Mobile DTV Forum Stepping Up Role in Mobile DTV Deployment

Rapidly Expanding Membership in New OMVC Group Includes Key Wireless Industry Players

LAS VEGAS — The Mobile DTV Forum, the newly established membership category of the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), is off and running with an aggressive agenda and significant early progress, already creating working groups on key Mobile DTV issues, selecting members of its Steering Committee and adding new member companies to its ranks.

The Mobile DTV Forum, which expands the OMVC’s membership base beyond TV broadcasters, was created earlier this year specifically to capitalize on the expertise of companies working on Mobile DTV issues.

Among the first initiatives of the Mobile DTV Forum is a new radio-frequency (RF) signal capture project that is designed to further enhance reception. This project collects and records relevant signals for manufacturers to use when designing new reception devices.

“We’re off to a great start with the OMVC Mobile DTV Forum, which has exceeded our expectations by rapidly organizing working groups and attracting new members of exceptional quality with a real commitment to Mobile DTV deployment,” said VincentSadusky, CEO of LIN Media and president of the OMVC. “The involvement of more service providers and device manufacturers within OMVC will help to speed the deployment of Mobile DTV services, since we’re working directly with the manufacturers who will bring Mobile DTV reception into the hands of viewers,” Sadusky said.

Sadusky said that Forum members are engaged with broadcasters to understand all aspects of testing and future development for Mobile Digital TV, and that Forum members will have access to data from OMVC’s new “RF Capture” program.

Under the leadership of Jay Adrick, Vice President of Broadcast Technology for Harris Corporation, who was elected chairman of the Mobile DTV Forum steering committee, the group works closely with the OMVC’s Technology Advisory Group and reports to the OMVC board of directors.

“The Mobile DTV Forum has established working groups on Mobile DTV device requirements, station availability cataloging, system development, and testing and certification. Based on past experience with TV broadcasting, each of these elements will be critical components to a successful deployment of a nationwide Mobile Digital TV service,” Adrick said.

In addition to Harris Corporation, other key members of the Forum Steering Committee include LG Electronics, Dell, Samsung, NBC Universal, and Sinclair Broadcasting. The Forum’s newest members include Neustar, Nagra, Hauppage Computer Works, Rentrak, MobiTV, Siano Mobile Silicon, and Rohde & Schwarz.