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Frank Eory
Streaming content from a mobile to the big TV is only of minor interest. Far ...
Nez
I think DIAL is just an easy to launch an app on mobile phone to control the TV. ...
MediaTek sets 2013 digital TV design agenda
Junko Yoshida
1/29/2013 2:01 AM EST
DIAL: 'Killer app'
MediaTek, however, wants to go a step further. The company believes the ace in the hole in popularizing such a multi-screen scenario rests on DIAL, an emerging open protocol that’s been quietly developed by Netflix and YouTube.
DIAL, which stands for “discovery and launch,” enables second-screen apps on smartphones. The technology can discover DIAL-ready first-screen devices (i.e. smart TVs) in the same network and launch apps on them--without requiring a manual launch or pairing process by the user.
Hsieh called DIAL a “killer app” to bring multi-screen usage to a living room.
To be clear, DIAL does a lot more than mirroring content displayed on one’s smartphone or tablet to a large-screen TV. Its virtue is in filling in the gap between the first and second screens.
According to DIAL’s website, the group describes differences in a user experience--with or without DIAL--when you discover a video on your mobile app and want to play it on your connected TV.
Without DIAL
1. Launch the apps menu on your TV with the normal remote control
2. Navigate to the TV app
3. Launch the TV app
4. Navigate to the pairing screen on TV app
5. Launch and navigate to the pairing screen on Mobile app
6. Input 9-digit pin on Mobile app.
7. Tap the Play on TV button on the Mobile app
With DIAL
1. Launch the Mobile app
2. Tap the Play on TV button on the mobile app
In sum, with DIAL, the Netflix app on your phone, for example, will automatically discover that there is a device with a Netflix app connected to your TV. It fires up that app, making the magical connection just happen.
Next: Faster boot time
MediaTek, however, wants to go a step further. The company believes the ace in the hole in popularizing such a multi-screen scenario rests on DIAL, an emerging open protocol that’s been quietly developed by Netflix and YouTube.
DIAL, which stands for “discovery and launch,” enables second-screen apps on smartphones. The technology can discover DIAL-ready first-screen devices (i.e. smart TVs) in the same network and launch apps on them--without requiring a manual launch or pairing process by the user.
Hsieh called DIAL a “killer app” to bring multi-screen usage to a living room.
To be clear, DIAL does a lot more than mirroring content displayed on one’s smartphone or tablet to a large-screen TV. Its virtue is in filling in the gap between the first and second screens.
According to DIAL’s website, the group describes differences in a user experience--with or without DIAL--when you discover a video on your mobile app and want to play it on your connected TV.
Without DIAL
1. Launch the apps menu on your TV with the normal remote control
2. Navigate to the TV app
3. Launch the TV app
4. Navigate to the pairing screen on TV app
5. Launch and navigate to the pairing screen on Mobile app
6. Input 9-digit pin on Mobile app.
7. Tap the Play on TV button on the Mobile app
With DIAL
1. Launch the Mobile app
2. Tap the Play on TV button on the mobile app
In sum, with DIAL, the Netflix app on your phone, for example, will automatically discover that there is a device with a Netflix app connected to your TV. It fires up that app, making the magical connection just happen.
Next: Faster boot time
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ChipConnoisseur
1/29/2013 6:43 AM EST
No VP9 support? Disappointing.
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junko.yoshida
1/29/2013 1:09 PM EST
Correct. With no VP6 blessing from the world's leading consumer chip company makes me skeptical of VP6 future.
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rick.merritt
1/29/2013 12:53 PM EST
DIAL doesn't sound compelling to me, but I can imagine someday we will get to easy and interesting ways to share related content on devices in proximity in the living room and the public square (with digital signage and handsets).
Meanwhile, it looks like Taiwan has its Broadcom in Mediatek.
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Bert22306
1/29/2013 9:33 PM EST
Thanks to MediaTek, we just might finally get some reasonable smart TVs. Most of what I read in this piece sounds great.
But I'm with Rick.
I don't so much dispute that some handheld gadget to TV content sharing is a good idea, for certain content. What I utterly fail to understand is the notion that TV manufacturers would capitulate to Apple or anyone else for a "discovery and launch" of Internet TV content.
As to DIAL per se, I suppose it's intent is to avoid having to use that short range 60 GHz "wireless HDMI" link, between handheld gadget and smart TV. So it allows the TV to initiate the same Internet sessions as the handheld, slaved to the handheld, but not by a simple uncompressed high capacity video/audio link. So the Internet strteams go directly to the TV from the broadband modem and WiFi (or other) internal network link.
Mostly to that, I say bah. Just design the smart TV smartly. Do that discovery from the TV. Use some imagination and creativity.
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Nez
1/31/2013 4:42 PM EST
I think DIAL is just an easy to launch an app on mobile phone to control the TV. The streaming is still from internet to TV directly, not from phone.
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cedricfau
1/30/2013 11:28 AM EST
Twonky already does what DIAL is expecting to do thanks to DNLA protocol ...
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chanj
1/31/2013 1:45 AM EST
Netflix-Samsung UHDTV collaboration might be a sign of better proliferation of UHDTV. A partnership between TV makers and movies production company will certainly give a strong push.
There is always a solution to get better resolution - interpolation. I'm sure various TV makers are looking into it if they aren't already using the technology to improve the picture quality.
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Bert22306
1/31/2013 3:53 PM EST
Interpolation would be required to get normal SDTV or HDTV content onto UHDTV sets, certainly. But I don't think this creates more "resolution." Because the information content has not changed. So you get a smooth-as-glass image, but no more actual detail.
There are algorithms to enhance such interpolated images, edges mainly, so perhaps that could be called enhanced resolution. Although it's manufactured, not real.
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Frank Eory
2/4/2013 11:31 AM EST
Streaming content from a mobile to the big TV is only of minor interest. Far more interesting would be the ability to stream content from my cable DVR to a tablet or smartphone.
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