Las Vegas — At CES this week, things are kicking off here in Vegas. Looking for a little live TV on the go for your iPad? Well, the Open Mobile Video Coalition alliance is presenting a slew of new mobile TV devices, and as long as you stay in the right coverage area, you will be able to receive live broadcasts delivered directly to your Apple mobile device with the Tivizen iUS-100 receiver from Korea-based Valups.
The show floor itself goes live tomorrow, but electronics manufacturers have already started up with all of their announcements and unwraps showing off all of the new hardware for 2011.
Just like over-the-air HDTV at home — Mobile Digital TV is a digital broadcast standard designed to allow compatible receivers to display TV channels and will be coming to iPhones, iPads, cars and standalone devices this year as dozens of gadgets and new channels roll out to the general public, Open Mobile Video Coalition president Anne Schelle said.
The Tivizen iUS-100 will be available in June for $99. (Credit: Valups)
Here is one gripping gadget: the Tivizen is a device manufactured by Korean company Valups which via a small tuner plugs into the iPad’s dock connector, and along with a free app, allows for the iPad to receive digital over-the-air broadcasts of television. The Mobile DTV accessory, which also works with the iPhone and iPod Touch, is scheduled to ship in June for $99 and will have a free companion app at launch.
That is pretty handy — banking on standards and availability, you should be able to watch most major broadcast channels in large US metro areas directly on your iPad. All of the tablets, TVs, and plug-in devices will grab signals from existing broadcast stations that have agreed to commence broadcasting in the special mobile format. At mdtvsignalmap.com, the coalition lists dozens of cities where at least a few channels will be available on the new system.
The Tivizen is priced at $99, which puts it in line with something like the EyeTV. The “direct-connect” Tivizen receiver is bundled with a rechargeable battery and offers 2.5 hours of Mobile DTV playback. So, if you have been searching for a way to watch a broadcast show you can not otherwise see, specifically on your iPad, the Tivizen might be just what you are looking for.
Other gadgets exhibited at CES include:
- LG has a prototype Mobile DTV phone which can receive coupons over the air, and a 7-inch tablet that can receive and show 3D signals from local TV stations.
- Cydle has a $149 iPhone dock, available this spring, that charges an iPhone while transmitting it Mobile DTV shows.
- Valups has a plug-in adapter called the Tivizen which attaches to an iPad, iPod or iPhone to play TV on the device. It’s expected in June for $99.
- Several manufacturers have hand-held or standalone Mobile DTV devices, including RCA 3.5-inch and 7-inch TVs that receive both standard TV and mobile TV signals. They will be available later this month.
View Slideshow (here) Courtesy: (PCMAG)