Broadcasters Optimistic about Mobile DTV's Potential

02.05.2010

Anne Schelle

The Advanced Television Systems Committee hosted an all-day seminar Feb. 3 on Mobile DTV technology in Washington, D.C., attracting more than 100 attendees from all sectors of the television industry.

Following introductory remarks and a welcome to the proceedings by ATSC president Mark Richer, Sterling Davis, vice president of technical operations at the Cox Media Group, and also a member of the ATSC board of directors, presented the keynote address.

“I’m continually amazed at the momentum that Mobile DTV has gathered in the past year,” Davis said. “Viewer’s heads are turning to Mobile and broadcasters are stepping up to provide that.”

Davis acknowledged the effort expended by equipment manufacturers in quickly gearing up for Mobile DTV, and also recognized the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) for its efforts in organizing and guiding the work leading up to the adoption of a standard for the service. While he admitted that there was still work to be done, such as putting together a Mobile DTV “recommended practices” document, Davis expressed his pleasure with the cooperation from all sides in taking the new technology to where it is today.

“We’re smarter as a group than we are separately,” said Davis.

Following Davis’s keynote address, the seminar got down to business with a detailed presentation on the makeup of the Mobile DTV signal, a look at what broadcasters will need to do to implement the service and a report from the OMVC’s executive director, Anne Schelle, on the latest developments in readying consumers and broadcasters alike for the service.

“We’re doing a lot in the promotional area,” Schelle said. “You’ve seen us at CES and we’ll be at NAB and CTIA [shows].”

The day’s events concluded with remarks from Mark Aitken, director of advanced technology for the Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Seminar sponsors included Harris; LG; Rhode & Schwarz; Thomson (now Technicolor); Roundbox; RRD USA, the IEEE’s Broadcast Technology Society; Meintel, Sgrignoli, & Wallace; du Treil, Lundin & Rackley; and the Hogan & Hartson law firm.