U.S. Approves Mobile Digital Television Standard

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 16, 2009 - 8:15am.

Washington - The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OVMC), a group of more than 800 broadcast stations, on Thursday announced the adoption of a final mobile digital television broadcast standard by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), which should pave the way for new digital TV services on mobile phones, portable DVD players and in-car systems.

In addition to programming, mobile services will also include customized emergency alerts; datacasting with traffic maps; electronic coupons; mobile DVR; and "clip casting" sports and news highlights that could be stored in the memory of a device.

Some 70 OVMC member stations plan to roll out mobile digital TV programs this year, while consumer electronics firms such as LG, Samsung, Harris, Rohde & Schwarz and Dell have produced prototype devices and working transmission systems.

"Mobile DTV utilizes the same digital spectrum that local TV stations use to send beautiful HD programming to the nation's living rooms. With adoption of the ATSC Mobile DTV standard, small-screen versions of that programming and other services also will now be available over mobile devices," said Brandon Burgess, president of the OMVC and CEO of ION Media Networks.

http://www.omvc.org