Harris Cuts Deal for Roundbox Technology

By Doug Lung
published

Most of the discussion about the ATSC M/H candidate standard has focused on the physical layer--how the bits get from the transmitter to the receiver. However, this is only part of the system. Other components involve signaling to provide receivers with information on services and programs available and how to tune them, along with mechanisms to provide features such as non-real time delivery of video.

Harris Corp. recently announced that they've signed an OEM agreement that will allow them to integrate the delivery management software from Roundbox Inc. into Harris' ATSC Mobile DTV broadcast system.

"The user experience is critical to assuring wide adoption of mobile DTV," said Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communication. "Our partnership with Roundbox ensures that broadcasters' assets will be delivered to users in a visually rich and compelling way on a wide variety of broadcast-enabled mobile devices."

The Roundbox software provides delivery management of ATSC announcement information. This includes an on-screen programming guide and provides a platform for delivering non-real time (NRT) services to mobile DTV-compliant devices. Visit www.Roundbox.com for more information on their software.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.