AT&T CruiseCast: TV For Your SUV : The Vehicle

By Rachel Rosmarin , published on August 11, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Picture 1 of 11
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

AT&T's CruiseCast service, which launched in June, isn't the only satellite TV service for automobiles. But, it does have more channels, get more range, and have a tinier antenna than the other mobile satellite TV services that have launched to date. To get CruiseCast installed in your car, you must already have a rear seat entertainment system. The equipment (antenna and receiver) costs $1,299, and the monthly service costs $28. 1,000 vehicles in the U.S. already have the system installed.

CruiseCast visited the Tom's Guide offices to show off CruiseCast in a rental car picked up at the airport for their visit. AT&T's technician installed the system lickety-split in this Ford Expedition. Then, CruiseCast took us for a ride.
Sponsored links
Comments
fball922 08/12/2009 4:35 PM
Hide
--1+

Ummm anything about video quality? Or did I miss that?

Tomsguiderachel 08/12/2009 5:50 PM
Hide
--1+

Fball,

If you've ever seen an in-car entertainment system, you know that there is not a lot of difference in quality between the various screens. If you've never seen one--they're pretty basic. Obviously no HD at this stage. These are one notch up from the screens you see in the back of the airplane seat. Luckily, for what it is, the video is pretty smooth due to the caching method AT&T is using. The data signal is streaming at about 500 kbps.

captaincharisma 08/13/2009 6:18 PM
Hide
--1+

interesting move for AT&T,since Sirius tried the same thing and it never caught on

wahaha 08/28/2009 4:53 AM
Hide
-0+

Yawn... this may be news/new to you, ie the US. But us German car owners/enthusiasts have been enjoying TV tuners with our NAV systems for 10 years already / integrating them into our US version German cars. Shows how lackadaisical the US is on tech standards. Among other things.

wahaha 08/28/2009 5:01 AM
Hide
-0+

And another thing, make it so users can edit posts so they don't have to repost.

And another nother thing.. they're already screwing themselves by limiting who can install the service? Please.

The Audi/BMWs came/come with 5" and now 6.5-8" NAV screens, UP FRONT. Not just for back seat passengers ya know. But it shuts off when the car is moving, but of course we just disable that safety switch from the parking brake so "others" in the car can watch video.

7-12" is nothing for backseat. You obviously haven't seen Rolls Royce with their offerings of flip up screen from the table tray, or Bentley limos with 42" screens. Get some bling man.. it is a minivan after all.

wahaha 08/28/2009 5:03 AM
Hide
-0+

I'll show you a freakin back seat entertainment system -

wahaha 08/28/2009 5:04 AM
Hide
-0+

No links? Bull..

vwvortex.com/gallery/gallery2.php?mode=album&album=/Bentley/Arnage/Mulliner/Arnage%20Limosine

Submit my comment
Sponsored links