[opendtv] TSC Looks to Future With Mobile DTV

The new twist described in this piece is work on enabling ALL of the 6 MHz 
channel to be used for ATSC M/H. Well, that would sure kill off any thought of 
OTA HDTV.

This looks like a tactic for broadcasters to hold onto their OTA spectrum, 
showing that they too can reinvent themselves to fit into the trendy new mobile 
hand-held market, even 100 percent. Seems like one heck of a challenge to 
MediaFLO, potentially.

(Oh, except there's no monthly fee. People won't like that. Must add the 
monthly fee to be taken seriously.)

Bert

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http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/89660

ATSC Looks to Future With Mobile DTV
by Jerry Whitaker, 11.02.2009.

The landmark ATSC Mobile DTV Standard has been completed. Following a final 
vote of approval from the ATSC membership on October 15, the long process to 
develop a comprehensive standard to address the need for a mobile digital 
television service has reached completion. As broadcasters announce plans to 
roll-out this new technology, the ATSC has launched new work designed to extend 
and support the ATSC Mobile DTV Standard.

ABOUT ATSC MOBILE DTV

ATSC Mobile DTV is built around a highly robust transmission system based on 
vestigial sideband (VSB) modulation coupled with a flexible and extensible 
IP-based transport system, efficient MPEG AVC (ISO/IEC 14496-10 or ITU H.264) 
video, and HE AAC v2 audio (ISO/IEC 14496-3) coding. The new services are 
carried in digital broadcast channels along with current DTV services without 
any adverse impact on legacy receiving equipment.

In addition to live television, the ATSC Mobile DTV system provides a flexible 
Application Framework to enable new receiver capabilities. Receivers that make 
use of an optional Internet connection will enable new interactive television 
services, ranging from simple audience voting to the integration of 
Internet-based applications and transactions with television content.

A SCALABLE FULL-CHANNEL OPTION

Looking forward to new applications and services beyond traditional television 
broadcasting, work has begun on an extension of the ATSC Mobile DTV system that 
enables use of the full-channel bandwidth for mobile services. This new project 
was approved by the ATSC Board of Directors in June and assigned to TSG/S4.

The work is intended to add increased capacity in a scalable manner up to 
complete channel bandwidth usage. The Scalable Full-Channel Mobile Mode (SFCMM) 
technology will provide additional operational options for use of A/153. The 
existing A/153 (Core Mobile Mode, or CMM) requires a minimum of 4.7 Mbps to be 
transmitted as conventional 8-VSB. SFCMM, on the other hand, could scale 
capacity up to the total available from the channel.

Requirements and compatibility with existing devices and systems include the 
following:

The emitted SFCMM signal must be compatible with the A/153 (CMM) emitted signal 
so as to allow receivers designed for SFCMM reception to be able to also 
receive A/153 (CMM) signals.

A CMM-compatible portion of the emitted signal from a SFCMM system must be 
capable of being received and decoded on a CMM receiver.

Like the current A/153 (CMM), emission of the SFCMM must not have any adverse 
impact on existing and future receivers deployed to receive ATSC A/53 DTV.

Work on the scalable full-channel system is underway in a new subgroup of 
TSG/S4, known as S4-5. This group is led by Jordan Cookman of Microtune. The 
first step in this process was to develop a Request for Proposals (RFP), which 
was issued on October 7.

TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE

In an effort to address certain infrastructure issues relating to ATSC Mobile 
DTV implementation, the ATSC has formed a Specialist Group on Transmission 
Infrastructure (TSG/S5), led by Art Allison of NAB. TSG/S5 is working to 
develop a broadcast station infrastructure communications standard, and related 
informational documents (as needed). The work will be coordinated with SMPTE 
whenever the possibility of overlapping responsibilities warrants such liaison.

Current efforts are focused on developing appropriate documentation to 
facilitate transport of standardized ATSC Mobile DTV data and metadata across 
various studio-to-transmitter links (STL). Because of the pending roll-out of 
ATSC Mobile DTV services, this program is on a fast-track to completion.

MOBILE DTV RECOMMENDED PRACTICE

ATSC recognized early on in the development of the ATSC Mobile DTV Standard 
that implementation guidelines would be beneficial to broadcasters and 
equipment suppliers. TSG/S4 and its subgroups are working to develop a 
Recommended Practice on ATSC Mobile DTV. This document is being written by the 
same experts that developed the standard itself.

Although no firm timeline for completion of the RP has been set, work is 
expected to stretch into next year as implementation experience is gained from 
stations placing ATSC Mobile DTV systems on the air.

Work within ATSC is open to all organizations with a direct and material 
interest. If you would like to be involved in this ongoing work, please contact 
the author. The ATSC Mobile DTV Standard document set will be available shortly 
from the Standards Page on the ATSC Web site: www.atsc.org.

Jerry Whitaker is vice president of standards development for the ATSC. You can 
reach him via TV Technology.
 
 
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