Motorola demo's Linux-based DVB-H handheld

Motorola has announced a personal media player (PMP) and related broadcast transmission equipment based on the emerging wireless TV broadcast standard, DVB-H (digital video broadcast, handhelds). The Linux-based Mobile TV DH01 handheld will enable the viewing of live, on-demand, and recorded programs, says Motorola.

Along with rivals such as Nokia, Samsung, and LG, Motorola already sells phones that offer live TV playback. However, because they are not optimized with a technology such as DVB-H, the quality is lower and the phones quickly use up battery life as they struggle to process video. Motorola joins Nokia as a major backer of the IP-based DVB-H, which is optimized for 3G-enabled handheld displays, and which broadcasts data in bursts to accommodate battery-dependent devices (more on DVB-H below).

Motorola's Mobile TV DH01 is smaller than a paperback novel, says Motorola, and will enable live or recorded DVB-H playback at 25fps (frames per second), indoors or outdoors. It boasts a 4.3-inch screen with 16 million colors, an SD slot, USB, DVR capability, and support for numerous video and audio codecs. Based on "non-proprietary" Linux, the device is said to support open standard interfaces across devices, networks, and application service platforms.