By now, most Americans have heard that analog television's days are numbered. According to the FCC, it just takes up too much of the broadcast spectrum, leaving an insufficient amount of bandwidth behind for emergency services (or perhaps more importantly, advanced wireless offerings). So by Feb. 17, 2009, we're going all digital, and that's just the beginning. With so many new technologies emerging, the way we watch TV is changing both at home and in the car.
CURRENT IN-CAR TV
Old-school analog TV tuners aren't the most popular in-car TV options, but they do have their devotees. After next February, however, those faithful users will have the same problem as home users--they'll have to get new digital tuners. Luckily the gov is giving out free coupons at dtv2009.gov toward purchasing converter boxes for home use. Car audio manufacturers, however, still have to step up and produce digital tuners for vehicle use. Over-the-air terrestrial TV is great because it's free, but analog TV didn't work so well in a moving vehicle (if at all) and going digital won't change that.
In the U.S., satellite providers like RaySat or KVH can provide true, mobile in-car television. Subscription-based, just like your satellite TV at home, they provide gads of channels (i.e., everything you can get from Direct TV), all while you're cruising down the highway. You can also tack on wireless Internet so your passengers can surf the web while in motion. The downside, other than a hefty monthly fee, is the roof-mounted satellite antenna. If you don't drive an RV, SUV or minivan, you may hesitate to strap the obtrusive "dish" on your mid-sized sedan or compact car.
For a simpler satellite-based option, you could try Sirius Satellite Radio's Backseat TV. You need to have a Sirius Satellite Radio subscription and pay an extra $7 for this service. That's no problem. But when we say it's simpler, we do mean simple. Currently, Sirius only offers kiddie fare: Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel and Cartoon Network Mobile.
This last category isn't dedicated in-car TV, but if you mount your phone on your dash or check out its tiny screen in the back seat, services like V-Cast or MobiTV may work for you. Utilizing existing wireless data networks, these mobile TV services depend on subscriber fees (starting at $10) to provide a relatively wide selection of content. Wireless providers are predicting a growing market for handheld mobile television, which is already popular in Asia. But will we want to watch full-length TV shows on a tiny screen?
OVERSEAS INDULGENCES
Most tech-savvy Americans know about our crappy wireless state. Slow mobile Internet is one gripe, but we also have to pay for true mobile TV, whether in our cars or on our handhelds. However, countries like Korea and Japan enjoy free-to-air programming.China is one growing market that even has mobile HDTV. Fueled by rampant economic growth and a desire to go all out for this year's Olympics, China launched their version of mobile television last year. American company Legend Silicon helped develop the technology behind the Chinese broadcasting standard and the chips to receive high-quality television even in a fast-moving vehicle.
Numerous manufacturers have stepped up to take advantage of the growing Chinese market. The government is even outfitting their public transportation system and a fleet of cars to receive the free high-definition programming. So by the time the Olympics roll around this summer, commuting Chinese citizens and in-transit visitors alike can keep abreast of the action.
The question arises: Why don't we have that here? Different countries and continents have their own broadcasting standards. Europe uses DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting), Japan opts for ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial) and we have ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee). Broadcasters in some of these countries are also making mobile broadcasts using technologies with such acronyms as DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld) and T-DMB (Terrestrial-Digital Multimedia Broadcasting). Even if the technology exists and works in other countries, it first has to be tested and OK'd by the FCC before it can be enacted in ours.