TV Stations Start Broadcasting to Mobile Gadgets [NYT Bits Blog]
Last week the Open Mobile Video Coalition announced the creation of a new standard for HDTV broadcasts to mobile devices that will allow users to watch high definition video on a cell phone or mobile computer. The standard uses a portion of the new digital broadcast TV spectrum to transmit signals specific for mobile devices. And while devices that receive these signals aren't yet available to consumers, the Open Mobile Video Coalition also announced last week that 70 broadcast stations have signed on to retransmit their signal on the new mobile standard. There are around 30 stations already broadcasting the mobile signal.
Consumer electronics manufacturers are prototyping mobile phones with chipsets that provide reception of these new signals, mobile television sets, netbooks, and USB dongles that will allow any existing laptop to receive the mobile TV signals. These devices are likely to become available to consumers in the coming months.
Some cable operators, including Comcast and Time Warner, are already testing delivery of cable programming to mobile devices via a mobile data connection. Between this new mobile broadcast standard and the development of mobile cable programming, mobile television appears to be in store for some exciting developments in the next year.
Comments