On June 13th,
2009, television in the United States ceased transmitting over-the-air
television signals in analog format to comply with a mandate from the FCC
titled ATSC 1.0. This change saw all transmissions to be broadcast digitally to
allow for better picture and sound, and now 13 years later the latest update, ATSC 3.0 is in full swing.
The benefits to
the consumer are numerous, while ATSC 1.0 tops out at 1080i, 3.0 brings full 4k
picture and sound to the table with the ability of adapting to
different video formats which could bring broadcasts in 8k. The service won’t
be limited to just televisions and is being designed to work with
smart phones, mobile devices and even vehicles. I agree that being able to
watch your local news during your morning commute seems a little silly as an
added benefit, but there is talk that this technology could be used as a back
up for GPS and even driverless vehicle automation. It’s still early on in
development but these are exciting possibilities. There are more proposed features
such as customized ads, on-demand content, and interactivity with programs i.e. being able to show and compare sports statistics in real time as one example, that would help bridge the gap between free television and similar services provided by a traditional cable service.
Just like the
switch from analog to digital, not all devices are compatible with the new format,
and you will need to purchase an external converter or a new TV to take
advantage of the update. Fortunately,
if you’re happy with your current 1.0 setup, there is no mandatory switch over
that will render your current over the air TV viewing obsolete.
As of this writing
there are 60 markets with at least 1 ATSC 3.0 station transmitting a NextGen TV
service, with most transmitting 3-5. I’ve included several links below with instructions
on how to get started watching.
As always if you need help with anything streaming or smart
home related you can contact us at 309-778-8611 or by emailing us at OneSource@midcentury.com
Deployments - ATSC :
NextGen TV
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