U.S. consumers have grown used to gadgets that do just about everything: surf the Web, check e-mail, play games, download music and even relay driving directions.
But in one respect, they lag behind what’s available in other countries, because they can’t pick up free digital broadcasts the way TVs can.
A portable DVD player by LG Electronics Inc. is the first gadget available in the U.S. that does just that, though if TV broadcasters get their wish it will be followed by many phones, tablets, PCs and in-car entertainment systems.
My colleagues and I had a chance to play with LG’s player in two cities and found that while compelling, the technology has a way to go before it’s likely to win over mainstream consumers.
LG’s $249 mobile player doesn’t pick up the exact same signals that TVs do. Instead, they pick up a new “Mobile DTV” duplicate signal, which some broadcasters have added to their towers. Depending on where you are, you could get news, sports, weather and a prime-time lineup — not to mention the commercials that accompany them.
Mobile DTV is available in 27 U.S. cities and counting, including major hubs such as New York, Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. It’s also in smaller cities such as Springfield, Mass. According to the Online Mobile Video Coalition, the group of broadcasters trying to help Mobile DTV catch on, the service is on track to expand to 60 cities this year.
The breadth of programming varies from city to city. The coalition says people should be able to find seven stations in Washington, for example, but just one in Denver. It expects more stations to be added nationwide in 2011.
For now, few gadgets can accept Mobile DTV signals. Although some phones sold in Japan, China, South Korea and Germany can play live…