MOBILE DTV LEAPS FORWARD WITH NAB ANNOUNCEMENTS

Posted on May 1, 2012 in ATSC News

Broadcasters working on Mobile Digital Television came to Las Vegas prepared with real-world product demonstrations and exciting service announcements that will push the ATSC A/153 Mobile DTV standard into the hands of more viewers.

New consumer Mobile Digital TV devices in a variety of forms — including smartphones and tablet adapters – are coming this summer.

“Through Mobile DTV, local TV stations are poised to deliver live news, emergency alerts, sports and popular entertainment programs to smartphones and tablets without clogging cellular networks or racking up exorbitant data charges on consumers’ cellphone bills,” said Anne P. Schelle, executive director of the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC).

Broadcasters Add Networks, Stations

Mobile Content Venture (MCV), which this year plans to launch its Dyle™ mobile TV service through more than 90 TV stations in 35 markets reaching 55 percent of the U.S. population, will demonstrate devices featuring Dyle from LG Electronics and Samsung as well as an accessory from Belkin. The devices and accessory are equipped to receive Mobile DTV signals enabling users to enjoy live broadcast television, including local and national news, sports and entertainment programming on their mobile devices at home or on-the-go.

MCV announced the addition of several CBS and ABC stations, in addition to FOX and NBC broadcasts, will now be part of its network in key markets.  Underscoring its momentum, MCV also announced during the NAB Show the launch of 17 additional stations from Belo, Cox Media Group, Fox, Gannett Broadcasting, ION, Post-Newsweek, Meredith, Raycom, CBS Television and LIN Media joining the network of broadcasters delivering content to Dyle™ mobile TV.  Dyle is operated by MCV, a joint-venture of 12 major broadcast groups including Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media, all of which are part of the standalone entity known as Pearl, LLC, as well as Fox, ION Television and NBC.

The Mobile500 Alliance’s “MyDTV” tablet adapter showed NAB attendees how Mobile DTV can include broadcast television as well as feature-rich interactive advertising, audience measurement, conditional access, social media integration, closed captioning, live viewing, recording live TV and video on demand. It operates on iOS based platforms and expect to operate on Android platforms later this year.

The Mobile500 Alliance is a broadcast consortium incorporated in December 2010 with the goal of creating a new growth industry around Mobile DTV.  Mobile500 is planning a commercial launch of its service in Seattle and Minneapolis this summer with more member stations launching later this year. The Alliance currently has 50 member broadcasting companies, including Fisher Communications, Inc., Hubbard Television Group, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which own 437 television stations. These stations reach 94% of U.S. TV households.

Mobile Emergency Alerts:  Ideal for Mobile DTV

LG Electronics and PBS have spent the past year conducting a pilot project with four TV stations to show how real-time video, audio, and text alerts can be distributed via Mobile DTV to viewers – including news reports, maps, and other critical information.

The new Mobile Emergency Alert System (M-EAS) is designed to deliver reliable, rich media alerts anywhere, anytime. Prototype LG mobile phones offer not only audio and visual indications of emergency alerts, but also include a vibrating mode to notify all users (including those who might be visually impaired) about an emergency. M-EAS transmissions are used to keep viewers informed during an emergency.

Posted in ATSC News