Earlier this month, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) held its annual convention in Las Vegas. There, electronics manufacturer ADTH announced a new NextGen TV ATSC 3.0 USB Tuner. The dongle is designed to allow Android, FireTV, and Google TV devices to receive TV channels broadcast in ATSC 3.0.
Here’s how the company describes the tuner:
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) is the future of broadcast television, offering enhanced picture and sound quality, interactive features, and advanced emergency alerts. With the ADTH NextGen TV USB for Android and Fire TV, you can unlock the full potential of this cutting-edge technology on your existing devices. Not only does this USB tuner provide access to NextGen TV broadcasts, including A3SA DRM-encrypted channels, but it also delivers superior ATSC 1.0 reception compared to many built-in TV tuners. This means you can enjoy hundreds of over-the-air (OTA) channels with better signal reliability and clarity, making it the ultimate upgrade for your home entertainment setup.
Unfortunately, there are already some issues with the newly released device.
First up is the compatibility issues. As AFTV notes, the tuner is compatible with Fire TV, Android TV, and Google TV devices but the company doesn’t give a list of compatible models on the product page. ADTH tells users to download the NextGen TV Test app to test devices, though users have found that the results aren’t accurate.
Next, the device only works with the streaming player or TV that it’s plugged into. That means you would need a separate device for every TV in your home, unless you want to unplug and reconnect any time you want to watch TV in the living room then watch a movie from bed. At $69.99, the cost would add up if have multiple TVs and want each to be ATSC 3.0 compatible.
Finally, there’s the issue of getting your hands on the device. Currently, it isn’t available to purchase and the product page has Amazon’s standard message: “We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock.”
In theory, the NextGen TV ATSC 3.0 USB Tuner could be a good option for those who don’t want to upgrade to an expensive ATSC 3.0 compatible TV or purchase a large set-top tuner. With the compatibility issues and lack of information provided to customers on the company’s support pages, it’s probably best to hold off. With the deadline for ATSC 3.0 potentially moving up, we’ll likely see more devices popping up.