Edit: With the intent to minimize multiple threads regarding the evolving ATSC 3 deployment, Im linking an excellent article shared by @slampman. The article generated some valuable discussion and is located here:
Going forward lets try to use this as a master thread for this subject??
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My original post:
My wifes 25 year old son didnt even know that he could connect an antenna to his TV. He was looking to watch a local NFL game. Its not even in that generations consciousness any more.
Yep, and they did it to themselves by introducing encryption. Even Tablo has now scrapped their announced ATSC 3.0 DVR due to that. There's only 3 ways to get ATSC 3.0 now: Buy an expensive tv set with a 3.0 tuner, the Zapperbox 3.0 tuner, and an HDHR 4k device. Even those will be obsolete once encryption takes over completely. Say goodbye to Channels DVR then.
That's IT, and even the single tuner Zapperbox is more expensive than the 4 tuner HDHR 4k. Average people just aren't going to spend $200 or more to be able to tune in 3.0 stations.
Encryption and AC-4 audio are killing adoption of 3.0. If it wasn’t intentional self-sabotage then it was pure incompetence.
You've gotta offer something better for people to upgrade. Everything I read about atsc 3.0 today says they're basically just rebroadcasting atsc 1.0 feeds with more glitches and tech problems. So I can understand why the NAB is trying to force a transition, because as of now there is no natural incentive to upgrade. At least going from analog to atsc 1.0 got you hd video. They haven't even bothered with 4k broadcasts on atsc 3.0 yet.
ATSC 3.0 reminds me a lot of IPv6 ... it's something consumers seem to have an almost unsatiable "demand" for (or at least ask questions about...) but the market wants nothing to do with it. it's basically another solution looking for a problem. End of the day, it was made to bring more $ in to broadcaster pockets, not to improve the end-user experience. Encumbering it with encryption and proprietary audio standards with licensing fees...like someone else said, it was shot in the foot from day one. Almost like it was designed to fail.
I disagree the ATSC 3.0 Streams have better quality and, in many areas, ATSC 3.0 is the only way to get OTA. Channels DVR at the moment does not handle ATSC 3.0 very well. No problem with the HDHomerun APP.
Are the issues channels has audio (AC4) related or also the video encoding?
Ive got a flex 4k.
My area hast deployed yet. Just thinking ahead.
I do have a couple of stations where there is weather interference which atsc3 might help.
The days of OTA broadcasts are behind us. There is plenty of internet bandwidth, more than anything could use. AT&T is offering residential plan 5000Mbps up/down(symmetrical) for peanuts. Europe has already switched to DVB-T2 (HEVC)from DVB-T(H.264) still with almost nothing to watch. I think TVE is the future.
EDIT: Why not allow HEVC on ATSC 1.0 and call it a day?
I've been in an "announced target market" now for quite some time...not holding my breath.
nonsense. there are legions of people who live out in remote areas where reliable high-speed internet is still a pipe dream...and if there is anything available, it's very expensive. OTA still has a place, until they get greedy and try to get rid of it entirely. which they've been working on for decades.
Edwin, As a HAM radio operator, I could not agree with you more! One of my hobbies is building OTA antennas. I am in the CLT market and struggled to get 1.0 ever since the transition in '09. I live in a valley and less than 35 mi from the tower field. 1.0 is susceptible to reflections/multi-path making it unwatchable on a windy day.
3.0 has been a game changer for me! ZERO pixelation nor drops on windy/stormy days.
which is it?
WESH in Florida just encrypted their ATSC 3.0.
I wonder if Channels will ever support the encryption, once Silicon Dust gets their tuners working with it?
https://forum.silicondust.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=77800
As of yesterday Hearst corporate in conjuction with the ATSC 3.0 Pearl group requested that we turn on DRM encryption. Some atsc 3.0 receivers do no work with this function. -- WESH Engineering
Personally, its the encryption and corporate greed that disturbs me. In the US the spectrum is supposed to be OURs.
Just what we need, another government “task force” to screw us over and help bleed us of every penny.
You're confused about their motivations. The biggest reason ATSC 3.0 exists is so they can regain control. The reason they cite for encryption is that it's necessary due to their signals being retransmitted via illegal IPTV. Sure, all these supposed new features (4k, HDR, etc) are nice, but make no mistake, they are just meant to make this whole thing palitable. The truth is the local affiliates make millions from the pay tv services so they couldn't care less if ATSC 3.0 pushes people towards those instead of being able to easily pull in their signal and utilize it on apps like Channels. They're going to satisfy the govt mandate for OTA TV in the most minimalistic way possible.
In reality, ATSC 3.0 is going to come to fruition whether you like it or not.
When that happens, do they kill off ATSC 1.0 too? Or is there a transition period? Would that transition take years to play out, or is it more like, decades?
I believe they could start shutting down some ATSC1 in July, but the FCC will likely add a few more years to the requirement. If the intent of the broadcasters is to eliminate all local recordings then we will be returning to the 1960's OTA TV. Right now only TV's have been built with NextGen Certification. We should know by the end of year if any external devices can get certified or if it is really necessary. I plan to use ATSC1 and Philo with Channels DVR until it doesn't work anymore. But I expect Youtube TV or Hulu Live will be in my future or maybe I will learn to do without live TV.
I too am not worried about any of this if it happens, I will just adjust to what is available ... don't sweat things out of my control.
