NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0 Tuners)

[Qs Laptop]

NextGen TV is the latest high definition over-the-air TV standard. NextGen TV, technically known as ATSC 3.0, will bring 4K resolution, high dynamic range video HDR, multi-spatial Dolby Atmos, and DTS immersive audio.

You will need an ATSC 3.0 tuner to receive NextGen TV. Currently ATSC 3.0 tuners are available on the flagship models of LG and Samsung and most Sony TV's. Some high end HiSense TV's have the tuner. Most TV owners do not have an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

What about the rest of us that already have 1080p TV's? There are outboard ATSC 3.0 tuners that you can buy to gain the ability to tune into NextGen broadcasts, but there are limited manufacturers and the cost is not insignificant.

Recently a group of broadcast TV stations, Pearl TV, announced a FastTrack program to “accelerate development and retail availability of low-cost upgrade accessory receivers.”

Pearl TV’s news release makes clear the group’s intent “to provide support to manufacturers interested in making devices that support the full NEXTGEN TV service feature set.”

The devices the group presumably has in mind will be basic set-top or stick-type external tuners that connect to an antenna and can be sold at an affordable price.

https://hdguru.com/pearl-tv-initiatives-work-on-expanding-atsc-3-0-tv-adoption-from-both-ends/

https://www.techradar.com/news/older-4k-tvs-will-get-atsc-30-thanks-to-cheap-tuner-upgrades

 

[Sunset]

Thanks for posting this.
I've thought a few times about upgrading our TV as it's only a 1K 55 inch plasma.
Since it works great, I'll hold off as I'd hate to buy a 4K that can't do OTA , which is our only regular TV source.

I think we still have one of those boxes that allowed digital OTA vs analog reception that we added to our tvs when we had the very old type.

Even with the old OTA, we notice quite a difference in clarity between some channels, seems like some broadcast the news in 1K and others do it with less resolution.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I just researched this a little a week ago. I was contemplating upgrading to a 4k TV for no real good reason. However, none of my small city TV stations seem to be rushing to NextGen. I’ll have to hold off for a while yet.

 

[TheCaptain67]

I live in the Atlanta metro areas and have an ATSC 2.0 tuner and an ATSC 3.0 tuner.

I am able to get both types of broadcasts. At least in Atlanta, there is no 4K content. The ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are just a smidge clearer, but they are in no way 4K. According to a post on avsforums (https://www.avsforum.com/threads/atlanta-ga-ota.384623/post-61169632) they Atlanta ATSC 3 broadcasts are:

1080p HEVC that's upscaled from the 720p ABC and FOX feeds
1080P HEVC that is deinterlaced from the 1080i CBS, NBC and Peachtree feeds

So please check out what is actually being broadcast in your area before plunking down any cash to get an ATSC 3.0 tuner......

 

[Texas Proud]

I use Dish for all my watching so the TV tuner means nothing to me

 

[wmc1000]

Our Sony TV, 2021 model has an ATSC3.0 tuner built-in. The locsal metro has ATSC3.0 signals but I don't know if we are receiving them or the regular ATSC1.0 signals as the TV upscales images to 4K and it looks great even on 480 broadcast signals.

 

[rk911]

we'rein metro Chicago and have 7-TV sets in the house. we habe each room wired for cable and the OTA antenna on the roof which is 'Plan B' if/when cable goes out. three of the TVs are "smart" and connected to the internet. i sure don't want to replace 7 sets so I'm hoping the change takes forever to show up.

 

[Dawg52]

Where I live it will be years before I see a need for one. And I only use my antenna as a backup when Comcast internet is down. So not a pressing issue for me.

 

[gromit]

I vaguely recall from an article I read ages ago, that the law enabling the ATSC3 standard requires broadcast stations to continue to also broadcast the older standard for 5 years after their conversion. I think it also mentioned that conversion is expensive for the stations, so many are not in a hurry to convert.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I vaguely recall from an article I read ages ago, that the law enabling the ATSC3 standard requires broadcast stations to continue to also broadcast the older standard for 5 years after their conversion. I think it also mentioned that conversion is expensive for the stations, so many are not in a hurry to convert.

This is correct.

The requirement to broadcast the 1.0 format is to continue for at least 5 years after 3.0 is fully implemented.

The ad tracking ability of the NextGen TV format will drive the stations to convert.

 

[gromit]

Thanks to the OP for jogging my memory on this. I've recently toyed with the idea of adding an additional TV to the household. I will now be sure not to buy one, say next year, that isn't compatible with the new standard.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Thanks to the OP for jogging my memory on this. I've recently toyed with the idea of adding an additional TV to the household, but will now wait for one that's compatible with the new standard.

That's my initial reaction, but then I consider:

1. I don't watch over-the-air TV that frequently, like almost never. There simply isn't anything I want to watch that airs on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc. Network programming is clearly inferior to streaming service content, IMO.

2. If I were to watch over-the-air TV it would likely be after I got rid of cable, and then only for NFL football, so long as the NFL will still be on network TV in the future. Even then, I could get this content elsewhere, though I would pay for it. But then, no more cable TV expenses.

3. It's going to take broadcast stations several years to fully implement NextGen TV. Let's say that 80% of the country (and 99% of urban areas) are covered by 2030. Or let's say that your region gets NextGen in 2026. Is it really worth looking at your old 1080p TV for the next 4 years because you are holding out to see crap over-the-air programming in 4K? You could be enjoying 4K programming with HDR or DolbyVision via streaming services for those four years.

4. TV manufacturers have set a goal of having 75% of all new TV's equipped with NextGen 3.0 tuners by 2024. Will they reach that goal? Who knows? What price range will those TV's that don't get NextGen fall into? I'm guessing the $500 and under price range, which is probably the sweet spot for people that watch over-the-air content. Which would be ironic.

5. There will be add-on tuners available if you really want to watch NextGen TV on a TV that doesn't not have one built in.

For these reasons I don't think I'm going to wait to get a new TV. I've been watching a 55" HiSense low end TV for the past 3 years. It's been adequate but I've seen the pictures on quality TV's and I can no longer look at my cheapo TV in the same way as before.

 

[jim584672]

I advantage with ATSC 3.0 is much better reception in edge areas. I get 78 channels OTA (none I want to watch) so for me it doesn't do much since I already get them OK with the current ATSC 1.0.

 

[YB88]

I can't imagine ever again wanting to watch live TV. I recall as a kid trying to arrange my schedule so that I could be sitting in front of the TV when a favorite show came on, but ever since the advent of the DVR that hassle ended, as did sitting through commercials.

Thus in my mind, the ATSC 3.0 conversion is tightly linked to what DVR providers offer now and might in future. This has been discussed in this huge thread, but unfortunately not grouped together in any way that makes such posts readily findable to my knowledge:
https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f54/update-on-cord-cutting-cable-tv-2021-version-107198.html

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Thanks for posting this.
I've thought a few times about upgrading our TV as it's only a 1K 55 inch plasma.
Since it works great, I'll hold off as I'd hate to buy a 4K that can't do OTA , which is our only regular TV source.

I think we still have one of those boxes that allowed digital OTA vs analog reception that we added to our tvs when we had the very old type.

Even with the old OTA, we notice quite a difference in clarity between some channels, seems like some broadcast the news in 1K and others do it with less resolution.

You may or may not know this but many of these old OTA converter boxes had a built in DVR as well. I picked one up last year simply because the price was $13 at Walmart and the box said DVR on it. hooked it up to my digital TV and antenna that did not need a converter box and voila I was able to record a TV show. I think I needed to plug in a flash drive since it has no hard drive. I don't use it but it was a fun experiment and I have the box in a drawer someplace.

https://www.wirelesshack.org/best-ota-tv-converter-box-with-dvr-2016.html