NEXTGEN TV – 4K for Free
Since 2017 local broadcasters and the FCC have been quickly but quietly rolling out NEXTGEN TV digital broadcast services. 4K and Dolby Digital carried on stronger, more reliable signals will make watching locals even easier. All you need is a properly installed Master Antenna.
What is NEXTGEN TV?
NEXTGEN TV (sometimes called ATSC 3.0) is the third generation of digital TV technology, and a giant technological step forward for TV viewers. It delivers stunning video with brilliant color, sharper images and deeper contrast that’ll make you feel like you’re really there. And it’s built with the Dolby Audio System for NEXTGEN TV, which intelligently enhances dialogue, maintains consistent volume as you change the channel and literally moves around you as you watch TV.
When connected to the internet, NEXTGEN TV can merge broadcast TV with content from broadband sources. That means NEXTGEN TV will be enhanced with internet content to get the most out of live sports, live news, live events and more—in real time.
Interactive, Immersive, Personalized
NEXTGEN TV transforms free broadcast content into an interactive opportunity to engage with your favorite shows, news, sports and live events like never before. Get access to deep dives and bonus content, more informative and localized emergency alerts and a viewer’s guide you can personalize.
Details for Days
See every bead of sweat on a performer’s brow. Watch the blades of grass give under the feet of your favorite team. 4K HDR ultra high-definition video with brilliant colors gives you a sharper picture with a wider range of contrast for next-level clarity in your content.
What Came Before NEXTGEN TV?
NEXTGEN TV (ATSC 3.0) was preceded by ATSC 1.0, the 2nd generation of broadcast TV, which came online in 2009. Essentially, ATSC 1.0 was a massive digital upgrade to the old analog TV broadcast infrastructure that had been around since the 1940’s. Prior to 2009, Over The Air (OTA) signals were not digital, therefore they could not carry HD content. Needless to say, hardly anyone watched TV on an antenna between 1983 and 2009.
But with ATSC 1.0, OTA technology improved significantly. Because of the improved broadcast power, consumers are able to get signals and those signals were crisper and clearer than on cable and satellite. (Cable and satellite video must be digitally compressed to bundle lots of channels. OTA signals do not require the same type of compression as it is a direct RF connection per channel).
Broadcast TV Tech History
ATSC 1.0 and NEXTGEN TV – Not your grandparents TV
While ATSC 1.0 currently transmits better and clearer HD signals than cable, satellite, or streaming, the new NEXTGEN protocols are an even greater improvement
| Feature | RF Analog | ATSC 1.0 – Digital | NextGenTV (ATSC 3.0) |
| Year Released | 1940’s | 2009 | 2017 |
| Service Ended | 2009 | 2030 | N/A |
| Picture Quality | SD | HD (1080i uncompressed)* | 1080i and 4K** |
| Sound Quality | Mono | MP4 | Dolby ACV (ATMOS) |
| Integration with Broadband | No | No | Yes |
| Emergency Broadcast | No | Standard | GPS features and area specific |
| Datacasting | No | No | Yes |
| Signal Compression | No | MPEG2 | H.264/5*** |
| Equipment Required | N/A (these analog signals are no longer available) | Any TV set manufactured after 2009 (95% of TVs being used today) | TV sets manufactured after 2021 (these sets also get ATSC 1.0) |
**This compression is the same used by SmartTVs and Streaming Media Players
This means that with a properly installed and spectrum analyzed NextGenTV Ready master antenna consumers will be able to watch all the best local content for free in stunning 4K and Dolby Surround. And best of all, these improvements cost the consumer nothing. It’s still FREE TV.
Free TV from the Federal Government?
While it is tempting to call all of this government provided TV, that is not wholly accurate. The FCC is funded by the various communications companies to whom it has awarded sections of the broadcast spectrum via high profile, big money public auctions. If you want to learn more about this fascinating and complicated process, we recommend listening to Planet Money’s Podcast entitled “Hacking the Perfect Auction.”
Can I Receive NEXTGEN TV?
While the NextGenTV rollout is occurring at different paces in different cities, the entire country will be set up for NextGenTV within the next three to five years. To find out if your property development qualifies now, please sign up for a free NextGenTV property assessment.
If you are a home owner interested in a NEXTGEN TV Master Antenna, please schedule an individual consultation here.
