of Ion Media Networks.
Delivering mobile content by using digital transmissions over broadcast television facilities, the alliance has said the service’s potential has already seen 70 different TV stations signing on to provide broadcasts across 28 markets in the U.S. before the end of 2009.
However, while a tantalising prospect, mobile phone and notebook owners in Washington should perhaps temporarily check their enthusiasm because there are currently no portable devices on the market capable of supporting Mobile DTV’s signals.
As things stand, front-running device manufacturers Samsung and LG are actively backing Mobile DTV with a view to producing compatible host platforms, and computer giant Dell has also jumped on the bandwagon regarding an Inspiron Mini 10 Netbook that will support the service.
“Dell joining the R&D process with its exciting new netbook is a reminder of just how far we have come,” added Burgess. “This broadcast Mobile DTV-powered device would have been unthinkable a year ago.”
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