We picked up another twist in the world of mobile video delivery networks in a story late last week announcing that Chrysler will soon be featuring the first ever live in-vehicle TV network, offering mobile video broadcasts from Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., called Sirius Backseat TV.

Steve Sechrist
Senior Analyst and Editor
Projection Monthly

Beyond delivering three kids channels (including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network) to a back seat video player using two small roof mounted antennas in new Minivans and other Chrysler cars, the technical delivery details are still a bit sketchy as we’ve received no call-backs yet on our requests from Sirius and Chrysler on just how this works.

On the radio side we do know that Sirius offers 120 audio channels, or programming feeds, and claims to have superior sound quality thanks to their statistical multiplexing technology that offers added bandwidth across the Sirius streams.

What is really interesting is just what this technology may portend for mobile video network build-outs from Qualcomm’s MediaFLO technology, CrownCastle’s Modeo systems and MobiTV - all delivering mobile video to cell phones. The first two require costly network construction in all major markets with multiple millions already invested in infrastructure-and looking to subscriber fees to foot the bill.

While "Backseat TV" should not be seen as replacement technology for mobile video hand held devices, it does tend to diffuse the market a bit, taking away one very good reason to pony up for those lofty additional subscription fees.

Add to this the current track record for mobile TV, which is less than stellar. In February, EE Times reported that mobile TV adoption was at a paltry 7% in popularity, next to last place among all existing mobile services, including gambling at 8% (see Display Daily 2-13-07).

We think the idea of yet another mobile delivery network, this one with international satellite coverage can’t bode well for the planners over at MediaFLO et al. For the mobile TV market to develop into a mainstream category, a convergence of technology, content, and network delivery must take place before consumers will sign-up en mass. Business models need to emerge that support this infrastructure build-out and pricing must be palpable to the consumer/viewer. Today’s news seems to be going in the other direction with the specter of a potential disruptive technology floating above our heads in geostationary orbit.