This week at CES a group of television station owners and TV manufacturers announced plans to release 20 TVs with Next Gen ATSC 3.0 tuners in the US. The goal is to bring Next Gen ATSC 3.0 TV to 61 markets by the end of 2020 covering 70% of the US.
“Developed by hundreds of consumer technology and broadcasting experts across the globe, the ATSC 3.0 suite of standards has the capability to easily deliver 4K Ultra HDTV signals to give viewers access to more 4K content—along with a host of other features comprising NESTGEN TV,” said ATSC President Madeleine Noland.
No exact dates have been announced for when they will go live, but Sinclair plans to offer 20 markets and the goal is to hit the top 40 markets in the US with the new ATSC 3.0 standard.
Here is everything you need to know about ATSC 3.0:
What is ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV?
ATSC 3.0 is a new standard that will bring a long list of new features to over-the-air TV. Two main features that will excite cord cutters are 4K HDR picture with better sound and better over-the-air TV coverage.
There are also other great features such as detailed custom weather alerts and Internet active news stories.
Will you need a new antenna?
No, you will not need a new antenna. An antenna is a dumb device that picks up all signals out there: FM, AM, TV, etc. The chips in your TV decode the signals and display the images. Just like how a 40-year-old antenna in your attic still works with the new digital TV, today’s antennas will work with 3.0 TV.
Will you need a new TV?
The good news is no, but you may need a new box. The FCC requires TV stations that move to 3.0 OTA to offer the current OTA standard for five years after the move. That means if a station moves to 3.0 OTA TV next year, the day they turn on 3.0 OTA the clock starts for five years to still offer the current standard.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.