Independent station group owner Post-Newsweek Stations, has begun plans to launch mobile DTV service at two of its six stations using ATSC Mobile DTV-compliant transmission systems from Harris.
Post-Newsweek has chosen WDIV-DT, the NBC affiliate in Detroit, and WKMG-DT, the CBS station in Orlando, FL. WDIV launched first with a single mobile channel, simulcasting its primary over-the-air channel, and WKMG has followed with a similar launch. Post-Newsweek plans to roll out Harris MPH systems at its four remaining stations in the future as well.
Marcus Williams, vice president and chief engineer, Post-Newsweek Stations, said all of the Post-Newsweek stations already use Harris TV transmitters, so they’ll retrofit a Harris Apex M2X mobile DTV exciter, as well as a Harris NetVX video networking system, Synchrony mobile networking adapter, and a Roundbox Server for Mobile DTV from Roundbox, which generates service signaling and transmits an electronic service guide (ESG).
The software-driven features of the equipment allow for simple field updates as required.
“Broadcast is a service to our consumers, and we like that our viewers can access our programming on a mobile phone or PDA whether sitting on a park bench, walking around a school campus or at an airport waiting on a flight,” Williams said. “More importantly, mobile DTV is an efficient way to reach viewers on the move with breaking news, weather warnings and other emergency information. Over-the-air broadcasting is a push model, which is a far more efficient way to reach many viewers in emergency situation than relying on a request model.”
