AT&T CruiseCast in-car satellite TV service launching this Spring

Mobile TV hasn't even taken off in the cellphone market, but it's already looking to take another sector by storm. AT&T has announced here at CES that its CruiseCast in-car satellite TV service will be launching this Spring, and we're told to expect 22 channels initially and 20 sat radio stations to boot. Not surprisingly, the system will set you back somethin' fierce: it'll cost $1,299 for the kit and $28 per month for the service. From the start, the channel lineup will include Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network Mobile, USA, MSNBC, CNN Mobile Live and CNBC (among others), and you'll be required to install a three pound 11.3- x 10.3- x 4.3-inch antenna on the roof of your vehicle. Oh, and if you're looking for a little test drive before you buy in, Avis and Budget are expected to make it available in some locales for $9 a day or $63 per week.

[Via PC World]

[SCPO Kurt Nance @ Jan 11th 2009 10:33AM]

EGAAAAD !!!

[Scott @ Jan 11th 2009 1:21PM]

Why is the satellite shooting at the car?

PEW PEW PEW!!!

[jack @ Jan 11th 2009 4:55PM]

that's an awfully small suv.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jan 11th 2009 6:30PM]

Sirius XM "Backseat" service (which should have been booming by now) is TOAST! And if they (AT&T) offer radio, well there you have it. Mel, you got your merger so what the frack are you doing? Get me in their (make me VP of the backseat division) and I will help save your asses. I got TONS of unrealized ideas for that service. I CAN HELP YOU!!

[Flashpoint @ Jan 11th 2009 6:44PM]

Backseat TV, as well as most other Digital TV services all fail for the same reasons.

#1 Its too expensive

#2 you're limited to what they LET you watch (what if I wanna see porn?)


I think the most logical evolution of Cable TV should be that you should be allowed to sign in to your account with a screename and password wherever you go to watch content you have paid for. Therefore, if you go to a friends house, you should be able to watch HBO even though your friend is poor and only has basic.

You should also be able to pay for optional tv in the car as part of your monthly home cable bill (for services who have it) this way you feel as if your getting the most out of your subscription.

[mrsalty @ Jan 11th 2009 10:39AM]

Those mountains remind me of eWorld. If you sign up for 2 years it's $499 for the device

[a ham sandwich @ Jan 11th 2009 10:38AM]

Whose satellites are they using? Is DirecTV in on this?

[tuaamin13 @ Jan 11th 2009 10:41AM]

But the dish will only be $599 after mail in rebate + 2 year contract at $35 a month. Roaming charges apply and service may not work in all areas. Close captioning is available for an additional fee of $.20 per line of text, or unlimited for $30/month.

/sarcasm

[r3loaded @ Jan 11th 2009 10:45AM]

Quick question:

Why the hell would anyone want this? Ever heard of portable TVs that pick up terrestrial transmissions (for free)? And what's wrong with counting yellow cars or playing I Spy to entertain the kids on a long drive?

[Erwos @ Jan 11th 2009 11:14AM]

Sure we've heard of them. Bad news is, ATSC is _not_ designed for mobile usage, and NTSC is going away in a couple of months.

[kirk @ Jan 11th 2009 10:48AM]

And whatever you do don't accidentally drive into Mexico or Canada and watch TV on it. An episode of Dora the Explorer will be $2,300.

[holycow @ Jan 11th 2009 10:49AM]

"$9 a day or $63 per week."
Why so redundant?

[kstrike155 @ Jan 11th 2009 10:51AM]

TracVision's been doing this for a while:
http://www.kvh.com/tracvision_kvh/

It has 185 channels, along with 70XM channels. It is 3 grand though.

[Pimp Lucious @ Jan 11th 2009 10:55AM]

The Siruis Backseat TV package is much more appealing and reasonable even if it only offers three tv channels, all for children. I would assume that they are the primary reason most would want this type of service anyhow. I personally use a 250GB modded 1st gen xbox crammed full of downloaded kids shows, movies and games for in car entertainment on long road trips.

[darkmax @ Jan 11th 2009 10:56AM]

Which country are you referring to? Mobile TV in Singapore and quite a few Asian countries, are wildly popular. Personally I ride to enjoy driving and the conversations with my passengers, not have them watch TV. It's far too distracting.

In Singapore, Mobile TV is available on public buses, personal cellphones and mobile computers. What's new?

[austin @ Jan 11th 2009 11:05AM]

america.
nobody uses it in america.

[holycow @ Jan 11th 2009 11:06AM]

AT&T, hence USA!

[bill cant fart @ Jan 11th 2009 11:14AM]

Why are they looking out the window when they have TV?

[holycow @ Jan 11th 2009 11:50AM]

someone probably farted.

[brandon @ Jan 11th 2009 11:55AM]

Wasn't me, dude

[Asha @ Jan 11th 2009 1:02PM]

They are looking out the window because AT&T doesn't want to show a bunch of dull faced kids starring at a tv screen.

This is going to kind of show my age, but, when I was a kid, we read books or played travel games or (god forbid) looked at the world we were passing. Everything doesn't need to be instant on.

[carpee @ Jan 11th 2009 11:15AM]

Just a pleasant way for the government to keep more tabs on where people are

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 11th 2009 12:59PM]

Sure, like anyone gives a shit to keep tabs on where you are

[Joseph @ Jan 11th 2009 1:06PM]

They've already implanted a microchip behind your ear. They already know everything they need to know and are now going to go bowling.

[ZeroCorpse @ Jan 11th 2009 11:57AM]

Yay! I can't wait to hear the first reports of a family killed because some jackass was watching Jackass on his dashboard TV while driving. Here we are, trying to outlaw people gabbing on mobile phones while driving, and AT&T is working on NEW and EXPENSIVE ways to distract people in command of 3 tons of steel & plastic.

I think I may stick to the sidewalks in coming years.

[Pretend Geek @ Jan 11th 2009 12:36PM]

Don't be such a downer. You are obviously supposed to stick your head out the window while driving so you are not distracted by the tv.

[Asha @ Jan 11th 2009 3:57PM]

It is certainly only a matter of time before we start hearing reports about car accidents that occur when idiots get the screens installed in their front dash board and then crash into *anything* because they were too busy watching Gilmore Girls instead of watching the road.
In the end, there will be years of stupid debates before they start banning in-car tv to prevent such incidents.

[solodragon @ Jan 11th 2009 12:02PM]

Don't forget that Sirius/XM (back when it was just Sirius) was already on track to bring Sat TV to the car. We'll see who makes it a reality first.

[etype2 @ Jan 11th 2009 12:44PM]

This is nothing new. Direct TV has offered this service for years. Almost all of Direct TV's channels are available for your car, RV, boat, what-have-you. You simply install a flat, compact dish on your vehicle and it auto tracks. The service is cheaper also (for the number of channels you get)

[Brian @ Jan 11th 2009 12:49PM]

if you lease a car and this is an addon, it won't be too terrible. I think a $600 addition to my car was only going to be another $10 a month, so $1300 would be $20.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jan 11th 2009 1:05PM]

I can imagine the number of accidents and pedestrian injuries this would cause if it should ever become widespread.
To walk on the street at the broadcasting time of a sport event or a popular sit-com would require exceptional courage or exceptional recklessness.

[noway @ Jan 11th 2009 1:15PM]

There aren't enough families that go on long drives anymore to make this feasible. This is aimed at the soccer moms to placate the brat in the backseat. But little ones will watch a DVD thousands of times. Why get TV for a 20 minute drive, just pop a DVD in and you're good to go. This service will fail.

[Asha @ Jan 12th 2009 12:45AM]

That depends upon if the true market ends up being children. It wouldn't be all that hard for an individual to either find a shop willing to install the screen in the front dash or to do it themselves. This way, you can catch the beginning of that hockey game or your favorite tv show on the way home from work.

[Joshua @ Jan 11th 2009 1:41PM]

I will stick with evdo, a laptop, and slingplayer

[Primetime316 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:05PM]

I don't know. This could be interesting. I will have to wait for the long list of limitations that will be placed on it before jumping on it.

[BigD145 @ Jan 11th 2009 2:37PM]

Dwindling oil supply? What dwindling oil supply?

[whopper @ Jan 11th 2009 2:39PM]

this reminds me i recently flew delta and they had free dish network.it was awesome.

[LongshotX @ Jan 11th 2009 2:49PM]

Is TV really that important? Why not buy a DVR instead or watch DVDs on the road

[Primetime316 @ Jan 11th 2009 10:28PM]

I have had 7" screens in my suv for a couple years now. DVD's are fine but I also have Sirius satellite radio in there also. Recorded media is ok but it doesn't match real time media. Any dvd I may have in my suv is one that I've already watched at home. I'm not someone who likes watching the same thing over and over again.

[webterractive @ Jan 17th 2009 1:20PM]

Americans are pretty bad drivers is TV in a car really a good idea? I see these head on accidents, you've got to be really stupid to just keep on driving when there's a car coming your way head on.

[Steve235 @ Jan 13th 2009 11:51AM]

Can someone explain exactly how these antennas work? Regular Satellite TV requires a dish and that dish needs to be pointed in a precise location. How do these systems get around that?