Broadcast equipment and CE vendors push mobile DTV hard at NAB
Apr 19, 2010 12:30 PM, By Michael Grotticelli
The OMVC hosted a session on the developments of the mobile DTV platform and showed new CE products from Dell and others that are being readied for market. The industry will watch an upcoming ATSC A/153 trial in Washington, D.C., closely to gauge consumer interest.
The ATSC Mobile DTV platform continues to evolve, as vendors showed new compatible developments at NAB, in the form of portable products ranging from mobile phones and accessories, to USB receivers, in-vehicle displays, portable TVs and broadcast transmission gear. Clearly there is more effort being put into device developments and getting them to market as quickly as possible.
LG Electronics showed a new portable DTV built on a portable DVD player platform — the first consumer product to be certified under the new ATSC Mobile DTV Certification Mark program. Pixtree also showed a portable DVD product equipped with mobile DTV reception capability.
The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook combines ATSC Mobile DTV, WiFi and broadband capabilities. Also from Dell is a table computer with a 5in screen and mobile DTV capability.
Samsung showed a modified, noncommercial prototype version of the “Moment” CDMA mobile phone with ATSC Mobile DTV capability. It will be a featured device beginning in May at the mobile DTV test in Washington, D.C. Also shown was a GSM handset from LG Mobile Phones that also works with mobile DTV signals.
For broadcasters, the Expway ESG server and Rohde & Schwarz multiplexer were integrated with the mobile DTV standard, improving workflow management. Previously, when a broadcaster wanted to change the configuration parameters of a mobile DTV headend, the components of the equipment had to be configured manually and separately. Now the respective systems manage the dataflow and configuration changes automatically.
With this new system capability the workflow is fully automated, and new mobile DTV services, changing logos, modifying RF parameters or inserting interstitial advertisements becomes easier.
Also, Samsung and the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) selected Expway’s audience measurement solution. This will allow them have a precise understanding of the consumer behavior during the Washington test next month.
Axcera and Expway demonstrated a live end-to-end mobile DTV system at the NAB. The solution integrates Axcera’s mobile DTV preprocesser/multiplexer, digital modulator and comprehensive line of transmitters with Expway’s channel signaling and electronic service guide, FastESG.
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