Sprint PCS on Thursday launched MobiTV, which, for a $9.95 subscription fee, will provide real-time programs from ABC, CNBC, MSNBC, Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel to users of the cell-phone service. Since only two frames are transmitted per second (versus the TV rate of 30 frames per second), video reception is jerky, although audio plays uninterrupted (except for reception lapses). Several wireless phone manufacturers are planning to release cell-phone handsets that will include a tuner that can receive transmissions from local stations over the broadcast airwaves.


Doesnt sound too wonderful right now, but it can only get better.

 

It is awesome. There are at least a dozen channels and for a small cellphone screen, not having 30 frames per second is entirely acceptable. Yesterday I was watching MSNBC while sitting on a plane waiting to take off and TV on my phone turned a lot of heads. And yes I got some interesting news and information, too.

You should try it. It's not as jerky and bad and it might seem because it's on a tiny screen but of course as soon as the network speed starts to increase over the years, you'll begin to see TV-quality stuff. So far, NOBODY else has cable TV on a cellphone, pda, or any other handheld device.

Sprint takes the lead....again. I'll post a short video clip if you wish to see what it looks like.

 

Yeah that would be cool if you could do that.

And I assume some of the secret new phones take better advanage of this?

 

It will work on the VGA1000, the Sanyo 8100, and most every Sprint phone coming out from now on. Go to Mobitv.com and you'll see some things.

 

What about my 5300?

 

txt based shit is good enough for me.

computer geeks know LYNX and PINE....faster than anything that's out right now....quick, did the job and simple......

 

Remember when I said the 5300 was old news?

I'll talk to them and see if they will include the 5300 since I think the screen size is the same as this new phone. But the 5300 has an older browser version and MIGHT be incompatible OR the older Qualcomm chipset in the 5300 might be the previous version which is TOO SLOW to process the video and audio together. Right now in the newest phones, the video pauses a bit now and again...but the audio is smooth.

I'll post something tonight for you to see.

 

How bout the Handspring Treo 600? That would be a great screen for video.

 

Damnit! I just made the switch to Verizon!

Oh well, TV isn't enough to make me switch, work on that network

 

I'll check on the Treo 600, too. Probably not.

Click here to view MobiTV video. Sorry the video quality sucks.

 

Yea, this is GREAT.

It’s bad enough worrying about the woman in the 5-TON SUV following me yakking on the phone and checking her makeup.
Now I have to worry if she’s watching OPRAH !!!

 

thats awesome

 

anyone else notice shawn REALLY hates SUV's and SUV owners?
i never heard anoyone hate it as much as him..i think he somehow managed to bring up how much he hates SUV's in the paris hilton thread...
j/k

 

btw, tv in my cell phone is VERY cool

ken, any thoughts on when we canadians can get it,,,and who will offer it first?

im on Fido...please say fido will get it

 

Fido is GSM. And GSM technology don't have the network speed (among other things) necessary to accomplish this. Gotta go CDMA (like Verizon and Sprint in the US), I guess that would be Bell Mobility (Sprint's Canadian partners).

Fotis and I have said this all along, with the next leap or two in technology over the next 10 years, you'll see the gap start to open up pretty good. Video phones, faster and cleaner PTT, security camera monitoring, megapixel cameras, plasma-like displays, mpeg caller ID....this list goes on. MobiTV is just a teaser.

 

excuse ME, but links is CLEARLY suerior to lynx, thank you very much

hehe

 

I think Samsung has a phone that does this already...just not sure of the service provider.

 

I want this so bad

 

Samsung showed me a phone 2.5 years ago that had a long, telescoping antenna that could receive network broadcast television (UHF/VHF). Never bought it. And neither did anyone else (service provider), thus it never made it to market.

With the receiver in the phone, the phone has to be heavy(er), it has to use an antenna, and the TV reception is prone to interference with the phone part. A much better solution is to use a high-speed network to "stream" the video to an existing phone. Cheaper, no extra parts, more channels, and best of all, we can charge for it.

In the near future, look for a multimedia player on your phone (similar to Windows Media Player or Quicktime) to play your movies, videos, and/or cable TV.

 

Samsung P705 is supposed to be out at the end of this year, it's the first GSM phone with TV and it looks just like a regular clamshell. Now who is going to be able to provide TV is beyond me, prob. no one in the states right away. So cheers to Sprint for bringing it here. Just thought there would be a bigger advertising campaign, I didn't hear a word about it and it seems like a big deal.

 

Wasn't quite the one I saw a few years ago, but the P705 is not a bad looking phone.

http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=466

 

All I want to know is when will we get some on our cell phones