Broadcast Australia trials DVB-H mobile TV (Thomson)

Broadcast Australia is hosting a new trial of DVB-H mobile TV services at its Gore Hill site in Sydney. The 3-month trial, which commenced transmission on May 7, is collaboration between the three companies: Broadcast Australia, digital video solutions group Thomson Grass Valley, and digital content protection specialist Irdeto, the trial license-holder.

"This trial has a number of key differences from previous mobile TV trials Broadcast Australia has participated in," said Martin Farrimond, Broadcast Australia General Manager Mobile TV. "These include the Grass Valley DVB-H head-end and the Irdeto OSF-compliant digital access and content protection system, which is an alternative to the 18C based platform used in our previous trials. In addition, the trial will test statistical multiplexing, a technique that allows more services to be distributed in any given bandwidth, thus making better use of any investment in a mobile TV network."

Currently, users participating in the trial have access to five mobile channels, including Australian public service channels ABC, ABC2, and SBS, plus Turner's CNN and Boomerang. However, the line-up could change as the end of the trial, scheduled for July 31, approaches. (via: cellular-news)