CTIA: LG Shows CellPhones For Mobile DTV


At the CTIA Wireless 2010 conference in Las Vegas this week, LG Electronics demonstrated three prototype cellphone models that receive the ATSC-MH Mobile DTV signals now being transmitted by nearly four dozen broadcast stations around the country.

Based on the Mobile DTV standard co-developed by LG Electronics, the handsets equipped with Mobile DTV include a CDMA phone with twin LCD screens (on the inside, and outside, of the clamshell handset); a CDMA model with a 2.8-inch LCD screen and up to four hours of DTV-viewing battery life, and a GSM phone with a 3-inch LCD screen also with up to four hours of DTV time.

“With more broadcasters adding Mobile digital TV transmissions each month, we want to show the wireless industry exactly what’s involved in delivering over-the-air digital TV signals, familiar programs from your favorite TV stations, to mobile phone users. The devices we’re showing here work with the free over-the-air Mobile DTV signals from broadcasters, complementing video services by wireless carriers. In addition to these cell phones running on both the CDMA and GSM networks, we’re also demonstrating how easy it is to receive mobile DTV on a netbook with a plug-in accessory receiver,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president, marketing and innovation, LG Mobile Phones.

The demos by LG are made possible by a new reception, tuning and decoding chip that measures 7 mm on each side, designed for easy integration into mobile phone handsets. It features enhanced reception performance allowing a typical cell phone viewer to watch more than 3.5 hours of programming on a single battery charge. The LG2161R receiver chip is in pilot production and will move to mass production this summer.

Also highlighted at the event is the new LG X300 netbook connected to an external USB-port “dongle” receiver that can receive the same over-the-air mobile DTV signals viewed on the prototype cell phones. It weighs in at less than 990g with smart built-in features such as Smart-On 2.0, built-in Wi-Fi and a 64 GB hard drive.

LG will also show the new cell phones at the Mobile DTV Marketplace at the NAB Show in Las Vegas next month.