That was the case with the recent Super Bowl LVII, which was transmitted in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR, but only by cable provider Comcast Xfinity. Imagine being able to tune in sports in 4K – something you currently have to pay for a pricey cable or satellite TV package to experience. And while all ATSC 3.0 stations are currently broadcasting in regular HD instead of 4K, a situation partly due to bandwidth limitations created by the FCC’s simulcasting requirement, their ability to deliver higher-quality video and audio is compelling. The problem with FAST apps is that the quality is generally bad – certainly less than viewers have come to expect in the 4K era. In fact, FAST (free ad-supported TV) apps on smart TVs and streaming platforms like Roku (Roku TV) and Amazon Prime Video ( FreeVee), have gained considerable traction, which is a testament to the power of free TV channels. (Image credit: ZapperBox) Cheap external tuners can accelerate the ATSC 3.0 transitionīroadcast TV has been a consistently popular form of entertainment in the US, even with the onset of cable and satellite and, later on, streaming services. ![]() The ZapperBox M1 ($250) set top box connects to an antenna and plugs into an HDMI input on your TV. Sony, meanwhile, has yet to provide detailed specs for its 2023 TV lineup and TCL hasn't announced any new TVs with built-in ATSC 3.0 tuners. ![]() LG announced that it would appear in the company’s higher-end models like the Z3 and G3 OLED sets – same as in 2022 – and the same goes for Samsung, which will provide the feature in its flagship sets like the new S95C OLED. Hisense seemed to be the only one championing the format, with its full lineup of 2023 mini-LED TVs slated to get the feature. While those capabilities haven’t yet been tapped by the ATSC 3.0 broadcast TV stations operating in 66 US markets, a footprint covering more than 50% of the country, some of the best 4K TVs, including models from Sony, Samsung, LG, and Hisense now feature built-in ATSC 3.0 tuners.ĬES 2023 turned out to be something of a wash when it came to new TVs with ATSC 3.0 support. With budget-friendly devices and more coverage areas on their way, we may find that over the next few years ATSC 3.0 could finally live up to its cord-cutting potential.That new digital TV standard, ATSC 3.0 (aka NextGen TV), promises to bring advancements including 4K resolution video with high dynamic range and immersive audio formats such as Dolby Atmos to free, ad-supported broadcast TV. Because the service is still maturing and depends on support from broadcasters, most areas still receive only 1080p signals. While the format promises 4K resolution and features like interactive gambling, these are largely yet to be implemented. The first is the lack of coverage in some of the country's biggest TV markets, including San Francisco, Chicago and New York City. ![]() There are two main issues with ATSC 3.0 in the US. The downside is that it's not networkable and so it's restricted to one TV.Īt CES, the ATSC organization announced that a low-cost chipset from Mediatek would be available to put into cheaper devices, which could help prices on external tuners come down in the future. It's coming this spring for $299 and unlike the HDHomeRun it offers four full ATSC 3.0 tuners. The only ATSC 3.0 DVR announced for 2022 so far has been the Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI. It's a networked device, similar to the Amazon Fire TV Recast, that connects to streaming devices on the network and the internet via the HDHomeRun app. In April last year, SiliconDust released the $199 HDHomeRun 4K Flex, which is a DVR with four tuners, two of which are ATSC 3.0.
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