[MLB-WIRELESS] RE: TV via IP

Sun Mar 30 20:57:40 EST 2003

http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/communications/story/0,2000024993,20271681,
00.htm

Transit TV takes a wireless ride

By Jeanne-Vida Douglas, ZDNet Australia

31 January 2003

Using a mixture of GPRS and 802.11B technology, Sydney-based company Transit
Video Enterprises has launched a new bus-based medium for entertainment and
advertising purposes.

Called Transit TV the service will deliver news, weather and sport updates
to commuters in state capitals along the east coast of Australia by July
2003.

According to Transit Video Enterprises general manager Jeremy Way, 50 trial
units have already been rolled out onto Sydney buses, as the company
attempts to gauge the public's response to the initiative.

"Each unit consists of a ruggedised LCD screen and a purpose built
ruggedised industrial PC," Way said. "Media files will be downloaded via a
802.11B wireless LAN while the busses are in the depot overnight, and static
pages containing news feeds, weather and sports updates will be relayed to
the units throughout the day via a GPRS network."

Specialised content will be drawn from the Seven Television Network and News
Limited, and Way believes the trial period will offer a chance for Transit
Video Enterprises to work on the right mix of content. Audio associated with
the images will be provided via a low-powered FM service broadcast within
each bus - similar to the service currently provided in gymnasiums
throughout the country.

"Over the next 12 weeks we will be looking to survey the public to get the
programming right," Way said. "Content is the key to making the project
work."

Way said similar projects have been rolled out in Singapore and Hong Kong -
however, the Australian-developed Transit TV technology is the only to rely
so extensively on wireless technologies for the delivery of the content.

"We are on track to roll the units out onto a further 650 buses in Sydney,
Melbourne and Brisbane by early third quarter this year," Way said.

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If it's encoded in IP,  the ABA stays away...

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