Samsung Mobile US today announced a forthcoming demo and consumer trial of the new Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) Mobile Digital TV standard. The Samsung Moment - an Android phone currently available on Sprint in the US - will be showing off a new Mobile DTV chip in a demo at CES this week and a near-term consumer trial in Washington, DC this Spring.
From the press release:
“We are delighted to include the Samsung Moment as a key device to be used by Sprint customers during the Consumer Showcase in Washington DC this spring. Mobile DTV technology will allow DC area consumers to watch their favorite live programs with instantaneous access to local news, weather, emergency information, and of course their favorite entertainment programs broadcasted by eight local TV stations,” said Brandon Burgess CEO of ION Media Networks and President of the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC).
The OMVC is actively promoting mobile digital television technology within the U.S. broadcast industry to achieve widespread market penetration in 2010.
Mobile TV is a big deal in some markets across the globe, but has been more or less a yawnfest here in the US. A lack of real Mobile DTV standards and technologies has been partially to blame for that, but there's also the part where US consumers are used to hundreds of channels, HD video and audio quality, and timeshifting DVRs powering their viewing experiences. Personally, I could see a quality Mobile TV option coming in handy for sports and other live events, but beyond that I'd just as soon TiVo my programs and watch them at home on a big screen without worry of draining my phone's battery.
What say you? High quality Mobile TV: Exciting? Yawn? Great if it's cheap? Sound off now, and we'll try to get you some hands-on coverage of the demo later this week from Vegas.