The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has approved the Mobile DTV mobile broadcast standard. The standard will allow mobile devices such as phones and laptops to receive free-to-air digital television, broadcast by local stations.
ATSC said the mobile DTV standard, also referred to as ATSC-Mobile/Handheld (ATSC-M/H), received “overwhelming support” in balloting by its full membership tallied at midnight on Oct. 15.
The ATSC Mobile DTV standard (pdf) uses a modified form of Vestigial Side Band modulation, (continuing the ATSC royality stream). It will allow broadcasters to offer multiple program services without the need for additional spectrum.
Devices with Mobile DTV receivers will be able to watch local programming, receive emergency alerts,` and even some on-demand content.
Ten systems from different companies were proposed to enable ghost-prone ATSC to carry mobile television, with the two final systems, Mobile Pedestrian/Handheld and Advanced VSB presented with transmitter and receiver prototypes. To find the best solution, the Advanced Television Systems Committee assigned the Open Mobile Video Coalition to test both systems.
The Open Mobile Video Coalition, an industry association made up from 800 broadcast stations, says that it is preparing Mobile DTV programming for broadcast.
In conjunction with the ATSC announcement, Samsung introduced its first Mobile DTV chip, which it expects will be used in devices such as mobile phones, car-mounted televisions and portable media players.
Broadcasters plan to launch mobile DTV on more than 60 stations in 22 markets, covering an estimated 35 percent of U.S. television households. Roundbox announced the first netbook with integrated Mobile DTV reception at the 2009 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB) in Las Vegas this April.
