Called Transit TV the service will deliver news, weather and sport updates to commuters in state capitals along the east coast of Australia by July 2003.
According to Transit Video Enterprises general manager Jeremy Way, 50 trial units have already been rolled out onto Sydney buses, as the company attempts to gauge the public's response to the initiative.
"Each unit consists of a ruggedised LCD screen and a purpose built ruggedised industrial PC," Way said. "Media files will be downloaded via a 802.11B wireless LAN while the busses are in the depot overnight, and static pages containing news feeds, weather and sports updates will be relayed to the units throughout the day via a GPRS network."
Specialised content will be drawn from the Seven Television Network and News Limited, and Way believes the trial period will offer a chance for Transit Video Enterprises to work on the right mix of content. Audio associated with the images will be provided via a low-powered FM service broadcast within each bus - similar to the service currently provided in gymnasiums throughout the country.
"Over the next 12 weeks we will be looking to survey the public to get the programming right," Way said. "Content is the key to making the project work."
Way said similar projects have been rolled out in Singapore and Hong Kong - however, the Australian-developed Transit TV technology is the only to rely so extensively on wireless technologies for the delivery of the content.
"We are on track to roll the units out onto a further 650 buses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane by early third quarter this year," Way said.
Captive audience pays to watch advertisments. I bet they don't pass revenue on as cheaper tickets.
PS... "entertainment"??? probably really means government propaganda