Comments on: Just give up on mobile TV http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/ Life on the last frontier - mobile app development. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:38:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Kevin http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9034 Kevin Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:49:22 +0000 http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9034 I think the difference is that portable TVs were dedicated to one purpose (which, in any case, they did poorly), so they weren't worth the effort or cost. While I believe there's a use-case for on-demand mobile TV (people use their iPods to watch video, after all), I don't think current technology can make it good enough for the masses. I think the difference is that portable TVs were dedicated to one purpose (which, in any case, they did poorly), so they weren’t worth the effort or cost.

While I believe there’s a use-case for on-demand mobile TV (people use their iPods to watch video, after all), I don’t think current technology can make it good enough for the masses.

]]> By: Richard Marshall http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9033 Richard Marshall Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:49:20 +0000 http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9033 The BBC service in question was the broadcast one in Oxford, so it wasn't even subject to bandwidth considerations. I just don't think there's a good use case for mobile TV. As Jeremy says, small portable TV sets have been available for years, yet they have never sold in any volume or been in any way mainstream. Why should mobile phones be any different? The BBC service in question was the broadcast one in Oxford, so it wasn’t even subject to bandwidth considerations. I just don’t think there’s a good use case for mobile TV.

As Jeremy says, small portable TV sets have been available for years, yet they have never sold in any volume or been in any way mainstream. Why should mobile phones be any different?

]]> By: Kevin http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9032 Kevin Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:56:14 +0000 http://www.richard-marshall.com/wordpress/2008/07/31/just-give-up-on-mobile-tv/#comment-9032 Given the lack of decent un-metered data packages, it no surprise that viewing figures were so low. Thankfully, this appears to be changing. The article I read on this suggested that T-Mobile represented the largest proportion of viewers, and this could tie directly to their clear and well-publicised web'n'walk data package. If so, it indicates people are interested in mobile video when the conditions are right. Still, I've yet to have a rewarding experience watching live-streaming video on a mobile phone. It's blocky, stalls regularly, and the sound is barely discernable on my phone. I live around 1km from my transmitter in an area that's sparsely populated, so I consider my 'bandwidth' conditions to be optimal, yet I'm still unable to get a quality streaming service on 3G. Therefore, I don't believe that the technology, handsets or networks, are capable of delivering mobile TV. I'd much prefer efforts to be focused on developing decent mobile web services - learn to walk before we try to run. Given the lack of decent un-metered data packages, it no surprise that viewing figures were so low. Thankfully, this appears to be changing. The article I read on this suggested that T-Mobile represented the largest proportion of viewers, and this could tie directly to their clear and well-publicised web’n'walk data package. If so, it indicates people are interested in mobile video when the conditions are right.

Still, I’ve yet to have a rewarding experience watching live-streaming video on a mobile phone. It’s blocky, stalls regularly, and the sound is barely discernable on my phone. I live around 1km from my transmitter in an area that’s sparsely populated, so I consider my ‘bandwidth’ conditions to be optimal, yet I’m still unable to get a quality streaming service on 3G.

Therefore, I don’t believe that the technology, handsets or networks, are capable of delivering mobile TV. I’d much prefer efforts to be focused on developing decent mobile web services - learn to walk before we try to run.

]]>