Washington Mobile DTV Consumer Showcase Launched

Gordon Smith
The Washington, D.C. Mobile Digital Television Consumer Showcase got underway May 24, with a special ceremony at the city’s Newseum attended by scores of broadcasters, government officials, equipment manufacturers, trade association leaders and others.

The ceremony was part of a four-month long initiative to jumpstart the new mobile television service being offered by several of the nation’s broadcasters, and was sponsored by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), a voluntary association of television broadcasters.

“This truly is a celebration of a new age in broadcasting,” said Gordon Smith, NAB president. “We live in a mobile society and broadcasters are excited to be a part of that society in bringing forth new products. Ladies and gentlemen, Mobile DTV is here. It is real and it is getting ready for prime time. As broadcasters, we’re truly privileged to lead the new digital media revolution, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with the OMVC on their Showcase for these products today.”

The Washington Consumer Showcase initiative includes on-going Mobile DTV transmissions from nine area television stations, which are providing 20 channels of programming for handheld viewing devices, some of which were demonstrated at the Monday evening ceremony. Those included Mobile DTV-equipped Samsung telephones, Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbooks, LG Electronics portable DVD players and Tivizen Mobile DTV receivers. The OMVC will be making such devices available to several hundred DC area residents, who will provide feedback on the new service through market research and focus groups and daily viewing dairies.