Set-top box manufacturer EKT is showcasing a new Linux-based ATSC 3.0 converter box at an industry conference this week, positioning the device as a low-cost way for broadcast TV viewers to receive over-the-air signals using the new transmission standard.
The move comes as stakeholders in ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV in the United States, continue to press manufacturers to build low-cost converter boxes that will allow Americans to receive free broadcast TV signals if the industry is successful in convincing federal regulators for a wind-down of the current transmission standard, known as ATSC 1.0.
The new receiver moves away from the Android operating system used in EKT’s earlier product. The company said its Linux implementation requires less than half the memory of a comparable Android-based set-top box, reducing hardware requirements and associated costs.
That is different from other products on the market like the ZapperBox, which use a modified version of Android to power its devices.
The box is backwards compatible with existing ATSC 1.0 signals, and promises enhancements when viewers watch ATSC 3.0 broadcasts, including better image quality via HDR10 and HDR10 Plus.
“This is a great example of the DTVKit model in action,” Jason Nash, the Technical Director of DTVKit, said in a statement on Thursday. “EKT started with our royalty-free ATSC 3.0 stack and focused their engineering effort on building a better product, not reinventing the basics.”
EKT is targeting the U.S. consumer market with the device as broadcasters gradually deploy their NextGen TV signals across the country. The converter allows viewers to continue using existing TV sets rather than purchasing new models with integrated NextGen TV tuners.
EKT is a participant in Pearl TV’s converter box program, which calls for manufacturers to create set-top boxes at a price point of around $60 per unit. The program launched in January.
“As TV stations transition to ATSC 3.0, viewers want the option to convert the TVs they already own at a low consumer price, and that’s exactly what this box is designed to deliver,” Anne Schelle, the Managing Director of Pearl TV, said on Thursday.
EKT said the new ATSC 3.0 converter box is designed for the U.S. consumer market, but the company didn’t provide information about when the product will be available, how broadcast viewers can purchase the device or how much it will cost to buy one.
