Nov
With smart phones and tablet computers like iPad becoming more common in the marketplace, mobile television has become a popular service. People use these various devices to watch digital shows that are broadcast on the public networks or available from a cable network subscription. In addition, options exist for individuals to download and store movies and television shows for later viewing on the device. With the world becoming increasingly mobile, the ability for people to access these shows when time permits helps to attract viewers and earn additional income for the networks. Since the introduction of the first mobile TV, the Microvision, in 1977, the broadcasting industry has undergone tremendous changes.
The path that technology has taken to the current moment was not an easy journey. The first mobile TV devices took a lot of effort to create and were very expensive. The average consumer was typically unable to afford such a device. In addition, the wireless signals needed to access much of the programming available was not in place at that time. The introduction of 3G networks and mobile phones paved the way for progress to be made in mobile viewing. South Korea and Japan were early adopters and continue to establish the baseline for other countries to implement.
Many different cell phone manufacturers have undertaken initiatives to offer video streaming from various products. While hardware is needed to view the media, a mobile device needs to have the appropriate operating system to be capable of playing the video. Also needed is a sophisticated software application to play the content. This is where the cable companies come into the picture. Thanks to the release of the XFinity TV app by Comcast, users can download and install this app on a multitude of portable devices. The user can then subscribe to various cable networks and watch favorite shows on the go, regardless of the location.
The process that enables mobile streaming is based upon the digital and satellite transmissions that networks have created. Without this existing infrastructure, mobile devices would not be able to receive data that is sent via signals. While the various access methods will vary according to the manufacturer of the phone and the network used to send the signal, terrestrial signals are becoming the leader within the industry. This technology provides better reception on a consistent basis. Users don’t have to worry about lagging streams and unwanted interruptions during the show. Despite all of these advances, challenges still exist in providing quality video to users.
For the companies that design and create various mobile devices, the biggest challenges are in the limitations of the technology. Streaming audio and video over a network requires a lot of processing power. For hardware, this means a large amount of power and memory. Batteries can only store a limited amount of energy before the component needs to be recharged. The current memory chips available for mobile devices cannot withstand long hours of viewing. The software used for peer to peer streaming has not been developed sufficiently to use with this mode of data transmission.
For the providers of media content, the problem lies in the length of traditional shows and movies. Smaller episodes are one way that apps, such as the XFinity app that Comcast created, can utilize the resources available. Until these various shortcomings are resolved, users will either need to learn to accept limited viewing abilities or watching shorter shows and movies. Regardless of the final outcome, the future holds bright prospects for both the creators of streaming media for mobile devices like iPad 2 and the users that demand this video content.
This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Broadband Expert where you can find cable providers like Comcast in your area and compare prices on different deals for your wireless internet necessities.
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