In the run-up to NAB, where a number of vendors and device manufacturers will be demonstrating a wide array of devices and technologies for the delivery of mobile digital TV signals, the Open Mobile Video Coalition is estimating that mobile DTV signals will be available in about two thirds of all American homes within the next 12 month.
"OMVC continues to track the progress made by broadcasters who are turning on Mobile DTV," noted Anne Schelle, executive director of OMVC, a coalition of America's broadcasters working on the technology in a statement. "The number of broadcasters on-the-air with mobile continues to rise, with 76 stations now on-the-air in 32 markets.... Between those stations already on-air and those who are coming soon, we project that Mobile DTV will reach more than 71 million households - or more than two-thirds of all viewers in America - in the next twelve months."
As broadcasters ramp up these efforts, the 2011 NAB Show will feature a number of demonstrations of the technology at the Mobile DTV Pavilion, co-hosted by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
In addition to the demos, both of the mobile DTV broadcaster consortia - the Mobile500 Alliance and Mobile Content Venture - will have a presence in the Mobile DTV Pavilion.
At the Mobile DTV Pavilion, demonstrations of new devices capable of receiving mobile DTV signals include "the new Valups ‘Tivizen' receiver that plugs directly into the iPad and iPhone," Schelle noted. "Cydle will show its iPhone cradle for MDTV reception, and portable Wi-Fi devices from Crestech will be on display. RCA will demonstrate its new line of portable TV sets for Mobile DTV that's now available for consumers and broadcasters. We'll show how easy it is to add live mobile DTV broadcast reception functionality to car with a special in-vehicle display from Winegard. We'll have prototype cell phones from LG Electronics and Samsung as well as Dell's prototype netbook computer with built-in Mobile DTV, plus a variety of USB receivers for laptops on hand from manufacturers such as DTVinteractive, Hauppauge and Pixtree."
Besides the demonstrations of consumer devices, the visitors to the show will also see a number of future applications for mobile DTV services that go far beyond the capability of transmitting live broadcast TV signals.
"Our members worked hard to forecast future applications for Mobile DTV, and the ATSC Mobile DTV standard supports a wide variety of mobile services such as customizable emergency alerts, live audio feeds, datacasting with traffic maps, sports and news highlights that can be stored in memory on a device, Video-on-Demand, time-shifted television, mobile digital video recording, interactive polling, electronic coupons, 3D TV, targeted advertising, and an electric service guide for ease of tuning," noted Mark Richer, president of ATSC in a statement. "Many of these elements, including live and innovative new 'Tweet-TV' social media application for ATSC Mobile DTV, are being demonstrated for the first time at the 2011 NAB Show."
Current information on where mobile DTV signals are available can be found on the OMVC.org web site by clicking on the ‘Signal Map' tab.
