Mobile TV Coming to a Device Near You

On Friday, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) approved a standard for mobile digital broadcasts. The ATSC oversees United States television standards. The new standard will allow local television stations to broadcast to mobile devices such as laptops, handheld TVs, mobile phones, and in-vehicle systems on frequencies they already have. Other countries, such as South Korea and Japan, already have mobile TV. Samsung and LG helped make the standard happen by joining together and presenting the ATSC with unified specifications.

LG is said to already be conducting trials using the prototype GSM and CDMA phones in addition to a single-chip tuner (LG2160A). It will most likely ship in portable DVD players and other mobile devices sometime in 2010. Samsung also revealed a single-chip mobile digital TV tuner that is small and has enough power to work with mobile phones and smaller devices.

Some American consumers already have the ability to watch television on their Verizon Wireless and AT&T handsets via the FLO TV network, but FLO TV is a national service and is paid. Experts say the new technology will become a competitor for FLO TV. The ATSC hasn't specified when compatible products will be shipped but did say that about 70 broadcasters would have test signals set up by the end of 2009.