DVB-H given Europe-wide approval

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 19th March 2008
Comments (13) Stumble
The DVB-H mobile video broadcasting system is now set for rollout Europe-wide, providing they can find customers.

The DVB-H mobile video broadcasting system is now set for rollout Europe-wide, providing they can find customers.

If you've been waiting for ratification before purchasing a mobile handset capable of viewing broadcast TV, then you're in luck: the European Commission has finally picked DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld) as the official Europe-wide standard.

The European Commissioner for the Information Society and Media Viviane Reding has said she hopes the decision will cement “certainty about the technology,” and encourage adoption of the technology.

The decision on the EC's part to endorse a particular standard shouldn't be underestimated: although the DVB-H was selected as the de facto standard for mobile TV broadcasting some time ago, many European member states are still on the fence as to which of the several conflicting technologies to adopt. This guidance from the Commission should push the whole of the EU in the same direction, meaning that devices purchased in one member state will be able to pick up broadcasts in any EU state. Which for a mobile device, is sort of a requirement really.

DVB-H is a patented technology, and the holders of those patents will be rubbing their hands with glee at the news of EC endorsement. Commissioner Reding has stated, however, that she expects the patent holders to abide to the “FRAND – fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory – principles” and make licensing costs low enough to enable “the wide adoption of the technology for the benefit of consumers.”

The big question that has yet to be answered is this: does anyone actually want broadcast TV on their mobile handset? Although there are advantages to the DVB-H system – unlike streaming video over a GPRS or 3G connection, it doesn't use airtime or rack up data transfer charges – I'm not convinced as to the benefits of watching my favourite shows on a 2” screen whilst I'm on the bus.

What do you think: will you make DVB-H a must-have feature of your next phone now it's a Europe-wide standard, or do you just use your handset to make calls? Let us know over in the forums.
Quote cjoyce1980 19th March 2008, 09:32
how the hell are the BBC gonna license this..............?
Quote DougEdey 19th March 2008, 09:35
Since it's coming over 3G or GPRS I'll assume that they check for a licenced IMEI number.


Hopefully this will be the incentive to scrap or significantly reduce the licence fee.
Quote Paradigm Shifter 19th March 2008, 09:38
Nah, of course the License Fee won't go down.

It might well go up a bit, though... :(
Quote quack 19th March 2008, 09:45
DougEdey hates the BBC.
Quote DougEdey 19th March 2008, 10:12
Quote:
Originally Posted by quack
DougEdey hates the BBC.

I don't hate them, I just wish they never hired Catherine Tate or made a lot of the new "comedy", stuff like Lilly Allen and Friends annoys me, so does Gavin and Stacey, Little Britain was OK for the first 4 episodes, then it was just repetitive, and the one that'll probably get me killed is that Ricky Gervais is not funny, neither is Russel Brand or Nick Grimshaw.
Quote atanum141 19th March 2008, 10:16
atlest the BBC have good cooking shows.
Quote cjoyce1980 19th March 2008, 11:56
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougEdey
Quote:
Originally Posted by quack
DougEdey hates the BBC.
and the one that'll probably get me killed is that Ricky Gervais is not funny, neither is Russel Brand or Nick Grimshaw.

I'm with you on that one, I just dont get them either and you can add the might boosh to that also
Quote Constructacon 19th March 2008, 21:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougEdey
and the one that'll probably get me killed is that Ricky Gervais is not funny, neither is Russel Brand or Nick Grimshaw.
Ricky Gervais' stand up comedy is actually pretty good. It's just his tv shows which suck.
Quote Phil Rhodes 19th March 2008, 22:15
The BBC is just a particularly extreme expression of the personality cults - or perhaps success cults - that exist in film and television at the moment. Tate is a good example - she's not particularly talented or funny, she's merely OK rather than "very very good", but she's had one hit show so she immediately gets hired onto every damn thing in the galaxy, regardless of whether she's suited to it or not. Which brings me on to another example. I guarantee you that the majority of people who are involved with Doctor Who are fully aware that Russell Davies is a talentless hack who would write embarrassing EastEnders, let alone major science fiction, but nobody will do anything about it because of the enormous cult of success.
Quote Hamish 20th March 2008, 00:44
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougEdey
Since it's coming over 3G or GPRS I'll assume that they check for a licenced IMEI number.
someone didnt RTFA ;)
"Although there are advantages to the DVB-H system – unlike streaming video over a GPRS or 3G connection, it doesn't use airtime or rack up data transfer charges"
Quote r4tch3t 20th March 2008, 01:47
Would be good for those who have to commute long distances, but for me, I need a new phone and texts and calls is all it needs to do. I wonder if you could use the "white space" to get more data on the go?
Quote Javerh 20th March 2008, 06:02
The patent-holder would be Nokia then. DVB-H was developed at Nokia's RnD - center right across the street from where I go to school.
Quote DougEdey 20th March 2008, 08:02
That was more of a bad wording actually Hamish, I meant that 3g.GPRS can be used to track users.
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