SPECIAL GUIDE: NextGen TV

June
2022
ebook

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A NextGen TV status report
 editor's note

June 2022

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CONTENT
VP, B2B Tech Group
Camel King
Content Director
Tom Butts, tom.butts@futurenet.com
Content Manager
Terry Scutt, terry.scutt@futurenet.com
Senior Content Producer
George Winslow, george.winslow@futurenet.com

Slow, But Steady

Contributors Gary Arlen, Susan Ashworth,
James Careless, Kevin Hilton,
Craig Johnston, Bob Kovacs and Mark R. Smith
Production Manager Heather Tatrow
Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban
Senior Design Director Lisa McIntosh
Although it seems like the television industry has talked about ATSC 3.0 forever,
ADVERTISING SALES it’s hard to believe that it’s only been nine years since the ATSC issued a call for
Vice President, Sales, B2B Tech Group proposals for the advanced television standard.
Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com In ye olde days of standards development before Silicon Valley began to influ-
ence the timeline of standards development and deployment, nine years would
MANAGEMENT
Senior Vice President, B2B Rick Stamberger
be considered a short timespan in such matters. However, the broadcast indus-
Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance try’s hand was forced to quickly develop a more advanced standard that would
Head of Design Rodney Dive reflect current and future media landscapes where over the air broadcast could
thrive and adapt with the opportunities afforded by IP/broadband.
FUTURE US, INC.
This year will mark five years since the FCC adopted ATSC 3.0 and in those five
130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor,
New York, NY 10036 years, the transition to NextGen TV has been slow but steady. Broadcasters from all major
station groups have deployed the standard and now more than half the nation’s viewers
are within reach of an ATSC 3.0 signal. TV set manufacturers including Samsung, LG, Sony
and now Hisense are marketing (and have sold) millions of ATSC 3.0-enabled sets (howev-
er, it’s assumed that the vast majority of viewers have yet to discover that fact).
All contents © 2022 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All
rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored,
The business case for NextGen TV has also evolved over the past five years to the point
transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written where datacasting for enterprise and public entities is now considered key to the success
permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company
number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered (or failure) of ATSC 3.0.
office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information
contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we From the beginning, TV Tech has been documenting the devel-
are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept
any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You opment and deployment of ATSC 3.0 and in this latest ebook, we

contents offer you a progress report on where the industry stands in June
are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with
regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication.
Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our
control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other
2022. In the following pages we bring you a comprehensive look
changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and at the potential for the standard and how various industries—
not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material 5 NextGen TV: both within and outside of the broadcast sector—are harnessing
and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material
and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to Why We’re Doing It that potential.
publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or
editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on
associated websites, social media channels and associated
products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and,
8 How ATSC 3.0 Is Driving Tom Butts
although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, New Revenue Streams Content Director
agents,subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage.
We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise
tom.butts@futurenet.com
stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. 10 ‘Michigan Coast-To-Coast’
3.0 Test Proves Viability
of IP Data Delivery
to Moving Vehicles

COMMENTS?
12 NAB Show: NextGen TV
Slowly Finds Its Direction
Have a comment or suggestion about this ebook or other ebooks

from TV Tech? Drop us a line at tvtech@futurenet.com.
14 A Look at the NextGen TV
Tools at NAB Show ON THE COVER:
Photo credit: vertigo3d/Getty Images

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4 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology
 Why We’re Doing It
By Bill Hayes
T
here is a bit of a
renaissance taking
place in the broad-
cast television
industry—the return of the
television antenna. Television an-
tennas became relegated to use only
by the TV in the bedroom for watching
the nightly news or to the TV on the kitchen
counter providing background content while
preparing a meal.
However, with the rising costs of tradition-
al cable and satellite services, the increased
availability of over-the-top streaming
services and the expanded channel selections
over traditional broadcast, these conditions
have exposed digital generations to the
technology and reminded the pre-digital gen-
erations of how they used to be entertained
and informed. A recent study from Horowitz
Research shows that antenna penetration
nationwide grew 38% year-over-year between
2020 and 2021 and now reaches 40% of all TV
content viewers 18+.
As this rediscovery is taking place, the un-
derlying technology of traditional over-the-air
broadcast television is undergoing a metamor-
phosis that will enable improved traditional
television and a whole lot more. Higher-quality
pictures and immersive audio are just the tip
of the iceberg.
NextGen TV, as it has been dubbed by the
Consumer Technology Association will enable
interactivity with the content, user-specific
personalization and recommendations, higher
resolution, a vast improvement in accessibility
and alerting features, better reception, and a
raft of other capabilities beyond what televi-
sion can and has traditionally done or even
considered.
THE PATH FORWARD
While it may seem irrelevant to talk about
the original NTSC standard and
analog broadcasting, it is im-
portant to understand how the
past has influenced the present
ATSC 1.0 DTV broadcasting
service and continues to influ-
ence the rollout of ATSC 3.0.
One of the obvious influenc-
es is a TV station’s over-the-air
coverage. While television can trace
it roots back to the early 1900s, it was
after World War II that the explosive growth
started. which required the establishment of
the interference limited coverage contours that
we are all familiar with. While over-the-air
service protection changed to noise-limited
contours, the assumption was that the receiver
was stationary and attached to an antenna
that was mounted outside of the home and 30
feet above the ground.
To answer the "why"
question requires that
we examine how the
advances offered by
ATSC 3.0 resonate with
decisionmakers as well as
the general public.
The introduction of digital television 25
years ago was a game changer when it came
to the quality and quantity of live streaming
content that is still the mainstay of over-the-
air broadcasting. It also expanded ancillary
services that we often refer to as “datacasting,”
which, in essence, started with the introduc-
tion of closed captioning as a digital service
carried on line 21. There have been numerous
experiments and deployments of other ancil-
twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | Special Guide: NextGen TV | June 2022
lary digital services encoded into the analog
services with limited success.
ATSC 3.0 was the next logical step in the
development of television and pretty much
follows the path of all things digital. As the
underlying physical technology improves, soft-
ware developers create code to take advantage
of the improvements which then pushes the
physical technology, and the cycle continues.
GLOBAL GOAL
Unlike what was done in the past, the goal
this time was to create a standard that could
be adopted worldwide. A global community of
technical experts is involved in creating the
use cases and suite of standards that is ATSC
3.0 as well as in its testing, refinement and
deployment.
Currently, in the U.S., more than 60 mar-
kets have deployed NextGen TV with station
groups working together to launch ATSC 3.0
while maintaining ATSC 1.0. South Korea
deployed ATSC 3.0 a few years ago and there
are also other countries that are looking at
their next upgrade in terrestrial DTV and con-
sidering adopting all or portions of ATSC 3.0.
This could be good news as it could prompt
a deeper consideration of adding ATSC 3.0
receivers in handheld devices.
Probably the most frequent question I hear
when discussing the move to NextGen TV is:
Why do it at all? The transition to DTV was
easier because it was federally mandated, but
the FCC’s approach to ATSC 3.0 is to put the
decisions and timeline mostly in the hands of
station owners, with some guidance from the
commission on protecting traditional digital
broadcasts.
To answer the “why” question requires
that we examine how the advances offered
by ATSC 3.0 resonate with decisionmakers as
well as the general public. It also requires that
we understand not only the content creation
side of the equation but content reception as
well. Take immersive technology for exam-
ple—creating this type of content will not
5
broadcast transition

only require additional

skills and resources from
the creators, it will also
require the consumer to
have the technology to
receive it.

CONSUMER
ADOPTION
I often get the chance to
talk about NextGen TV with
industry groups as well as the
general public and I usually start off
with a few questions to the audience to get
an understanding of their technical expertise
and field of interest.
The first thing I like to talk about is the
improved reception thanks to the changes to
the physical layer modulation scheme and the
addition of elliptical or circular polarization
to the transmitted signal.
Just as important, there’s also the
advantage of being able to configure
independent physical layer pipes to
improve specific stream reception
in the face of more challenging
conditions. Using an indoor antenna
is not only a fact of life but also the
dominant methodology for viewers
who expect reliable service regard-
less of location.
Explaining the benefits of ATSC 3.0
over ATSC 1.0 to consumers is signifi-
cantly more challenging. Where the DTV
explanation got complex was the difference
between SD and HD. Talking pixel count and
resolution is fairly easy and the audience is
sort of conditioned to understand that the
bigger number, the better.
The problem with ATSC 3.0 is that the
benefits of UHD over HD are much more
subtle. This is especially true given that most ATSC 3.0 Deployment Map (as of June 2022)
broadcasters don’t see the benefit of using a IMAGE CREDIT: ATSC

significant amount of their channel capacity

to carry content at a resolution that will not be
perceived by a significant majority of viewers.
The areas that I like to focus on regarding
content enhancement are things like color
gamut, dynamic range and immersive audio.
I bypass the 1080p vs. 1080i debate and in-
stead, show an SDR and HDR high-definition
picture side by side that clearly illustrates the
value proposition.
When it comes to audio, the early enhance-
ments used to be a lot harder to explain, but
inexpensive sound bar systems have made 5.1
immersive audio a fairly simple and afford-
able audio enhancement.
I am also careful when bringing up the
potential for personalization and interactivity,
primarily because most of the development
happening in that space is geared towards
enhancing advertisers’ ability to better target
their audiences. However, I’m not sure that
telling viewers that they’ll see more meaningful
commercials adds a lot to the value proposition.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Perhaps ATSC 3.0’s strongest tool in the tool-
box is its ability to provide much more robust
and meaningful emergency alerting services—a
topic that resonates well with everyone. The
idea of waking up a receiver to provide alerts
during an emergency is a very compelling.
I live in an area of tornadic activity and
high-wind events that happen on very short
notice. Weather radios are pretty common
and while they wake you up and provide an
audio alert, most of us will turn on the TV to
see what is happening. ATSC 3.0 can wake
people up and provide video and audio and
offers a faster and more complete, yet simpler
method of gathering the necessary emergency
information from different sources.
My colleagues at PBS North Carolina have
even worked with emergency services within
their state to use ATSC 3.0 as a closed alert
system for first responders providing basic

6 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology


data in a few seconds that currently takes
minutes using their current technology. The
envisioned system can also supply a wealth
of additional information such as maps, floor
plans and situational data so that the first
responders arrive better informed.
Closed-circuit services are not necessarily
limited to first responders. The pandemic
lockdown in many cases crippled educational
institutions and many students lost an entire
year or more of learning. A number of ATSC
3.0 pilot projects were demonstrated provid-
ing secure, curated content to deliver remote
learning to homes that don’t have access to
traditional broadband. The lack of connec-
tivity may be due to rurality or economics,
but regardless of the root cause, these pilot
projects represent vital public services.
FLEET UPDATES
These types of ancillary services are just
the tip of the iceberg—one to many broadcast
distribution of data services have applications
well beyond the traditional broadcast space.
With the annual ATSC Meeting held in
Detroit for the first time recently, we are seeing
real interest from automakers—in particular, car
rental companies—who are considering using
twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | Special Guide: NextGen TV | June 2022
broadcast transition
ATSC 3.0 to provide software updates to their
fleet. These companies have stated that the
number one reason many of their cars are out of
service is due to the lack of software updates, so
being able to use ATSC 3.0 to update their fleet
of vehicles while they are parked rather than in
the service shop is a compelling case.
So what is the future of NextGen TV? Well,
I have a fundamental question that I have
asked myself and as well as others working in
television. The question, “do you think ATSC
3.0 is essential to your station’s future surviv-
ability and growth?” I’ll be blunt, I have heard
“yes,” “no” and “not sure.”
My personal opinion is yes it is. I think that
what we call DTV was actually a half step.
ATSC 3.0 moves us to being a true digital
broadband service. It will provide oppor-
tunities to grow in ways that we have only
started to think about. Without it I think we
operate our existing systems until we become
irrelevant and fade away and without action
on our part, I don’t believe that fate is too far
into the future. l
Bill Hayes is the director of engineering and technology
for Iowa PBS and a SMPTE Fellow. He is also a member of
SBE, IEEE-BTS and SCTE and a recipient of Future’s 2021
Tech Leadership Award.
7
xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx

How ATSC
Is Driving N
Revenue St
TV stations need to have
a clear and precise market strategy

that functions in broadcast TV craving for a long time. This greater operation-
By Mary Crebassa frequencies. al efficiency is achieved through state-of-the-
The current possibilities art encoding and modulation technologies,

T
V stations worldwide
are currently missing
out on potentially bil-
lions in revenue by not
taking full advantage of the benefits
of ATSC 3.0 technology. ATSC 3.0, also
known as NextGen TV, is rapidly evolving the
broadcasting landscape, with set sales expect-
ed to soar to 4.5 million in 2022 and 11 million
in 2023. These numbers should come as no
surprise when the standards of this technology
provide the infrastructure for newer tech-
nologies. ATSC 3.0 is an IP-native data pipe
created by ATSC 3.0 emphasize
why the scale for monetizing
is potentially massive for TV
stations. Ensuring that they adopt
effective strategies will be vital to
securing their future in an incredibly
competitive market.
WHAT ARE ATSC 3.0’S CAPABILITIES?
ATSC 3.0 has marked a significant shift
in the future of television since the launch
of ATSC 1.0 in 1996. It gives operators the
flexibility and robustness they have been
warranting a more effective use of the limited
spectrum resources. As a result, it provides
the capacity to transfer UHD video content
and immersive audio content via terrestrial
channels with little effort, time, or cost. All of
this is made possible by IP technology in its
baseband.
Its capabilities also enable more effective
public alerting and targeted advertising, cre-
ating a personalized and interactive viewing
experience. Such viewing experiences result
in more compelling content through different
camera angles and sports stats.

8 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology


3.0
New
treams
Alongside the significant enhancements in
viewing experience, ATSC 3.0 brings further
changes to linear television by creating oppor-
tunities for TV stations and TV manufacturers
to explore new business models in a highly
regulated market. Research by BIA Advisory
Services supports this, having found that new
datacasting revenue from NextGen TVs is like-
ly to reach $5 billion by 2027 and $10.7 billion
in new revenue by 2030, accounting for 22% of
the total local broadcasting revenues by 2030.
THE CRITICAL REVENUE STREAMS
POWERED BY ATSC 3.0
TV stations know the ATSC 3.0 standard
opens up more significant opportunities to
push more channels to market quicker and
generate new revenue streams, including using
some of the spectrum for non-TV uses.
Geolocation services are just one example
of the new revenue streams unlocked by ATSC
3.0. Geolocation services refer to the infra-
structure that enables mobile users to identify
their current physical location. Datacasting
can power multiple use cases, including the
Internet of Things (IoT), drones, asset, supply
chain tracking and connected cars, delivering
data accurately down to centimeters.
With more connected devices than ever,
the added benefit for TV stations is that this
is already an established market with plenty
of room to maneuver. Datacasting provides
much-needed breathing room for wireless ser-
vices providers who can leverage the existing
broadcasting infrastructure to deploy geoloca-
tion services, reducing their CAPEX.
In addition, ATSC 3.0-enabled TV sets can
pave the way for new business models powered
by interactive content delivery, including
customized ads and offers, opening up new
revenue opportunities through linear, address-
able advertising. TV stations can now serve
ads with interactive overlays that target a
specific audience that is localized and relatable
to them. A personalized approach like this is
changing the way we watch TV for the better.
ATSC 3.0 also provides TV stations with
greater channel capacity enabling them to
create and monetize more channels across
both SD and HD. Delivering a rich depth of
content choices for consumers empowers a
more significant opportunity for monetization.
Through ultra-low latency, TV stations can
minimize delays and maximize the audience’s
viewing experience.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
The transition to ATSC 3.0 couldn’t be
easier, but TV stations need to make sure they
have a clear and precise market strategy to
mitigate any challenges. The system must be
implemented from the outset and cover how
and when they will use the data and distrib-
ute the content.
There are also considerations around the
ATSC 3.0 rollout. As NextGen TV takes off in
the U.S., it’s essential to maintain the mo-
mentum by completing new market launches
and achieving nationwide coverage.
ATSC 3.0 regulation is critical for shap-
ing the future of NextGen TV. Currently, the
broadcasting industry is streamlining the
regulatory aspects of transitioning to ATSC
3.0. It is vital to consider that ATSC 3.0 TVs
drive many stations broadcasting in the new
standard. Next-generation broadcasting
twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | Special Guide: NextGen TV | June 2022
monetizing nextgentv
reaches almost half of all American viewers,
and is expected to increase throughout 2022,
with forecasts that TV manufacturers will sell
10,000 ATSC 3.0 enabled TV sets per day.
The ecosystem is clearly developing to take
advantage of the new standard and as soon as
there is a critical mass, the ATSC 1.0 trans-
mitters can be converted to ATSC 3.0, driving
even greater capacity for new applications.
Therefore, the longer the rollout takes, TV
stations will miss out on their revenue oppor-
tunities, falling behind competitors.
TV stations powered by
ATSC 3.0 can reap the
rewards of datacasting,
and become leading
players in driving
numerous use cases that
change how we work,
get entertained, and
experience the world.
Once the industry has addressed these po-
tential challenges in the transitional period,
media companies will be able to help drive
the future of television.
WHY STRATEGIZING NOW
WILL BENEFIT TV STATIONS
ATSC 3.0 provides better quality content
that enhances the TV experience altogether.
With more channel capacity, signal efficiency
and better quality content, comes an excellent
viewing experience. The broadcast industry is
changing for the better, and media companies
need to take advantage of this technology now
to meet the growing demand of the marketplace
and enjoy greater revenue streams. Media orga-
nizations have the unique opportunity to make
the most of new business models that can help
them thrive in the broadcasting landscape.
TV stations powered by ATSC 3.0 can
reap the rewards of datacasting, and become
leading players in driving numerous use cases
that change how we work, get entertained and
experience the world. The benefits of acting
now will position TV stations for tremendous
success. Now is the right time to become part
of the ATSC 3.0 revolution. l
Mary Crebassa is vice president, Major Accounts for LTN
Global.
9
 ‘Michigan
Coast-To-Coast’
3.0 Test Proves Viability
of IP Data Delivery
to Moving Vehicles
WMYD in Detroit, WKAR in Lansing and
two Grand Rapids Nexstar stations participated
Busakorn Pongparnit/Getty Images

By Phil Kurz

10 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology

 mobile testing

A
lchemedia SG recently demonstrat- velopment and marketing arrangement with
ed the successful use of its Broad- Alchemedia SG. The receiver used in the
cast Services Core integrated with
other IP services to transport IP
“This test demonstrates vehicle was a Sony CXD2885 4 node receiver
(nicknamed CLOVER), built specifically for in
data via ATSC 3.0, including media files and that ATSC 3.0 broadcast vehicle reception. Tower and fiber infrastruc-
an HD video stream, seamlessly to a moving ture company Crown Castle assisted with
car travelling between four broadcast trans- spectrum can offer a field integration and support for the project.
mitters, including one each in Detroit and variety of video services to “While data hand-offs are common in the
Lansing, Mich., and two in Grand Rapids. IT world, delivering data through broad-
“The Michigan Coast-to-Coast Data De- consumer and commercial cast spectrum to moving vehicles provides
livery Drive Tests demonstrated that ATSC use cases for cars, trucks unique challenges,” said Alchemedia SG CEO
3.0 technologies can be implemented now and co-founder John Heinen. “The goal of
to deliver data over a wide area to moving and commercial the tests was to prove that reliable data can
vehicles reliably and with high throughput,”
said ATSC 3.0 consultant Merrill Weiss.
vehicle fleets.” be received from a variety of transmission
systems, across a variety of terrains and
“They also showed that there are exten- JOHN HEINEN, ALCHEMEDIA SG with a level of accuracy that can make data
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
sions to the ATSC 3.0 technologies with the for commercial entertainment and vehicle
potential to push throughput and reliability navigation safe and secure.
to even higher levels. The drive tests used a DigiCAP and Triveni provided the ATSC "This test demonstrates that ATSC 3.0
combination of off-the-shelf broadcast hard- 3.0 gateways located at the four stations, broadcast spectrum can offer a variety of
ware with slightly modified software and while Heartland Video System managed their video services to consumer and commercial
prototype mobile receiving equipment that installation and operation during the tests, use cases for cars, trucks and commercial
implemented diversity reception.” the company said. vehicle fleets,” he added.
The demonstration proved there is a
USES EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE DATA HAND-OFF VIA BROADCAST “pragmatic pathway” toward building a
Initial testing relied on the data proto- FEC was a critical part of the demon- “secure, flexible [and] reliable national data-
cols included in 3.0. Later tests showed the stration. An ATSC 3.0-compliant version of casting network,” said Lynn Rowe, Alcheme-
improvements possible when more advanced KenCast Fazzt FEC was provided via a de- dia SG CTO. “It is time to build.” l
forward error correction
(FEC) software in the mar-
ket is used, Weiss added.
“All told, the tests
showed that, in a matter of
months, a quite effective
system for reliable data
distribution to mobile
receivers could be set up
using existing infrastruc-
ture of multiple television
stations to cover an area
measured in thousands of
square miles,” he said.
Alchemedia SG, a
developer of smart con-
nectivity solutions, built
the Washington, D.C.-
based Broadcast Services
Core, which allows data
to be carried via a mili-
tary-grade, secure, hybrid
public/private network, the
company said. Michigan
broadcasters participating
in the test included The
Image Credit: Alchemedia SG

Scripps/Ion-owned WMYD
in Detroit, Michigan State
University’s WKAR in Lan-
sing and WXSP and WOLP,
both Nexstar Media Group
stations in Grand Rapids. Longley-Rice Field Strength Prediction, © Merrill Weiss Group LLC, 2022

twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | Special Guide: NextGen TV | June 2022 11

industry events

NAB Show: NextGen TV

Slowly Finds Its Direction
Show highlighted ATSC 3.0 spec’s progress in transportation, education

By Gary Arlen

T
ransportation, education and maybe
a few public-sector projects—but
relatively scant video ventures—are
emerging as the first marketplace
realities for NextGen TV. Although the barrage
of supply-side promises from the usual gang
of ATSC 3.0 supporters persisted during April’s
NAB Show in Las Vegas, actual demand-side
implementations are still largely dreams of the
future.
Nonetheless, the convention’s parade of
announcements and progress reports indicated
the array of NextGen TV promises is starting
to materialize. In particular:
• Sinclair Broadcast Group plans to field-test
video and data features at electric vehicle
charging stations in Florida (in collabora-
tion with USSI Global);
• BitPath is introducing its NavPath venture
for “precision positioning” and plans to
roll out services in Portland, Ore., and Las

PHOTO CREDIT: Pearl TV

Vegas, and
• Gaian Solutions is adding 3.0 interactive
education features on "Curious Crew," a
kids show on PBS station WKAR East Lan-
sing, Mich.
Moreover, NextGen TV cheerleaders in Las
Vegas were ecstatic about a new deal with
MediaTek, the semiconductor maker known
for its systems-on-a-chip (SoC) technology,
which will work with the Pearl TV consortium
on a “FastTrack to NextGen TV” project. The
goal is to accelerate TV set makers’ production
of NextGen TV receivers and related devices,
including mobile receivers.
Throughout NAB Show, Pearl and other
NextGen TV promoters made note of the grow-
ing sales of ATSC 3.0-equipped TV sets, which
are expected to account for 2% of total U.S. TV
sales (4.5 million units) this year, according to
the Consumer Technology Association’s latest
forecast. CTA predicts sales of such sets to
rise to 10% next year and reach an “inflection
point” (19% or 15.7 million units) in 2024.
The MediaTek commitment “raises the
prospects for NextGen TV adoption in more
mainstream TVs since so many TV makers use
The ATSC booth at the West Hall was a focal point for NextGen TV at the NAB Show.
SoC chipsets from MediaTek,” researcher Paul
Gagnon, VP at NPD Group and an industry
adviser on consumer technology, said.
And there were “next generation” follow-on
promises in Las Vegas, such as a watermarking
pact between LG Electronics and Verance, to
enable personalized interactive features in
NextGen TV receivers. Separately, Evoca TV,
the independent ATSC 3.0 broadcast pioneer,
revealed successful tests of a cross-polariza-
tion technology that could double the capacity
of internet protocol data delivery from a TV
channel.
Overall, the NextGen TV presence at NAB
Show, which included a larger-than-ever ex-
hibit area, demonstrated a modicum of prog-
ress during the pandemic years. Sales reports
from ATSC 3.0 set-makers (still only Sony,
LG Electronics and Samsung, with Hisense
planning to start production soon) total barely
4 million units to date. Purchasers of high-end
TV sets (the ones with NextGen receivers)
probably don’t know that 3.0 is built into the
devices since there is almost no way to see
any programs, Gagnon told B+C Multichannel
News.
REVVING UP DATACASTING
Sinclair Broadcast Group president and CEO
Chris Ripley revealed details of a datacasting
field trial, transmitting ATSC 3.0 data and
video to electric-vehicle charging stations in
28 markets in collaboration with USSI Global,
a Florida company that manages network,
media, broadcast and digital signage ventures.
The project will begin with two charging
stations in West Palm Beach, Florida. Resem-
bling existing “gas station TV” pumps at many

12 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology


PHOTO CREDIT: NAB
Sinclair president and CEO Chris Ripley at an
NAB Show press conference.
self-service stations, the USSI Global/Sinclair
project will deliver “curated, targeted, unique”
programming via the ATSC 3.0 IP data feed
from the local TV station. Sinclair owns CBS
affiliate WPEC West Palm Beach, Florida.
Gaian Solutions, a Silicon Valley developer of
content delivery products for ATSC 3.0 and oth-
er platforms, revealed its pilot education project
at WKAR, the Michigan State University-owned
public TV station. The project uses Gaian’s Mo-
bius Experience Loop for an interactive Curious
Crew show, intended to develop interest in
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
topics among K-12 students.
Ashwini Kotaru, Gaian’s business operations
manager, said part of the project involves use
of a real-time artificial intelligence system.
“The show’s creative and planning team use
the analytics data to plan future show topics,
formats and further improve engagements,”
Kotaru told B+C Multichannel News.
BitPath president and CEO John Hane
said “precision positioning” is an important
opportunity for ATSC 3.0 data services, among
the “large number of projects we’re analyzing
that may turn into viable businesses.” BitPath
is the operating name of Spectrum Co, LLC,
which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group
and Nexstar Media Group.
At NAB Show, BitPath unveiled its BitPoint
and NavPath applications, which it calls
“game-changing” position, navigation and
timing (PNT) services. They will provide appli-
cations to support traffic management, acci-
dent control, package delivery and ride-shar-
ing. BitPath plans to launch NavPath in several
markets this year with expansion next year to
its entire footprint.
Hane cited forecasts that the compound
annual growth rate of the PNT sector will sur-
pass 22% for the coming decade, compared to
9% for streaming services. He said BitPath has
already begun working with system integrators
to develop and enhance features in the “robust
marketplace” for navigation, positioning and
other services that can use the broadcast spec-
trum with a “significantly enhanced value.”
BitPath’s first NavPath rollouts will be in
Portland and Las Vegas, while it continues to
launch ATSC 3.0 in more locations during the
rest of this year.
Evoca TV, the Idaho-based hybrid OTA/
Internet TV service, revealed that it has just
successfully demonstrated the first-ever
cross-polarization functionality of the ATSC
3.0 standard. Evoca CEO Todd Achilles said the
MIMO (Multiple Input and Multiple Output)
feature could double the amount of data that a
3.0 signal can convey. The Evoca system, using
both horizontally-polarized and vertical-
ly-polarized transmission and reception, was
successfully tested on its flagship channel in
Boise just before NAB Show.
For its part, Pearl TV said it had launched
Run3TV, a web platform based on the A/344
Interactive Content broadcast standard that
enables stations to offer hybrid TV services,
including interactive and on-demand features,
to over-the-air viewers. Pearl TV did not reveal
specific markets that will deploy Run3TV
technology.
PROMISE AND PERSPECTIVE
Another indicator of the growing inter-
est in 3.0 is the number of hopeful vendors
who are hopping aboard the hype machine.
For example Verance, known for its content
measurement and enhancement technologies
including digital watermarking, announced a
deal with LG Electronics to put its ATSC 3.0
“Aspect” watermark firmware into LG NextGen
TV receivers.
Gaian Solutions unveiled its Mobius Marketplace NextGen TV monetization platform, an AI-based
ATSC 3.0 spectrum planning tool to help broadcasters and spectrum owners to earn scalable,
sustainable revenue.
twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | Special Guide: NextGen TV | June 2022
industry events
The watermark technology will enable
the 3.0 receiver to offer interactive capabili-
ties, including customized and personalized
features such as sports interactivity (home-
town announcers and watch parties). Verance
CEO Nil Shah said the technology enables the
information required for two-way services
in a connected smart TV set to pass through
any distribution environment, including over
HDMI links and through existing distribution
equipment and set-top boxes. He said “LG’s
embrace of the Verance Aspect watermark will
serve as a driving market force.”
Consultant Myra Moore, president of Digital
Tech Consulting Inc. in Dallas, said optimism
for the NextGen TV transition is widespread,
but “getting there is a long process.”
“Broadcasters are setting up the infrastruc-
ture,” she said, pointing out that stations
recently went through the spectrum repack,
which often required building a new antenna.
She also points out that as a result of the re-
pack, broadcasters, which compete for business,
now recognize they are sharing spectrum, which
may generate more appetite by the broadcast
licensees to collaborate on new ventures.
She cited Evoca’s subscription NextGen TV
projects as an illustration that “someone with
good imagination” can demonstrate “there is
more than one way to use this standard.”
“There are so many moving parts that hav-
en’t happened before,” Moore said, calling 3.0
“a tool that can do a lot more” than broad-
casters have previously been able to offer. She
cited data service and other non-traditional
offerings that are forcing the industry to find
resources so that they can build and offer new
services. l
PHOTO CREDIT: Gaian Solutions
13
xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
A variety of products and services covered RF and monitoring
By Doug Lung
A
fter three years it was great to get back together with fellow
engineers and exhibitors at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. Of-
ficial attendance was more than 50,000 people but with the
new LVCC West Hall and spread-out exhibits with plenty of
meeting spaces, it was busy but not crowded.
Like many attendees I spent time catching up with old friends. With
the repack over, the focus shifted to launching ATSC 3.0 and that will
be the main topic of my convention review, specifically analysis of
ATSC 3.0 signals.
Fig. 1: Saankhya Labs dongle receiving ATSC 3.0 on a smartphone
SAANKHYA LABS
I looked for low-cost ATSC 3.0 receive devices such as USB tuners,
excluding complete TV sets. New at the NAB Show were devices from
Saankhya Labs in India. They are using a chip developed with Coherent
Logic that can decode all DTV formats, including ATSC 3.0.
The company does not sell directly to consumers but was showing a
smartphone with a built-in ATSC 3.0 receiver as well as a dongle that
will work with a smartphone with a USB port. (Fig. 1 shows the dongle
in use receiving an ATSC 3.0 broadcast from Saankhya Labs’ low-power
transmitter that will be offered for use as a low-power ATSC 3.0 boost-
er.) Tolka also showed a dongle it plans to offer for sale to broadcasters.
AIRWAVZ
There were several products on display for analyzing ATSC 3.0 sig-
nals. The lowest cost options, both from Airwavz, remain the RedZone
Receiver Plus (RZR-1400) and new TVXplorer 2.0 software, which was
released at the show. TVXplorer 2.0 now includes the ability to decode
and analyze Dolby AC4 audio as well as providing thumbnails of all the
14 June 2022 | Special Guide: NextGen TV | www.tvtech.com | twitter.com/tvtechnology
A Look at the
NextGen TV
Tools at
NAB Show
Airwavz’ TVXplorer 2.0 now includes the ability to decode and analyze
Dolby AC4 audio as well as providing thumbnails of all the video streams
with up to four concurrent PLPs.
video streams with up to four concurrent PLPs. With the new version,
the price increased to $2,595. The RZR-1400, which uses the Sony
receiver chip, is $900.
I think I was the first person to buy TVXplorer 2.0. I didn’t get it
installed in my Windows 10 VM until after the NAB Show but had a
chance to test it in Los Angeles. It worked fine, with both video and au-
dio playing along with full details on all the tables and a service guide.
The software comes with a lifetime license and development is
continuing. I was told an update might support the Silicon Dust tuner,
which would dramatically lower the cost of the package and help keep
it competitive with the alternatives. The dongle and software are avail-
able on-line at https://redzonereceiver.tv/ or from Comark or Unisoft.
DEKTEC
Dektec showed a new USB DTV tuner that is SDR-based, so it can
handle multiple standards and looks like the Dektec USB universal DTV
modulator. The device comes with basic software to decode ATSC 3.0
tables, but for a complete analysis, it needs to be paired with software
like Triveni’s StreamScope XM or Stream Verifier.
The software does not currently include a spectrum analyzer but
since the receiver is SDR-based it shouldn’t be too difficult to add that
in the future. The cost is under $4,000.
ENENSYS
I knew ENENSYS was one of the leaders in developing ATSC 3.0
scheduler and gateway products but didn’t learn about their range of
ATSC 3.0 monitoring equipment until I visited their booth at the show.
Their “REFEREE3,” introduced at the last NAB Show in 2019, provides
 nextgentv gear

ATSC 3.0 signal characteristic measurements (useful for field tests) as
well as stream analysis down to the frame level.
For more detailed measurements at a fixed location, they have the
“Edge Probe.” I don’t have room to list all the features here. See www.
test-tree.com/product/atsc-advanced-monitoring-probe/ for details on
it and other ENENSYS monitoring products.
IPGUARD
Another item that caught my attention was the IPguard, which can
monitor ATSC 3.0 STL-TP streams and switch to a backup in case of a
failure. The switch depends on a flag inserted in the stream, which I
hope will be supported by other scheduler/gateway vendors.
AVATEQ
Avateq had their line of ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 monitoring receiv-
ers on display, including the AVQ-200. Avateq is now offering STL-TP
analysis in their products.
One thing to keep in mind when considering ATSC 3.0 monitoring is
whether the device or software will continue to be able to display video
and audio after broadcasters begin encrypting streams. While all the
tables and signal characteristics should remain available (unless the
device has a key from A3SA, the ATSC 3.0 security authority), they will
not be able to display encrypted content.
TABLO
Preparation for encryption caused Tablo to delay the release of
their ATSC 3.0 gateway and DVR product until they could modify the
hardware to support the keys. Since the key has to be in secure storage
it could not be offered as a firmware update.
The introduction of digital rights management should not be an is-
sue for most if it can be handled the same way NetFlix, Hulu and other
streaming services protect their content. If implementation is more
onerous, then it could slow the adoption of ATSC 3.0 by limiting the
development of new ATSC 3.0 devices and the options viewers have to
receive ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.

Promax ATSC 3.0 Ranger includes video and RF constellation displays.

PROMAX
All the portable measurement devices I’ve described so far require a
laptop or computer for operation. Promax was showing a new standalone
portable in their Ranger line that offers ATSC 3.0 reception, including
video and RF constellation displays and a spectrum analyzer. With tabs
on the display, you can view table content and signal characteristics.
I was told it will support LDM, which could come in handy for field
measurements. It also includes an Ethernet port for monitoring IP
streams and logging data on a laptop. Pricing had not been set but was
expected to be slightly above the price of their other Ranger units,
which would put it in the $10,000 range. As of May 1, no data on this
unit was available on the company’s website (promaxelectronics.com).
TRIVENI DIGITAL
Most readers are familiar with the
Triveni StreamScope XM ATSC 3.0,
which has become the standard for
detailed ATSC 3.0 signal analysis.
They now offer a lower-cost
product, the Stream Verifier, for
around $4,000, which provides
basic data on the ATSC 3.0
stream and a quick check on the
quality and compliance of the
stream. It needs to be paired
with a compatible ATSC 3.0
receiver such as their dongle,
Triveni
Stream one of the Dektec receivers or
Verifier the Avateq receiver.
Korean researcher ETRI showcased a system using MIMO and a 1024QAM
constellation to transmit over 100 Mbps in a single ATSC 3.0 RF channel.
OVERSEAS INNOVATION
The Korean booth at NAB usually has some interesting ATSC
3.0 technology and this year was no exception. ETRI, the country's
state-funded tech research firm, described a system using MIMO and a
1024QAM constellation to transmit over 100 Mbps in a single ATSC 3.0
RF channel. The design requires separate transmit antennas (one for
horizontal and one for vertical polarization) and a receive antenna with
separate outputs for horizontal and vertical polarizations.
This is obviously incompatible with existing receive antenna instal-
lations, so I asked if LDM could be used to provide a robust non-MIMO
layer at reduced bandwidth for viewers without the outdoor dual po-
larized antennas. I was told it would be possible, but greatly increases
complexity.
A more likely scenario would be a station provides only high-data
rate service, requiring a special receive and likely professional antenna
installation. A pay only service might be possible if FCC subscription
TV rules used by analog for-pay OTA companies like On-TV apply to
digital broadcasts as well. For more information Google “ETRI ATSC 3.0
MIMO” for a number of articles on the technology, many in Korean (use
Google translate). l
Doug Lung is a long-time contributor to TV Tech. Read his RF Technology columns at
tvtech.com.

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