No doubt, tech innovators and vendors in the telecom world are always at their toes to bring king-size entertainment in consumer's hands. And DVB-H, or Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld is a technology with an enormous potentiality to turn the entertainment world upside down. The European Union's choosing this technology over other mobile TV broadcasting technologies/standards for its member states in March this year vouches for it.

Tech Aspects
DVB-H is a combination of conventional digital video and IP meant for smaller devices. DVB-T or Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial was upgraded to become feasible for handheld devices that do not have the required battery life to make DVB-T reception a viable option for consumers. So a new solution called DVB-H was born. It has the maximum compatibility with DVB-T systems and networks apart from the ability to receive up to 15 Mbps in an 8MHz channel and in a wide-area single frequency network at high speed.

Through its time slicing technology, based on the principle of time-multiplexed transmission of different services, data packets are transmitted in bursts, allowing the receiver to be switched off during inactive periods, thus saving power by up to 90%. Simultaneously, inactive receiver can be used to monitor neighboring cells for seamless handovers. With the DVB-H having 4K mode, a middle path between high-speed small-area 2K SFNs and the slower larger-area 8K mode, greater flexibility for network design is achieved.

Forward error correction helps achieve more robust broadcasts in DVB-H. In this method, the receiver recognizes the data that contains no apparent errors.

Advantage DVB-H
An important advantage of this technology is its compatibility with DVB-T infrastructure components. This factor helps reduce initial investments. The time slicing technology is an important USP of DVB-H for battery power longevity. Apart from this, efficient use of bandwidth enables up to fifty-five mobile channels.

The fact that 270 plus broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, software developers, regulatory bodies, and others, in over thirty countries, had become cheerleaders by September 2007, exhibits its potential to penetrate in India as well.

Unlike most digital services that are delivered via cellular network, DVB-H uses specific air interface exclusively meant for broadcasting. It enables real-time broadcast instead of broadcast streamed over network, and facilitates clear voice calls, which may be affected if streaming happens over network, reducing the network capacity for voice calls. This technology also is facilitated with faster frames per second viewing (25-30 fps), providing users an enhanced viewing experience.

The combination of a DVB-H reception and mobile network connectivity can simultaneously facilitate interactive TV-related services such as voting, polls, gaming, and e-commerce. These advantages mean an opportunity to rake in the moolah for carriers and an enhanced user experience for consumers. With the worldwide mobile TV market projected to grow $27 bn by 2010, DVB-H will certainly have its own share in India too.

Kannan K
kannan@cybermedia.co.in