The first day of NAB was taken up with the new technology, ATSC-M/H. In case you ask, the last part is 'Mobiles and Handhelds'. This is not the first US system for 'broadcasting to handhelds', that was the Qualcomm MediaFlo system, which will provide new nationwide services in the 'Digital Dividend' band later this year.
ATSC-M/H is the national broadcasting networks striking back with their own (and naturally technically completely different) system for 'local' broadcasts to handhelds, and which does not need any new spectrum. The 'European opposite number' of ATSC-M/H, DVB-H, in a mixed multiplex of DVB-T and DVB-H, has not be very successful in Europe. Will the story be different in the US?
| Trial with 60 stations
The ATSC-M/H takes a 'bite' from the 19.3 Mbit/s ATSC HDTV broadcast channel, and broadcasts a small size picture in MPEG4-AVC over IP plus data that can be received by a handheld, PC, or in-car TV. There will be about 60 US local TV stations putting the system on trial later in the year, but there didn't seem to be any firm plans beyond that for regular broadcasting or volume production of receivers.
Single software layer |
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In Europe, one of the tough discussions for DVB-H was about the upper 'software' layer, and it wasn't possible for Europeans to agree which single system to include in the specification. Ironically, the ATSC-M/H does have a single software layer, and it was developed in Europe - the OMA-BCAST system. The ATSC-M/H allows rich media, alongside the tv programme itself, and can be used like a PC 'widget'.
For now, sit back...
Is there room for both this ATSC-M/H and the Qualcomm Mediaflo system in the cars or phones of Americans? Will the coverage problems which arose in Europe when this kind of system was tested at the Turin Olympics come up again in the United States now? It will be several years before we find the answers - in the meantime we can sit back and watch this fascinating mix of technology and business case....