Too bad there’s no payout to the tens of thousands of fans sweating in the stands, let alone the millions around the world who will glued to their TVs, laptops, a whole slew of mobile devices. So what if you can't afford the flight to Rio or the hat or the t-shirt or the entrance fee? With the largest, most competitive, most exciting, most testosterone-charged event of the year, if you can’t make it to the World Cup, the next best thing, is to watch it live wherever you are. 

But enough about me. I wonder if the world’s largest televised event is going to hold its weight – its data weight, that is. Remember back to when Obama was sworn in as President? It was the most watched event on the planet since we landed on the moon back in the 60’s – but lo and behold, the online streaming crashed. Everyone wanted to be part of history in the making, but the boys at WWW just couldn’t handle the pressure or the gazillion gigabytes of data that swept the airwaves. So I missed Barak Obama and I was upset. And then I was really upset.

Like many of my peers, I wondered if indeed the same thing would happen next month when every man, woman and child will be glued to their screens to witness the greatest goals on earth. Rio is going to be shouting out words we’ve never heard before. It’s going to be mega exciting, glamorous, colorful, you name it – but is it going to crash in the middle of FIFA 2014’s opening ceremonies? I figure if I’m not at home with the Mrs. watching in the living room or down at the local pub screaming profanities with my buddies and hooked to a giant screen, then all that’s left is unreliable Internet streaming and if that’s it, then maybe I should pack it in and fly to Brazil.

There’s been a whole of action bubbling in Latin America these last few months. First it was the carnival in Rio. Now it’s the FIFA games in June. And all the while, in the limelight, there’s been a little rumble, a little noise – and it’s been about Brazil’s big boom into DVB-T/ISDB-T TV. Yup, seems you can tune in to local television broadcasts, the digital kind, and watch them free of charge on a tiny little TV receiver – straight to your mobile device – and it’s even HD.

Going to the games? Nada. Not me. I’m bringing the games right into my bedroom or my office or my very own back yard. All I need is a good lounge chair and a nice, cold brew. 

Ever since 1910 when Marconi figured out what to do right, radio has not lost its footing or its allure. But now, it’s digital radio that’s thriving, replacing much of the AM-FM transmissions as we know them. With the adoption of DAB+ technology in Europe as the standard for digital radio, more stations and services have become available. What is curiously interesting is that for radio’s longtime rival, the television, the move from analog to digital TV has been seamless in most world regions. But whereas the majority of the world has moved to digital TV, radio has been left in the dark.

Deemed far more superior, digital radio excels in signal characteristics, sound clarity and cost. Digital radio signals are better able to withstand interference compared to analog radio signals, and it takes analog signals much longer to degrade than digital. My point is this: Analog still has some really good stuff. For one thing, it’s free but it includes commercials. Satellite radio plays very few commercials, but there's a subscription fee and you must buy a satellite specific receiver. Traditional analog receivers can stream only AM/FM stations. To hear HD radio, you need an HD specific receiver. Now, digital HD receivers can play both analog and HD radio stations. How’s that for technology?

Radio’s mobile future is hybrid, integrating the benefits of both broadcast and broadband worldwide. It’s going to have to be a veritable mix and the engines are out there with receiver chips that support both - chips that can handle analog and digital terrestrial radio. Imagine the impact that the bundled support of public service and commercial radio will have on car makers, mobile networks and smartphone operators? A growing number of radio stations in the U.S. are hybrid, broadcasting in both analog and digital formats. Still, U.S. radio stations which broadcast only analog signals are much more prevalent than radio stations that broadcast in both.

Digital radio is the only contender in the ring, boys. Here’s the digital deal: there’s a lot of extra content, free to air radio on my mobile phone, longer battery life, more bandwidth for everyone since live radio won’t consume any, and at the end of the day, it’s a handy pocket device that will always deliver. But mark my words, 10 or 20 years down the road, hybrid radio will be the last man standing in the ring.

Now, if you happen to be a resident or if you’re just passing through, I can assure you that DVB-T2 is gonna rock your world – your… digital mobile world. And if you’re lucky, it might even cause a commotion on the shores of Koh Phi Phi. Once up and running nationwide, high-quality digital mobile TV will be available anywhere – anytime, as accessible as a bottle of suntan lotion and a tall Mai Tai in Phuket.

DVB-T2 didn’t just show up. It happened as part of the natural order of things. Thailand is a modern, digitized nation with its own unique culture and a carefree people famed for their smiles. Back in 2012, Thailand was the optimal market to kick-start APAC’s digital revolution, vying for first place in laying its analog TV to rest. The "Go Digital Thailand" project, initiated by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), selected DVB-T2 as the standard for Thailand's digital television broadcasting.

As a result, by June, half of the country's 22 million TV-equipped households will be able to watch public and commercial channels on digital terrestrial television. What’s more, over 100 billion baht is spent on Thai TV network advertising every year. With DVB-T2 in place, Thai audiences will be able to view programs from up to 48 channels. The 48 digital outlets will comprise 12 community channels, 12 public channels, and 20 commercial channels; the remaining four will be high definition TV.

And from the living room, DTV will spread like wildfire to smartphones and tablets galore. DVB-T2 offers the best transmission efficiency on the market, and it supports SD, HD, UHD, mobile TV, or any combination thereof. It’s the world’s most advanced digital terrestrial television (DTT) system, with DVB-S and DVB-S2 in just about every country in the world. It targets not just roof-top and set-top antennas, but also PCs, laptops, in-car receivers, radios, dongles, and a whole bunch of other receiver devices.

Did I mention that DVB-T2 also saves marriages? I just about cancelled our honeymoon in Thailand in June, as I really didn’t want to miss out on Brazil’s FIFA World Cup. But thanks to DVB-T2, I don’t have to. Better go run and tell my fiancé. 

According to the report, Future of Television – Media & Entertainment, viewing audiences aren’t willing to park themselves in a recliner just to be entertained. Seems they’re toughening up and demanding television experiences that are interactive, mobile and tailored to their needs and interests. The future of the squawk box now rests on the relationship between content and viewer, or what EY refers to as “compelling content tailored to an audience of one.”

Enter Mobile Digital TV (MDTV), a market that’s going to reach over 120m mobile and portable DTV devices by midnight tonight. MDTV’s huge following is led by Japan (70m), Korea (10m), Europe (15m), China (20m), LatAm (18m) and the rest of the world (10m). With mobile device use skyrocketing, beyond any and all predictions, and with more consumers watching TV on their mobile devices than on stationary TVs, the market is simply ‘stuck’ on cellular and ultra-portable applications, especially smartphones, tablets, and P-DVDs.

Best news ever, is that you no longer have to be plugged in, tuned in, or even turned on. And the growing success of mobile digital TV is proof of that. We're seeing that DVB-T2 is making headway in Thailand, Europe and South Africa. This means quality HD content on the go! And that MDTV in South Africa (and neighboring countries) is no longer a passing phase – it's for real and it’s here to stay – with mega growth predicted in 2014. There’s a huge increase in demand in LatAm driven by the World Cup and Rio’s 2016 Olympics. And we're seeing MDTV in Mexico, who have waved goodbye to analog to usher in digital service nationwide.

Now that every man, woman, and child are sporting their own device, all that’s left is to provide rich mobile TV content. As our mobile devices hold more, do more, weigh less and cost less, we are going to be glued to news, sports and entertainment programming as never before. Plus, we’re going to indulge in fun toys for our mobile devices, especially smartphones and tablets, with WiFi bridges and other dongle products for mobile TV viewing.

So really, what have I learned in 2013? I’ve learned that if you have a pulse, you have a mobile device. And if you have a mobile device, you will want mobile TV. And if you have mobile TV, you will demand quality programming. Whether on your commute to work or enjoying your morning coffee, you’ll be hooked to your mobile device and so will I. I will end 2013 in the comfort of my armchair, smartphone cradled in the palm of my hand. And that’s just how I’ll welcome in 2014. Well, I might just switch channels. It will be a Happy New Year. But don’t take my word for it. You can watch it on TV.

Let’s just say that the $34.99 billion “menu” is what the media has been calling “record breaking,” and this is because of the huge increase in people watch online TV and video in the privacy of their homes. In less than five years, an expected 520 million homes in 40 different countries will watch online TV and video. Big business? You betcha’. It’s a haven for advertisers and it’s a big boon for mobile device makers too. It’s the pods, the pads, and the phones that will be replacing the big screen in our living rooms.

All these facts and figures are from the recent “Online TV and Video Forecasts” report from Digital TV Research. It’s a radical look at our industry and how it’s bubbled over and progressed in just the last few years: a massive increase from the $3.98 billion in 2010 and $15.94 billion expected by end 2013. Then comes the boom and we’re ready for it. Much of the growth, says the report, is that key players are not only expanding, they’re all partnering with each other, becoming simply big, rich and powerful – all at once.

It’s mostly the OTT (Over The Top) market sector that pulling its weight – its heavy weight. People are paying for subscriptions and demanding their money’s worth. Netflix and the like, reign supreme but they’ve also opened up new avenues for digital TV broadcasts on the big (living room) screen and the small (anything mobile) screen. So with revenues in the billions and audiences in the hundreds of millions, the market’s pretty much proven that TV is here to stay. It’s a money maker for anyone who’s willing to jump in and it’s a medium that will be a mainstay in our daily lives – forever and ever. Till death do us part. Amen.

As my colleagues and I bask in the glory of mobile digital TV, of late, making some significant growth and noise in the U.S., the findings in this report really do – fit. It’s a pretty straight-edged vision of how television will unfold, unravel, and yes, take over every inch of everything we do.

With everybody coining the phrase “TV everywhere” – have we paused for a second to define just where this ‘everywhere’ is? We know what TV is, but when we weren’t looking, somebody removed it from our living rooms and put it on device platforms, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, iSTBs, game consoles, Blu-ray players, and PCs. Those of us in the business – rejoiced.

TDG says “The future of TV is an app.” They really know their stuff. Anyone in the mobile broadcast TV business will tell you that apps are the big window to the even bigger world of mobile broadcast TV. Digital broadcast television is free and cleaner and sharper than ever before and it’s available to the masses. What could be more attractive than cutting the pay-cable cord, saving megabucks and tuning in to high-quality, free TV.

“Planet of the Apps” indeed. What we’re going to see are smartphones, tablets and Androids at the front of the line ushering millions of users into the app store. We used to stand there and gawk at all the products on our retailers’ shelves. But today, most of us, especially my young children, can pick (n’ choose) and download their own apps without needing my permission or my credit card.

Our mobile devices are revved up. We’ve got our icons all in a row… And our apps are primed for earth-moving, mind-blowing mobile TV. We’re all ready, but what about the TV industry? Are they “app’d” to go? I don’t foresee a struggle here. I see a peaceful transition but that the shift over to TV via app will have some implications for the TV industry. As has already happened in other non-TV video categories, standalone hardware devices and services will be put out to pasture by fast-growing ecosystems of devices, apps, and developers.

According to TDG, by 2020, the app ecosystem will extend to the net-connected devices that link to TV sets. Users will have unlimited choices for “App TV” but TV content providers will have to learn how to make great apps, not just great shows. Boy, am I in the fastest-changing business on the planet or what? Want the answer to that? Swipe your finger on the screen and you’ve hit gold.  

I think we’ve been so intent on getting digital over-the-air signals onto our smartphones and tablets, that we’ve ignored one of the fastest-growing mobile TV markets on the planet – India. By end 2013, India is expected to overtake China to become the world's largest mobile market. We will witness a total mobile subscriber base of over 1.160 billion. Enter Doordarshan. Known as “DD” to the locals, they’re a colossal public service broadcaster and part of the largest broadcasting organization in India. And they’ve just jumped head first into mobile TV.

DD provides TV, radio, online and mobile services and have expanded its mobile TV service to smartphone, tablet and laptop users in 50+ major cities. Digital video broadcasting (DVB-T2) services will be running rampant by year end. There’s great potential for mobile TV, especially for sports and Bollywood’s film-based content, a multi-billion dollar industry. Since users are not keen on paying for subscription-based services, the adoption of live, free-to-air broadcast TV will quickly attract those one billion mobile users… on the move.

Consumers in India are already primed and ready for culturally-relevant content and services. Operators have started offering a variety of services, including local broadcasts, social networking, matrimonial services, astrology, mobile radio, and religious programming. Next up? Watching Wimbledon or the Tour de France – live on your mobile device – at a bus stop in Bangalore. 

Just how high? Well, from less than 1/3 of homes at the end of 2012 to almost half by the end 2013 – and 84% by 2018, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. There will be over 100 million digital TV households in Latin America. That’s the entire southern hemisphere full of digital TV addicts!

This is great news for anyone in the mobile digital TV receiver chips and products business – the ones that pop inside or attach to/connect to mobile devices, smartphones and tablets. These same 100 million people who love their TV and quality content like sports, news, soap operas and religious programs, will devour the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics – both of which will ‘consume’ all of LatAm. We won’t even have to market mobile digital TV in LatAm, because soon, everybody across the continent and the world will demand to view these huge sporting events – live on their mobile devices.  

On the flip side, it’s cable operators in LatAm who haven’t been bitten by the DTV bug. They’ve been slow to embrace the benefits of digital TV, and instead of giving praise, they see DTV as a real threat. With 14 million digital cable subscribers on board between now and 2018, what have you got to fear?

It will be win-win and it will be soon. LatAm is primed and ready for digital broadcasting on fixed TVs in the home. That’s fact. High-quality digital content in the home means demanding that same content on mobile devices, tablets, and smartphones. That’s fiction. I predict that MDTV will transform TV viewing forever in Latin America and everywhere on our planet. That’s fate. 

Wave goodbye to the wires that once propelled our lives. Nowadays, if it’s not wireless, it ain’t worth it.  

What did we do to deserve this? We launched wireless to get us to talk to one other on our big, oversized, heavy mobile phones. That was cool. For nearly two decades, we’ve been yacking non-stop and it’s been great.

But of late, for chipmakers, it’s not survival of the fittest – it’s survival of the wireless. Seems like those of us who make receiver chipsets for a living, might have to adopt a little M2M. That’s machine-to-machine and some say it will change the world. In a word, it’s hardcore wireless communications that does not require a live human in the mix.

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month, Qualcomm showcased a coffee machine that would turn on right from your tablet just cos the chip inside told it so. Global wireless stuff is linking computers, tablets and phones, but now it’s also connecting your home’s ceiling fans to vacuum cleaners to intercoms while you’re flying over the North Pole.

We’re going to miss the days when a phone was just a phone. Today, our mobile devices talk to us. They sound alarms, ping us to pick up the kids, direct us to the closest gas station open after midnight, and we can get the evening news – broadcast live in the back seat of our SUV. These things still require a little T-L-C and a real live finger to swipe a screen.

I’m not willing to give all that up - yet. “But hey, can ya speak up, cos my PC just turned on my washing machine, blender, and my DVD – oh, and there goes the dog. 

Bill Niemeyer, TDG Senior Analyst and author of a new TDG report, states, “We estimate that 65% of US households will own tablets at the end of 2017 and the average number of tablets per household will more than double from current levels”… “This will create major new opportunities and challenges for content providers, TV networks, multichannel operators, and advertisers. These companies need to be actively exercising their tablet strategies now, not later.” (Source: http://tdgresearch.com)

And indeed, they do. In our own interaction with vendors, broadcasters, and other TV ecosystem players, we sense a growing interest in anything related to mobile and TV. It started when content providers defined their presence in the mobile space by launching their own applications. Just about every TV show, TV station, and content aggregator already have or are working to achieve a strong app store presence. And the focus is usually “on-demand” VOD content or a library of programs you can search through and watch.

Well, we feel there’s still something missing with this ecosystem. There’s something missing from the end-user’s perspective. For most TV viewers who are not techies, there’s still room for improvement. And why? Because as massive a variety there is out there and however comprehensive that content is, it usually lacks the basic characteristics of the ‘true’ TV experience: AGGREGATED, LIVE and LAID BACK!

Lining up the big, branded national broadcast channels as they are, all in one spot, just as we’re used to viewing them on our TVs is possible in some cases, but it’s certainly not the direction of most mobile apps, and it’s not at all easy for TV consumers:  

AGGREGATED – While there are aggregation apps out there, much of the high production value content from vertical content providers and content brands, just isn’t there, or it’s packaged in a vertical app. Content providers want to directly engage end-users by harnessing what the new value chain delivers. This means that it’s not always easy to find the channel you want and then switch channels when each one has its own app. If you normally zap between 5 channels during an average viewing session, imagine how user “unfriendly” this would be if you had to zap between 5 apps.

LIVE – Finding live, event-based content isn’t easy. Most of the popular, high-rated cultural and sporting events are just not on the apps to for real-time viewing. The reason is simple. The big money is still sitting on that legacy medium called broadcast TV. What we usually get when opening video apps on our Androids or iOS devices is a VOD library that we can choose from and watch on demand. Sure, it’s great – but it’s not the same thing…

LAID BACK – You know, it’s that physical but also emotional state of mind one gets into when watching TV – and you just can’t get that on most apps. Sure, they provide search and a huge variety of content and you can sort anything by genres. But that’s exactly the problem. Most apps are loaded with features that demand your attention and at the same time, take you out of that great mental state - laid back, thinking about nothing, just effortless enjoying watching TV.

Back at Siano, we’re at the final delivery stage of our new Meron device, getting it ready for global distribution.

Before Meron, we went to market with Carmel. So after 12 months of development and field testing and 6 months of active consumer use, we now have a pretty good idea of why Meron works. It’s a user-friendly, easy-to-use accessory that really delivers TV (as we know it) to the apps’ environment. Meron not only brings content to mobile devices as so many other apps do – it does so without forcing end-users to change their viewing habits. They get the same TV and free-to-air broadcasts and channels they know and love, with the packaging they want to (live) and in an aggregated, laid-back manner. So, yes, video is moving over to tablets at lightning speed, and Meron presents a really cool way to turn tablets… into TVs!

Let’s assume that to ring in the New Year you’ve convinced yourself you need an iPad. That is, of course, if you don’t already own one. Then alongside your purchase comes some other trendy and pretty much “fun” things. These are what I like to call “Padding-Your-iPad”. That’s right. It’s all one word. It’s the moment when you and probably your loved ones decide which iPad accessories are an absolute must-have.

First, there’s the iPad dock that lets you use your iPad while it’s upright. This way, you can shoot video, take photos, play music, send and receive email, and browse the web while grilling a steak. Then there’s the iPad keyboard dock or alternatively, a wireless keyboard. The keyboard dock combines an iPad-optimized version of the no-keypad keyboard with a sturdy dock base. But if you prefer, you can get a wireless (Bluetooth) keyboard. And if you’re not sure, well then, just buy both.

Now, let’s throw in a 10w USB power adapter. After all, at some point, you’ll want to seek out an electrical outlet and plug in. There’s an iPad camera connection kit. Your new friend doesn’t come equipped with a camera, but it does support all kinds of cool graphics. Next, you can add a mobile digital TV (MDTV) accessory to turn your iPad into TV on-the-go. It doesn’t need an Internet connection and you can watch lots of free-to-air TV stations. We’re not done yet. For dessert, you’ll need an iPad case and I mean not just a cover – a convertible pop-up table stand that can match your eye color or your favorite designer sweater or be embossed with your family crest.

As for me, I haven’t quite decided what I want for Christmas this year. But maybe it’s not up to me. The tablet rise to fame can be easily explained. Tablets are new and tablets are hot. And you know what most kids want for Christmas this year? About half of U.S. children aged 6-12 surveyed by Nielsen say they want a full-sized iPad and 36% want an iPad Mini. I guess I’m going to be leaving lots of “padding” in my kids’ Christmas stockings.

It seems like I just got off the plane from CES in Las Vegas earlier this year and no less than a minute later, I was whisked off to IFA in Berlin. IFA is a large and colorful consumer technology show that has often been hailed the “European CES”. I remember when IFA was for IT geeks (like me!), but of late, it’s taken a turn towards those fun, innovative and “just gotta have ‘em” gadgets, making IFA Europe’s leading Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances show with a pretty savvy guest list.

The gurus and the noisemakers were all there. This included all the big manufacturers who donned their Sunday best for the duration of the show, pulling out all the stops. This meant showcasing new products due for release – many of which were launched at the show. Needless to say, it was all overwhelmingly… wow! And when I caught my breath, I cascaded over to some of the bigger players in mobile TV.

What was clear was that mobile TV could be the force that is driving watching live TV down. Despite the obvious, you could see that broadcast TV is not going away anytime soon. Content on-the-go is going strong. According to a recent industry report, we simple folk spend close to 35 hours a week watching on-screen content – reams of stuff on various screens at home, on the train, in the office and even at the zoo!

And if that’s not enough, we spend another 5 hours using the Internet, not to mention those of us who live and breathe this business and are connected 24/7. It’s no surprise that through all this, mobile TV viewing continues to surge, not submerge. While tablets and smartphones are the devices of choice that inform and entertain us, we cannot survive without TV on tap.

Up until I walked through the pearly gates of IFA 2012, I thought TV viewing was just another American pastime, but boy, was I wrong! On Sept. 20^th, the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), the group promoting Mobile DTV in the U.S., held an event in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the “commercial launch” of the technology and demonstrate devices that receive over-the-air broadcasts. Whoa… Mobile DTV – here comes papa!

Imagine, for example, what it would have been like for people to have been able to watch on their cell phones live the rescue of these guys.

But times were different then, and the industry was simply not yet mature enough to have been impacted.

Things have changed.

These London Olympic Games are expected to illustrate dramatically how the coverage of sporting events is evolving.  That much is clear, especially to those of us in the industry who are seeing so many technological developments announced surrounding the Games.

I just received an email with a bunch of TV-related stories focusing on the London Games, and there was one story that really jumped out at me because of how it supports what I have believed for quite some time.

Take a look: Telemundo Media Plans More Than 173 Hours of Olympic Coverage

The article states that "More than 200 hours of Spanish-language digital video will available to authenticated subscribers, including all of the network's on-air broadcasts and the live-streaming of trials involving Hispanic athletes."

This combination of streaming and broadcast, providing the largest amount of content to the widest audience possible, is a key factor in the development of the mobile DTV market.

The idea behind it is that broadcasters and consumers do not have to choose between broadcast and streaming.  This is not PC versus Mac here.

It's an evolution of content delivery that will result in everyone winning at the end.

But for me, as a boy growing up then, it was all about sports.  And for someone who cares a lot about sports, there is nothing like the Olympic Games.

I still remember 1988.  Flo-Jo was the queen of track and field. Greg Louganis ruled the diving pool. And, well, for the United States basketball team, things did not go as planned.

But I saw none of it live, because those Games took place in Seoul, South Korea, which is on the other side of the globe. And back then, it took a lot to be able to watch an event live – on my terms.

Times and technology have certainly changed, but the challenge of watching a key sporting event when and where you choose still exists.

In less than two months, we will all turn our attention to the 2012 Summer Olympics, taking place this year in London, UK.  And, via streaming video, we will all be able to watch the events from our iPhones, Androids, tablets and other devices that were not even thought of back when I was growing up.

But watching the events via live broadcast TV on our mobile devices is still not a reality for much of the world, and certainly not for the United States.

But progress is being made.

Siano just launched this week Carmel, a cool accessory in the Israel market that connects directly to iPads and iPhones to enable high-quality live broadcast TV. Orange is offering it, and here's what Arik Elster, the company’s director of end-user equipment and product development, had to say about it:

“We’re very excited about offering Carmel to our customers. We know that Carmel will deliver, especially as we gear up for the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2012 Olympics in London. Now, Orange customers will be able to enjoy these and other global events anywhere and at any time.”

And I intend to, just like I always wanted to as a child of the 80s and 90s.

So what happened and why am I so enthusiastic?

I guess it makes sense here to break down the answer into two sections, what happened with Siano and what else happened at the show.

First, Siano. We met with top – and I mean TOP! – device manufacturers who are ready to speak with us about integrating our chipsets into their devices this year.  We met with industry groups that are moving full-steam ahead with automotive products, as well as more expected devices, such as dongles and smartphones. We met with Mexican and Canadian representatives, and were pleased that things are moving along nicely north and south of the border as well.

So for Siano, it was a strong show, and we like the momentum we are seeing.

But when you look at the larger industry, things become truly exciting.

Here are two sample data points:

1. Anne Schelle, Executive Director of OMVC, said that MDTV will reach almost 80 million U.S. households in the next twelve months.

2. CBS-owned TV stations have decided to join the Mobile 500 group, which is a major step, considering that CBS wasn't into the whole MDTV thing for a long time. Here's what CBS Television Stations president Peter Dunn had to say: "The advent of digital television has been great for viewers and we are pleased to support these initiatives with the hope that they will help us to do an even better job of serving our audience through the delivery of our broadcasts to mobile devices."

This is great news for the industry.  It looks like the North American market is finally gaining the momentum we have expected.

Buckle your seatbelts!

A number of broadcasting companies have quickly moved to sue Aereo, a startup that aims to stream broadcast HDTV content. The broadcasters are attempting to prevent the service from launching, accusing the startup of copyright infringement and asking judges to order an injunction to block the service before it becomes available to the public.

Read more: http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/03/01/all.major.nyc.broadcasters.involved.in.suits/#ixzz1o8n2lS7h

SCENARIO #2:
A family sits down to dinner and turns on the TV. The 14-year old flips from station to station until his sister says, "Hey, let's watch this. I've heard it's funny!" 

SCENARIO #3:
"Kids, your father will be watching the TV tonight from 7:30-10:00. There’s an important game on."

These are familiar to anyone who has grown up in the last three generations.  Television is both a destination and a part of the background of our lives.  Sometimes, we know what we will be watching before we turn it on. Other times, we have absolutely no idea what we will watch, but we're confident that we'll find something.

Today, the trend is heavily on the side of content being viewed on alternative screens, such as tablets, computers and even smartphones. IPTV and Over-the-Top (OTT) content is becoming more and more popular, and VOD is no longer an unusual form of content delivery.

And ever since video has become prevalent and accessible via the Internet, there is an assumption – based on the buzz surrounding sites like YouTube and Facebook – that the new paradigm for video content consumption is search-based only.

But that's simply not the case. Users might time shift more than before, stream more, and even use more mobiles for watching VOD content, but the fact is that many watch more TV than ever before. Sometimes, people want to watch something that is only available on television, and they don’t want to have to spend time searching for it. They just want to lay back and rest after a long day at the office. Moreover, there is a heavily invested, high-quality content delivered to us via our beloved channels. High-quality series and live events that are simply only… there!

Throw into the mix the blazing-fast move to mobile that we are all seeing, and you have a bit of a challenge. How can we provide consumers with the programming they want on the platforms they want at the times they want to watch it?

Because one thing is clear: Consumers want live channels and right now, there aren’t enough of them available on the internet and via mobile – not yet.

Obviously, it all starts with figuring out a way for live broadcast content to be provided on an ongoing basis via mobile devices. Of course, the question here is whether the broadcasters allow this to happen. Will new innovative attempts arise – such as Aereo succeed in bridging the gap between live TV and the internet? Or is it doomed to be killed off before it’s even gotten started, until profound business models allow live TV broadcasters to provide it themselves?

What do you think?

Feel free to let me know at guyh@siano-ms.com

We recently visited the Telematics show in Munich, the event attended by just everyone associated with the automotive communications industry. 

So we figured that many car manufacturers would be there, but my goodness, we were surprised by how varied the telematics ecosystem is.  And it's gratifying to see how the industry is readying itself for MDTV.

So what did the event teach us about MDTV?

Well, let's take a look at what the overall trend in the market is, specifically Infotainment.   For example, I was recently in New York and spent a bit of time in the back of a taxi sitting in horrible traffic (You may have heard that there is traffic in New York from time to time.). Now, normally, a taxi ride in New York is occupied by looking out the window at all the interesting and sometimes bizarre things the city has to offer.  But this day was different, because there was a monitor on the back of the front seat (bench) with television news playing … or so I thought.

In actuality, it was a running loop of about five minutes of news.  For most people, that's enough time that it will seem like it's live, but for someone like me, sitting in traffic, it was an "opportunity" to watch the same news report about eight times. 

But …

With MDTV in place, it would not be a running loop.  It would be live television, and the passenger could even select what channel s/he wants to watch. 

So ironically, whereas the current system reminds the rider that the traffic is wasting enough time that the video loop has restarted, a new system – with MDTV – would help pass the time in a more relaxing way.

To paraphrase an old Hollywood song, That's Infotainment!

But obviously, infotainment doesn't work as well in passenger cars, at least not in the front seat. 

So we are looking at taxis, buses, subways and trains much more than cars.

Going into CES, where we expect a lot of the device manufacturers to be showing their latest in MDTV development, we will be interested to see if they are on the same page as the Telematics industry.

We look forward to seeing you there in January!

And certain markets have already proven to be solid, led by Japan, China and certain countries in Europe.

But we’ve all known that the industry would only see its potential realized when the U.S. took off.

To date, that has not happened. Of course, there is no reason to panic, with more than 70 MDTV stations already up-and-running in 30 cities around the country.  But that seemingly decent-sized “pilot program” is only a hint of what is to come.

So, what is the key?  When will the U.S. hit the big-time in MDTV?

Well, let’s just say that it will be a Happy New Year for the U.S. MDTV market for one very clear and very important reason.

On December 31, NBC and FOX will be turning on the switch for their MDTV content, and that date will signal MDTV officially turning the corner in the U.S., as those two networks will drive the industry’s growth.

But following that milestone, what can we expect next?

Accessories.  There will be an initial phase of MDTV-enabling add-ons for tablets, smartphones and other devices.  And then, a few months after that, things will get really exciting, thanks to the launch of MDTV-integrated devices.

What’s really cool is that all this is going to happen in the next 12-15 months.

Now, that’s not to say that the U.S. is the only market worth watching in 2012. For example, Siano is still strengthening our position in other key markets, such as China, where we hold a 50% market-share today.

To that end, look for a new CMMB product from us in China in the next six months (Not to worry. While the product is new, the form factor and pin-compatibility is as our existing product.). 

I’m excited about the next 12 months in the U.S., but I’m no less excited about the rest of the world, where MDTV continues to grow and grow.

With the advent of real smartphones and tablets, it is clear what the "must-haves" are.  And it is clear that everything is moving very fast.

Of course, we at Siano are right in the middle of the action, in terms of where technology is going, with our focus on mobile digital TV (MDTV).  After all, one can only play Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja for so long.  Eventually, people have to move on to other applications.

And for that reason – among others – the MDTV space has gone through more in the last 12 months than in the previous six years, and I'm very excited about what the next 12 months are going to bring.

And that is why I decided to start writing this blog.

Over my seven years in the industry, there have been successes and failures.  Some markets are ramping up very nicely, while others are not moving as quickly as we had all expected.

• Latin America – clearly destined to be a key market – has not matured as fast as people expected.  We expect that growth in the next two to three years
• China – also a major market – is ramping up as expected, but there are other important considerations playing out there that deserve a closer look
• And, of course, there is the U.S.  And there is a lot to say about the U.S.

So keep your eye on this space, because I'll be addressing all the key issues – and some of the controversies – in the MDTV industry.