A number of wireless industry leaders announced support today for the DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld) standard, at the National Association of Broadcasters conference. DVB-H is an open standard for delivering broadcast digital TV (DTV) to mobile devices such as smartphones and PDAs.

DVB-H delivers an improved end user experience over current video streaming services that utilize cellular networks and reduce network capacity for voice services, according to the DVB Project consortium. Trials are underway in the US, Germany, France, UK, Finland, Sweden, and other countries, with more trials expected to launch later in 2005 and throughout 2006.

The consortium predicts widespread roll-out of DVB-H services starting in 2006 and continuing throughout 2007. In particular, multicast network operator Crown Castle Mobile Media intends to build and operate a dedicated DVB-H network in the US using 5 MHz of “vacant and unencumbered” nationwide spectrum acquired in an FCC auction, the consortium says.

Fabless semiconductor vendor DiBcom claims to have the first mobile DTV chipset based on the DVB-H standard. The DiB7000-H has already been demonstrated by Siemens in a fully functional mobile phone concept device, according to the company. DiBcom is offering a DIB7000-H reference design based on a Secure Digital (SD) memory card that can be used with devices running Windows Mobile.

Texas Instruments claims to have the first “single-chip solution” for DVB-H broadcast DTV. Code named “Hollywood,” the device uses DRP (Digital RF Processor) technology to achieve the “lowest power, smallest size, and lowest cost,” TI says.

“Without an open ecosystem in the mobile digital TV marketplace, revenue opportunities, innovation and services to consumers will be restricted,” said Gilles Delfassy, senior vice president and general manager of TI's Wireless Terminals Business Unit. “In large part this will be accomplished through wide industry support of open standards such as DVB-H at every level of the wireless ecosystem, including partners and competitors alike.”

European electronics giant Siemens demonstrated a Linux-based DVB-H receiver at CeBIT last month.

 
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