Can You Say, "Converter Box"?
Remember back in 2009, when full-power stations shut off analog TV signals, forcing those of us with older analog sets to either get a new TV or attach an ugly DTV converter to the back of the TV? In the not too distant future, the specter of converters will once again rise, zombie-like from the dead, for those of us still receiving over-the-air broadcasts. That's because our current broadcast system is slated for replacement by a newer standard called ATSC 3.0. It's being developed by the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee), the same folks who brought us the current HD TV broadcast standard, ATSC 1.0.
Fortunately, the transition isn't imminent; we don't expect to see the final ATSC 3.0 standards and specifications finalized until 2017, and it will likely be a few years after that before broadcasters make the complicated, costly jump to updating their existing ATSC 1.0 infrastructure. The ATSC, however, contends things will move more quickly. But once they do, you'll either need to get a new TV or use an adapter (or dongle) to continue receiving free over-the air signals, because the new standard won't be backward compatible with ATSC 1.0.
If you're wondering why a new broadcast standard is even necessary--beyond the idea that it seems like everyone involved in TV industry just likes to screw with you and your gear every few years--it helps to remember that ATSC 1.0 came into being 20 years ago. That was when the Internet was something that took 30 seconds to connect to using your AOL account (which you got from a disc in the mail) and a dial-up modem, and tablets were still something most people associated with the Ten Commandments. In other words, way before clicking on the Netflix logo on your smart TV or Roku streaming player was as commonplace as tuning into a regular TV channel.
To deal with these huge transitional shifts in how and where we watch TV, the broadcast industry began developing a new, more modern digital transmission system. Although you don't hear much about it these days, there's actually an interim ATSC 2.0 standard, which deals with things like interactivity and video on demand. Apparently, though, ATSC 2.0--which is compatible with the ATSC 1.0 standards--hasn't gone anywhere, and the work done on its behalf will be wrapped into into ATSC 3.0, which is a much bigger jump into the future.
One of the primary benefits to the ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard is that it uses TV spectrum more efficiently, and it includes better compression, such as HEVC. This is especially important given that broadcasters are auctioning off portions of their spectrum for mobile use. Once the FCC's auction of TV spectrum is completed, current stations will get "repacked" at the lower end of the broadcast spectrum so that mobile broadband can occupy the upper UHF frequencies. So broadcasters will want to do more, but with less available spectrum.
Among the main possibilities are the ability to transmit higher-quality Ultra HD 4K (or even 8K) signals with high dynamic range and high-quality, immersive, object-based 3D audio, along with metadata that could enable additional features, such as DVR-like recording. It will also give broadcasters the flexibility to seamlessly switch between different levels of video quality, and offer multiple channels within that same bandwidth. To help broadcasters remain competitive with wireless companies, such as AT&T and Verizon, that now have their own mobile video services, ATSC 3.0 will allow stations to simultaneously broadcast to TVs in the home and to mobile users on smart phones and tablets. And since the ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard is IP-based, broadcasters will be able to deliver content developed for and sent over the Internet. This will result in new hybrid services, as well as regular TV broadcasts with greater interactivity.
At the very earliest, the final ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard won't be finalized and approved until 2017, after a series of tests and an evaluation process takes place. And it's quite likely that its rollout will get pushed even further into the future by broadcasters, many of which seem reluctant to pay the money it will take to upgrade their gear. Device manufacturers will also need to upgrade the receiver chips in TVs, tablets, smart phones, and other gear. That's why it's likely that ATSC 3.0 won't arrive for another five years. Unlike the DTV transition, the limited bandwidth means that stations won't be able to simulcast ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 signals, it's unlikely there will be a long transitional period. One proposal is for broadcasters to share spectrum, so that one station would allow others in its market to broadcast ATSC 1.0 over its channels to ease the transition. It's also unlikely there will be federal subsidies for consumers to offset the cost of adapters or USB dongles for TVs with older ATSC 1.0 tuners.
Several ATSC 3.0 tests are underway, from groups including Sinclair and Technicolor, and a consortium called Futurecast, which is comprised of LG and Zenith, plus GatesAir. Both groups are conducting real-world trials sending HD and Ultra HD 4K video signals to fixed and mobile devices.
If and when ATSC 3.0 finally arrives, new TVs are likely to come equipped with new tuners that can receive the broadcasts. For those of us with TVs with older tuners who still want to get over-the-air signals, the good news is that it's likely that sleeker USB dongles will replace the ugly little converter boxes we installed on some of our relative's TVs. The bad news is that this time, you'll probably have to pay out of your own pocket for one.
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