The Consumer Electronics Association is taking a role in mobile TV evolution with a new group to address A/153 — the mobile/handheld addition to the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s U.S. broadcast DTV standards. The new standard, ATSC-Mobile/Handheld, would allow TV broadcasters to use part of their signal to deliver mobile TV signals that can be received by handheld units and receivers in moving vehicles.
The CEA wants to speed the standard’s development through a new special interest group for ATSC-M/H. Plans include facilitating discussions between CEA manufacturing members and broadcasters.
The CEA’s creation of a Mobile DTV Standard Group is “a strong signal that we are very close to a full-fledged market for digital mobile television," said Brandon Burgess, Open Mobile Video Coalition president and ION Media Networks chairman and CEO. "We expect the CEA’s recognition of the potential and maturity of mobile DTV technology — coupled with the ATSC’s commitment to approve an M/H standard — to further accelerate the development of handheld devices, content and other applications.”
The CEA has pledged to work with organizations backing the standard and aims to deliver a finished standard by the second quarter of 2009. Any CEA member company interested in participating may contact Jack Cutts at jcutts@CE.org or (703) 907-7052.
For more information, visit www.ce.org/Press/CurrentNews/press_release_detail.asp?id=11606.
