LG, the consumer electronics maker that has previously shown prototype mobile DTV chip technology (in cell phones and portable media players) to receive broadcasters’ proposed wireless video service, has introduced a compact, 3-D mobile TV at CES in Las Vegas.
The new LG portable, 3-D mobile TV receiver runs on an LG2161R MDTV chip with non-real-time technology. It is capable of receiving 3-D signals while moving at 125mph, according to the company.
However, building and showing a 3-D mobile receiver is far from offering a real mobile TV service. Broadcasters have been discussing what it takes to get a viable mobile DTV service up and running for years, and LG has long built prototype gear for them to use.
A far more successful competitor for mobile TV in the United States was Qualcomm’s FLO TV service. Last month came news that AT&T will purchase the spectrum licenses from Qualcomm in the lower 700MHz range for $1.9 billion.
The FLO TV business failed to gain traction and will be shut down in March. It was the first major experiment in mobile TV service in the United States and was supported by the mobile phone carriers, which is something broadcasters still have not been able to achieve after years of trying.
The FLO TV spectrum covers more than 300 million people in the United States, including 70 million in five of the top 15 major metropolitan areas, and will be used to enhance AT&T’s 4G network.
