AT&T launches "Cruisecast" 22 Video & 20 audio channels

Fiberoptic · 11-04-2008, 08:28 PM

UPDATE 11-16-08 - mp3Car.com has done three video reports on this topic:

Interview with President http://vimeo.com/2176836
Interview with CEO http://vimeo.com/2219081
Drive Test http://vimeo.com/2227736

AT&T has partnered up with RaySat to deliver 22 high quality video and 20 audio channels to the back seat of cars. They have launched a working preview of their services at SEMA 2008 with a consumer delivery promise set for sprint of 2009. Anticipated monthly services fees are 28$

This is not the holly grail of a connected car, but AT&T has done a lot of hard work here that no other company has released yet.
Some juicy content deals appear to be done (full list below)

They have a relativity small Antenna
They have about a minute of data caching 'baked in' to allow for driving through parking garages short tunnels and other structures.

The reason why this isn’t so cool is there is no national or even local bidirectional link, which would allow for all of the services we have been dreaming of:

Mobile concierge.
Paid content, pay per view content.
Mobile Instant content gratification - I like this song or video, buy me now.

You can imagine that with AT&T’s network, these features will be on the roadmap.

Tomorrow we are taking a driving demo and will report on how you can install this in your car when it comes out. From the quick stuff I have read, this after market add on receiver product appears to be pretty easy to install in almost any car.

Content deals in place:
“Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network Mobile, USA, COMEDY CENTRAL, MSNBC, CNN Mobile Live and CNBC. Twenty satellite radio music channels will also be available at the launch.”

Fiberoptic · 11-06-2008, 11:51 PM

AT&T & RaySat kick off satellite service “CruisecCast” for the car. Mp3car interviews RaySat’s President, Winston Guillory in HD. In a three-part HD video interview, mp3Car interviews AT&T’s and Raysat’s “CruiseCast” executive team today.

We are going to kick this off this three-part interview with President, Winston Guillory. Later this week we will post the rest of the interviews with their Chairman & CEO as well as a drive test through the Vegas streets. The CruiseCast team was also kind enough to show us all the innards of their prototype hardware, which we will share with you later in the week as part 3.

[video:http://vimeo.com/2176836]

carlost1900 · 11-07-2008, 08:41 AM

This is great, but I am already streaming direct TV over my Slingbox to my carputer with a sprintcard. without the ugly satellite antenna.

Fiberoptic · 11-07-2008, 10:08 AM

If you have enough technical skills, which most of our forum members do, I can definitely see the advantages of using directv with a sling box:

Many more channels
Multipurpose communications device for the car (use 3g link for laptop, car, desktop)
No big antenna

If you have time to give us a paragraph or two with some pictures I will throw that up on the blog as a counterpoint.

GizmoQ · 11-07-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fiberoptic

If you have enough technical skills, which most of our forum members do, I can definitely see the advantages of using directv with a sling box:

Many more channels
Multipurpose communications device for the car (use 3g link for laptop, car, desktop)
No big antenna

If you have time to give us a paragraph or two with some pictures I will throw that up on the blog as a counterpoint.

Or a PCTV card and Orb.

Zogg · 11-07-2008, 02:00 PM

Streaming video from home over a datacard is great if you have reliable data service. If you are traveling it is easy to get out of metropolitan data coverage and get into cellular coverage provided by 3rd party cell companies whose data networks aren't as good as the big providers. It's happened to me many times.

That's when the AT&T system would be nice to have. Plus, it doesn't require the carpc to work, so when you're 700 miles from home and Windows decides to barf up, the kids still have their entertainment.

Z

carlost1900 · 11-07-2008, 06:43 PM

Well I drove from NY to New Mexico this summer and i would say i had very reliable service 90% of the time. anyway i do agree living in NY does help.

anyway heres the info on my carputer, i did the install in 2003
It's a VIA Nehemiah 10000 with 512mb ram and 120gb hardrive
running win XP and Road Runner with DigitalFX 4 skin
WinTV usb for radio and external XM receiver
also working steering wheel controls.
bluetooth logitech mini keyboard.

The internet access is via Sprint Cell phone.

Doing GPS (Iguidance)

This is CNN

a wider shot

The car is a 2000 Grand Prix GTP

Fiberoptic · 11-12-2008, 05:57 PM

An interview with the CEO here:

http://vimeo.com/2219081

Fiberoptic · 11-12-2008, 05:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by carlost1900

Well I drove from NY to New Mexico this summer and i would say i had very reliable service 90% of the time. anyway i do agree living in NY does help.

anyway heres the info on my carputer, i did the install in 2003
It's a VIA Nehemiah 10000 with 512mb ram and 120gb hardrive
running win XP and Road Runner with DigitalFX 4 skin
WinTV usb for radio and external XM receiver
also working steering wheel controls.
bluetooth logitech mini keyboard.

The internet access is via Sprint Cell phone.

Doing GPS (Iguidance)

This is CNN

a wider shot

The car is a 2000 Grand Prix GTP

Thanks a lot. When we get the rest of the SEMA coverage Done, We will post this as a counter point. Thanks again.

HiJackZX1 · 11-15-2008, 05:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by carlost1900

This is great, but I am already streaming direct TV over my Slingbox to my carputer with a sprintcard. without the ugly satellite antenna.

Same here, I think that little bubble is ugly. These people obviously dont car about how they make some1s car look. The one that DirectTV has is large, but thinner then this one. Also remember Sirius now has BackSeat TV which doesnt use that bubble, but I hear the channels are limited (only 3).

I bought a nice big 40 inch antenna.... but driving a SUV I had major issues with parking in my parking garage for work. I took it off (only leaving the base of the antenna) and still have 100% signal. I bought the EVDO Rev A 595U USB card, and slingbox rarely buffers. In the garage though I do lose signal, but I also loose HD and XM radio.

Fiberoptic · 11-16-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Same here, I think that little bubble is ugly. These people obviously dont car about how they make some1s car look. The one that DirectTV has is large, but thinner then this one. Also remember Sirius now has BackSeat TV which doesnt use that bubble, but I hear the channels are limited (only 3).

I bought a nice big 40 inch antenna.... but driving a SUV I had major issues with parking in my parking garage for work. I took it off (only leaving the base of the antenna) and still have 100% signal. I bought the EVDO Rev A 595U USB card, and slingbox rarely buffers. In the garage though I do lose signal, but I also loose HD and XM radio.

Buying a service like that and ditching it would leave you with a very expensive paperweight. I never really thought about the height issue, but you make a very good point.

Fiberoptic · 11-16-2008, 02:12 PM

From the blog - We go for a drive as the Cruisecast team shows us the guts of their prototype device and an example of their buffering technology.

http://vimeo.com/2227736

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