NEW YORK—The broadcast company consortium Pearl TV and its network partners are highlighting a number of new milestones in the rollout of NextGen TV, including a projection that more than 10 million NextGen TV capable devices will be in U.S. homes by the end of 2023.
Worries had been expressed in recent months that the devices available to consumers might be limited in the future in the wake of disputes over ATSC 3.0 patents. After losing a patent case, LG told the FCC that it has suspended its 2024 lineup of NextGen TV capable TVs. The move prompted fears that other set manufacturers might follow.
The NAB, however, has asked the FCC not to intervene with new rules regarding ATSC 3.0 patents saying the agency didn't have the authority and that new rules would not solve an existing problem.
In the wake of the launch of NextGen TV broadcasts in New York City, which expands the reach of 3.0 signals to 70% of American viewers, Pearl TV also unveiled Pearl TV broadcasters’ national holiday advertising campaign.
“NextGen TV is meeting exciting milestones as it approaches the end of 2023, solidifying its trajectory for 2024 which includes more TV manufacturers expected to add NextGen TV as a feature, more accessory options for consumers at retail, more market launches, and more unique and interactive content from broadcasters,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. “We’re excited to be at Pepcom Holiday Spectacular! in New York City to help promote and educate consumers on the many options they have when it comes to NextGen TV. And we praise New York City broadcasters for their collaboration and technical determination in bringing the standard to the country’s largest television market.”
Pearl TV reports that NextGen TV capabilities are available in select TV models manufactured by Hisense, LG, Samsung and Sony and that those sets are widely available to consumers at retail across more than 100 models, starting at $599.
The group also stressed that consumers can access NextGen TV service using an antenna and that antenna usage continues to climb. About 35 million U.S. households have an antenna and 50 million are expected to have one by 2025, according to the Consumer Technology Association. More information on the benefits of free over-the-air (OTA) broadcast television can be found at TheFreeTVProject.org website, Pearl reported.
Other notable developments, including recent launches, new devices and marketing campaigns, include:
- Pepcom Holiday Spectacular! NextGen TV will be at Pepcom Holiday Spectacular!, Oct. 19, in New York City, showcasing select new NextGen TV models from Hisense and Samsung, new upgrade accessory devices, and educating media about the new standards’ features and benefits. Offering multiple gifting possibilities, products that are certified with the NextGen TV logo come with the latest technologies and content security protection, and they provide amazing entertainment options. Devices on display will include: Hisense, LG, Samsung and Sony NextGen TVs; Atlanta DTH accessory receiver; and Zapperbox and Zinwell NextGen TV upgrade accessories, with select details and features listed below.
- Holiday Marketing. Broadcasters and stations will promote and engage with their local viewers on the new standard through the NextGen TV Holiday Marketing Campaign. This 13-week, multi-channel, nationwide campaign in NextGen TV’s top 40 on-air markets kicks off in November and enables broadcasters to accelerate the NextGen TV groundswell through social media and creative ads. Highly curated, the campaign equips TV stations with educational content for their viewers driven by consumer research by Magid. Following the 2022 Holiday Marketing Campaign, Magid found that when aware of the campaign’s ad and social spots, 74% of consumers who did not yet own a NextGen TV are likely to purchase one.
- Atlanta DTH Box. The industry’s first NextGen TV-certified receiver that is also verified for content security features a dual-mode TV tuner for reception of both ATSC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0 television signals. The ADTH receiver fully supports High Dynamic Range (HDR), Dolby AC-4 audio, broadcast applications sent by TV broadcasters and features a Bluetooth-powered remote control. After an initial sell-out, ADTH will soon start shipping pre-orders of its NextGen TV receiver box with a suggested retail price of $89.99. The unit is equipped with dual-band Wi-Fi for software updates and security verification to ensure seamless playback of protected broadcast TV content.
- Zinwell "NextGen TV BOX" (Model ZAT-600B). A stand-alone single-tuner ATSC 1.0/3.0 tuner that accepts a standard digital TV antenna and is designed to decode/tune ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 broadcast signals. The Zinwell NextGen TV Box is an ideal accessory for consumers with TVs that do not have built-in ATSC 3.0 tuners. It supports 4K broadcasts, enhanced Dolby audio, and access to broadcaster applications. Certified to carry the NextGen TV logo, the Zinwell ZAT-600B will be security verified to operate without needing an internet connection. Working alongside Channel Master, Zinwell's products will soon be accessible through participating antenna installers and retailers nationwide by year-end.
- Zapperbox NextGen TV Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Offering the first NextGen TV DVR available as a single tuner receiver to record or watch one channel at a time ($249.95 suggested retail price) or a dual tuner receiver to record or watch up to two channels at a time ($274.95 suggested retail price). Both models provide Dolby AC-4 audio playback and are expected to be NextGen TV certified and security verified by year end. Zapperbox models support both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 broadcasts, with new secure Digital Video Recording added as a recent update. DVR functionality, which includes recording and skip-forward functions, is available on both single-tuner and dual-tuner Zapperbox models.
- NextGen TV Now in New York City. Broadcasters have launched NextGen TV service in New York City and surrounding areas—the number one television market in the county encompassing approximately 7.73 million TV households according to industry rankings. New Yorkers will get the most out of live local news, events, and sports programming, while giving its broadcasters a more compelling and interactive way to deliver their content. New York City viewers can now access six additional channels over-the-air (OTA) for free with NextGen TV: PBS stations WNET and WLIW; WMBQ; CBS’ WCBS; NBC’s WNBC; and Telemundo’s WNJU.
