LG shows first devices with mobile US TV
updated 09:45 am EST, Tue December 29, 2009
LG Lotus, DVD player to get Mobile DTV
LG today teased some of its plans for CES by showing the first two devices to use the new Mobile DTV standard for free over-the-air broadcasts in the US. Headlining these is a modified version of the LG Lotus messaging phone that adds an antenna and tuner to pick up live TV. Also on tap is a portable DVD player, the DP570MH, that will show as much as four hours of digital TV when on battery.
Other companies are poised to have Mobile DTV-aware products using LG's chips, including Dell notebooks, Kenwood in-car stereos and various unnamed companies.
Mobile DTV was designed by the ATSC group as a digital signal that could adapt properly to cars, trains and other fast-moving environments where regular ATSC TV would break down. Consequently, it uses little bandwidth as it depends on the H.264 video format and consumes so little power that phones can still muster reasonable battery life. Many observers anticipate it overtaking Qualcomm's rival FLO TV standard as, unlike FLO, Mobile DTV doesn't require a subscription.
