Mobile television could be received on laptop computers using inexpensive components that are already available. At the 3GSM convention in Barcelona, S3 and Irdeto showed a system based on a standard digital television receiver and a card reader.
Mobile television could be received on laptop computers using inexpensive components that are already available. At the 3GSM convention in Barcelona, S3 and Irdeto showed a system based on a standard digital television receiver and a card reader.
Much of the momentum around mobile television is based on the assumption that people will want to watch video on their phones. Another possibility is that they could watch television on their laptops.
Inexpensive digital terrestrial television tuners have been available for laptop computers for some time, as have portable digital televisions and personal media players. Television reception remains a problem. In many cases, the only way to receive a reliable signal is through a rooftop antenna.
One of the proposed standards for mobile television, DVB-H, is based on the DVB-T standard used for digital terrestrial television in Europe and many other countries. Networks based on DVB-H are specifically designed to be received on handheld devices.
The system from S3 and Irdeto uses a standard DVB-T tuner and USB card reader to receive DVB-H broadcast services. The commercially available components cost less than £70.
They could be provided as an operator-branded or third-party bundle of a DVB-T tuner and card reader. The components could also be easily integrated into laptop designs at much lower cost.
“S3 and Irdeto have recognised that in order to be successful, operators require new business models to expand their mobile TV offering,” said John Maguire of S3.
Graham Kill, the chief executive of Irdeto, added: “The solution developed by S3 and Irdeto offers operators proven, cost effective technology to increase their audience. It gives operators the ability to further develop their mobile TV business model and roll-out services quickly and effectively.”
S3–Silicon & Software Systems–is a leading provider of software to receive broadcast, multicast and unicast services on mobile devices. Their onHandTV software is compatible with DVB-H, T-DMB, DAP-IP and MBMS transmissions.
Irdeto provides conditional access systems to broadcasters, including the first one implemented for mobile broadcasting services.
This DVB-H solution offers one way of watching television on a laptop. Wired and wireless broadband networks provide another possibility.
Once analogue signals are switched off and the power of digital terrestrial television transmissions is increased, watching ordinary free-to-air television on a laptop or portable media player is likely to become a much more practical proposition.
All of which could limit the appeal of watching television on a mobile phone.