The Open Mobile Video Coalition issued an open letter to the technology industry Tuesday urging companies interested in developing technology to add mobile video capabilities to ATSC DTV broadcasting to “actively participate in the inter-industry standardization process for mobile video launched by the Advanced Television Systems Committee.”
The letter warns, “one of the major threats to the successful and timely introduction and adoption of new mobile video products and services is a marketplace ‘format war’ among incompatible approaches.”
The coalition cited past incidences of such incompatibilities including: AM stereo, Betamax Vs. VHS, Blu-Ray versus HD DVD and others, saying that such multiple standards “may have significantly delayed or diminished consumer adoption.”
It urged all interested technology companies to participate in the ATSC process, as a single open standard “fosters healthy competition and encourages consumer confidence and rapid adoption” and would be in the best interest of everyone.
The Coalition was formed by Belo Corporation, Fox Television Stations, Gannett Broadcasting, Gray Television, ION Media Networks, NBC and Telemundo TV stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tribune Broadcasting Company to “facilitate and accelerate the development of mobile video in the United States.”
