TU Media launches first satellite TV service for cellphones
By Peter Rojas 
posted May 1st 2005 2:48PM
posted May 1st 2005 2:48PM
As usual it's the sort of thing that if we're lucky we might see over here within a few years (but probably
won't), but a South Korean company called TU Media fired up the first satellite
DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting)
service for cellphones today, offering subscribers seven channels of video and 20 channels of audio for about $13 a
month. So far the service is only compatible with two
handsets—Samsung's SCH-B100 and Pantech's IBM-1000—but
more are on the way. Our big question: how badly does watching satellite TV kill the battery on your phone?
[Via textually.org
DMB is actually not satellite based at all, so the headline and the original article are a bit misleading.
DMB uses the same low-level protocol as DAB (the digital radio standard that noone seems to use anymore...), with video extensions on top.
You are confusing satellite DMB with DMB-T, which is the terrestrial version of the service.
Read the article: "TU Media on Sunday started to beam the signal of satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) to cell phones for the first time in the world."
the samsung b100 is a satellite tv phone, so it makes sense that this would be a satellite service.
There are 2 variations of DMB, terrestrial and satellite. The one TU Media is using is satellite based.
Just FYI, they have both type of service in South Korea.
But really, who wants to watch TV on a phone?
I know I don't
Aparently, there is a market for them. It wouldn't be a wise investment spending millions on something people wont buy dont you think?
BTW, people said the same thing about watching DVD's on PC monitors back in the days. Their logic: "Who would wanna watch movies on such a small screen?"
Question: if the phone receives TV signals from DMB satellites, then wouldn't it also be able to send/receive audio signals to/from the satellites, thus making it compatible as a satellite world phone?
IMB-1000 is not a pantech's model. Pantech's DMB phone is not released. SK Teletech makes IMB-1000. Many phones are ready to accept DMB in South Korea.
Receiving signals from a satellite is one thing and sending a signal to a satellite is another problem. You now need a huge transmitter and a battery to match it. Plus there's the usual latency that you find with any 2 way satellite communication. And of course there's the problem with the line of sight, since satellite signals don't penetrate anything.
The guy with the comb over is funny.
I want a control room like that in my apartment...
why would i want to listen to dave matthews band on my phone?
actually, i've seen several of these in action and got to play around with one yesterday at the SK store...nice screen
it's actually not a bad idea. lots of koreans take the metro to and from work, so it's a good time saver/entertainer. (yes they get service underground on a train)
ps. it was the imb 1000 and it didn't use that stupid looking antenna in the picture slashdot uses...
its very convenience to people.
koreans student and salary man(worker) use dmb phone when they move to school or company, they watching news and educational program.
its already test to normal people.
and they can watching whole chanel just 13$ per month. but battery is not good at long time. i'll buy dmb phone. it costs may about 600$~ protain mp3, megapixel camera and so on.
its so cool.
Just what I've always wanted.. to pay $13 a month just to see television on a 1.5 inch screen.
aleksandar.medic@tsx.com