ATSC 3.0 is a new digital broadcast television standard that offers new features over the previous-generation ATSC 1.0 standard, including higher-fidelity audio, better picture quality (up to 4K capable), more digital signals originating from a single station, hyperlocal news and weather alerts and other interactive features.
In the United States, ATSC 3.0 is better known by the consumer brand name NextGen TV.
Sinclair said the move is intended to encourage more public TV stations to sign on to NextGen TV, which will help them reach viewers already using the new digital broadcast standard.
The Zinwell ZAT-6000L includes a 4G LTE radio that can connect to nearby cellphone towers in order to download server-side certificates needed to view encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels.
Viewers in the largest local TV market in the country now have access to six NextGen TV channels.
The story included a headline that speculated Sony and Samsung might follow LG’s lead in pulling support for NextGen TV.
Two recent news articles speculated Sony and Samsung might follow LG’s lead in removing NextGen TV tuners from future television sets.
LG is dropping support for the ATSC 3.0 standard in newer-model TV sets following an unfavorable decision in a patent dispute.
NextGen TV signals are now available to digital television viewers in San Francisco who have a compatible ATSC 3.0 tuner.
Nuvyyo is still developing a Tablo device that is capable of receiving ATSC 3.0 signals, a spokesperson confirmed.
The NAB says the FCC should create a task force to further prioritize the ATSC 3.0 transition.
Nuvvyo says it will issue refunds to customers who pre-ordered a forthcoming version of its popular, Tablo-branded broadcast TV recorders.