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ATSC 3.0 deployment thread


skbl17

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With television manufacturers and station groups starting the switch to ATSC 3.0 ("Next Gen TV",) the newest version of the U.S.'s digital television standard, I thought it would be prudent to start a thread about which stations have rolled out ATSC 3.0 transmissions. This thread is similar to the old HD News Thread from back in the day.

 

The switch to ATSC 3.0 in the United States is voluntary. Unlike the analog-to-digital switchover (and more like the HD switch,) the switch to ATSC 3.0 is intended by both manufacturers and regulators to be more market-driven. As a result, there will be no mandate for new TV sets to include ATSC 3.0 tuners and no subsidy program for ATSC 3.0 equipment (like the converter box coupons from the ATSC 1.0 switch) will exist. Notably, ATSC 3.0 signals are not subject to the same must-carry rules for pay TV providers as ATSC 1.0 signals.

 

I'll try to keep this post as up-to-date as possible, so feel free to reply with any updates or suggestions!

----

Markets that have active or experimental ATSC 3.0 stations

This list also includes stations that are undertaking trial broadcasts.

 

  • Raleigh-Durham: WRAL
  • Phoenix: KFPH-CD, KASW
  • Dallas: KSTR, KTXD
  • Las Vegas: KSNV, KVCW, KLAS, KTNV
  • Nashville: WTVF, WKRN, WZTV, WUXP, WNAB
  • Orlando: WRCF-CD
  • Pittsburgh: WPGH, WTAE, WPNT
  • Portland: KPDX, KPTV, KATU, KGW, KOPB, KOIN, KRCW
  • Santa Barbara: KSBB-CD
  • Salt Lake City: KUTV, KJZZ, KTVX, KUCW
  • Austin: KXAN, KBVO, KNVA, KEYE
  • Oklahoma City: KOCO, KFOR, KAUT, KOKH, KOCB
  • Washington: WJLA and WTTG are planning to run an 8-week trial of ATSC 3.0 - no start date announced yet

 

Station groups that have announced ATSC 3.0 deployment plans

Some of these groups are acting in concert with other groups to launch ATSC 3.0 services.

 

  • Graham
  • Tegna
  • Scripps
  • Fox Television Stations
  • Meredith
  • Nexstar
  • Telemundo
  • Univision
  • Sinclair
  • Capitol Broadcasting
Edited by skbl17
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  • Weeters pinned this topic
  • 9 months later...

https://deadline.com/2020/05/top-local-tv-groups-upgrade-to-next-generation-tv-technology-in-las-vegas-1202943529/

May 26, 2020 saw the launch of ATSC 3.0/Next Gen TV in the Las Vegas market, with Sinclair's KSNV/KVCW, Scripps' KTNV, and Nexstar's KLAS. 

Article from KTNV as an example for elaboration.

----------------------------------------------------

https://advanced-television.com/2020/05/27/nextgen-tv-launches-show-growing-momentum/

Certain broadcasts in the following markets have already deployed the tech in some way (in addition to the ones listed above):

  • Boise
  • Portland
  • Santa Barbara
  • Orlando

Additional launches are expected in Portland, OR and Pittsburgh, PA by the end of 2020. 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here's what's going on in Nashville with their 3.0 launch....and how the now 3.0 frequencies moved their feeds to the existing 1.0 stations.

 

WNAB's CW feed is now on WKRN's frequency, still maintaining their 58.1 PSIP ID.  All of the existing WKRN sub-channels are still there.  WNAB is still operated by Sinclair and owned by a third wheel as before.

The remaining WNAB subchannels are now on WTVF's frequency keeping the same PSIPs.

 

WUXP's channels are now on WZTV's frequency, including all of their subchannels.

 

The former frequencies of WUXP and WNAB are now the ATSC 3.0 signals.  I'll be curious to see how these are used, and how the picture quality of the existing stations is now that they have shoehorned in the other feeds.  The WUXP and WNAB feeds are 720p, along with the host feeds of their primary stations, WKRN and WZTV.  Only WTVF is still in 1080i, and the rest of the feeds are in 480i.

 

And in Pittsburgh...

 

WPNT's former frequency is now the 3.0 station.  Their main feed is now on WPGH's frequency, and the other WPNT sub-feeds are on WTAE's frequency.

 

 

I'd be curious to see how the stations plan on using their 3.0 feeds.  How much more content can they offer between the 2 in Nashville (from 5) and the 1 (from 3) in Pittsburgh.

Edited by tyrannical bastard
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Developments in Washington, D.C. and Portland, OR:

  1. WJLA, WTTG to Trial 3.0 Advanced Emergency Alerting in D.C. - It's an 8-week trial of ATSC 3.0 emergency capabilities. No start date determined yet. The trial will be held through 4 two-week blocks, with each block progressing in implementation of content.
  2. KPDX, KPTV Portland To Offer NextGen TV With Triveni Digital 
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  • 2 weeks later...

Some new developments in PhoenixAZ. 

Last week, on July 8, Scripps' KASW (CW) became the second transmission source for the ATSC 3.0 signal. The station will host the signal for KSAZ (Fox 10 / O&O) as well for its initial launch.

Earlier reports last October sort of mentioned KNXV (Scripps' ABC 15; probably just discussed because of their shared ownership) in the developments, but the launch is set to eventually happen for the whole market.

 

After Portland, OR's full launch following July sweeps, six more markets are slated to launch in August, and another five after November sweeps. These are all contingent on operations not being too derailed by COVID.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As promised, Portland (OR) witnessed deployment of ATSC 3.0 tech across seven stations on July 28, covering pretty much most of the English-language programming in the area. 

  • Meredith - KPTV (Fox 12) + KPDX ("Fox 12 Plus")
  • Nexstar - KOIN (CBS) + KRCW (CW)
  • Sinclair - KATU (ABC)
  • Tegna - KGW (NBC)
  • Oregon Public Broadcasting - KOPB (PBS)

John Hane, president of BitPath (broadcast data services firm leading the transition here), said:

Quote

Today’s launch marks the largest ATSC 3.0 deployment supported by BitPath’s transition team to date.  KOIN, KATU and KRCW will soon join more than two dozen other leading ATSC 3.0 television stations as charter participants in the groundbreaking data broadcasting network being launched by BitPath later this year.

 

More information can be found here:

1) https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/251746/seven-portland-or-stations-launch-atsc-3-0/

2) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/major-broadcasters-launch-nextgen-tv-on-seven-local-television-stations-in-portland-or-301101679.html

------

In other news, this dives into the specifics surrounding the new emergency alert system launched by the ATSC group. Earlier, I mentioned how WJLA and WTTG in DC are preparing to test the system out over 60 days before officially launching. The new technology is designed to hand stations more power, flexibility, and streamline ability over content dispersion and, of course, monetization potential. An example of the optimization is Sinclair creating templates that will be embedded with relevant information/media that viewers can get/watch directly. The content will also be bolstered by geo-targeting so that area-relevant emergency alerts could run as a bug or crawl on screens just to those in affected areas.

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5 hours ago, Yankees4life said:

Just hoping someone here in Miami tests out ATSC 3.0 soon

 

God knows where I'll get that tuner tho to watch 😂🤣

Indeed that seems to be the big issue with ATSC 3.0 - getting a tuner that will be economically viable out to the mass market.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm seeing notices airing on WPMI, WJTC and WKRG about having to rescan on August 25th.  The latter two stations already repacked in the spectrum auction, so someone is going to be hosting 3.0 in the Mobile/Pensacola market.

Too bad WALA isn't a part of it, their VHF signal is a problem for everyone, and it would be nice to have their 1.0 signal easily viewable on a UHF frequency....

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  • 1 month later...

After a bit of a lull in ATSC 3.0 developments, there was a big launch today on October 7th.

 

https://tvnewscheck.com/article/top-news/254354/four-austin-stations-roll-out-atsc-3-0/

AUSTIN

  • Nexstar's KXAN (NBC) and KBVO (MyNetworkTV)
    • Vaughan's KNVA (CW)
  • Sinclair's KEYE (CBS)

I guess Tegna and Fox weren't ready for the switch yet.

 

As for the next markets to watch for imminent launches, TVTechnology reports Denver, Los Angeles, Mobile/Pensacola (as mentioned above), and Oklahoma City.

https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/atsc-30-deployments-where-and-when-will-nextgen-tv-be-available

(ATSC's official map: https://www.atsc.org/nextgen-tv/deployments/)

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On 6/25/2020 at 3:57 PM, Roadrunner said:

WJLA, WTTG to Trial 3.0 Advanced Emergency Alerting in D.C. - It's an 8-week trial of ATSC 3.0 emergency capabilities. No start date determined yet. The trial will be held through 4 two-week blocks, with each block progressing in implementation of content.

Sinclair has brought in more reinforcements for their imminent NextGen launch in the DC market

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Mobile/Pensacola is live.  Sinclair and Nexstar have lit up 3.0 service on WJTC and WFNA.

 

WJTC's 3.0 channel has WPMI, WJTC and WEAR.

WFNA's 3.0 channel has WKRG, WFNA and WFGX.

 

On the 1.0 repack, WJTC's subchannels are now on WEAR.   WFNA's subchannels are on WFGX.   WPMI has WJTC's main feed and WKRG has WFNA's main feed.

 

No action by Meredith, since they're on VHF and may feel the same about not launching with their current alottment on 9.  Here's hoping they go UHF regardless like Tegna is doing in other markets.

 

It was on WJTC's tower where the tower crew was stranded on Monday where one was killed and another injured from debris.  I think the work was related to general tower maintenance and not the transition itself.  WPMI reported that the workers were replacing a guy wire.  The condition of the tower may have been affected by Hurricane Sally which caused a lot of damage in the area about a month ago, and pushed back the launch to this week.

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On 10/10/2020 at 9:31 PM, JCB4TV said:

ATSC 3.0 is Live in Oklahoma City

 

The five stations broadcasting NextGen TV in Oklahoma City include Hearst’s KOCO-TV (ABC), Nexstar Media Group’s KFOR-TV (NBC) and KAUT-TV (IND); and Sinclair’s KOKH-TV (Fox) and KOCB-TV (CW).

In OKC, ATSC 3.0 is transmitting on Nexstar's KAUT license, RF19, with KFOR, KOCO, KOKH, KOCB, and KAUT.

 

As for KAUT's ATSC 1.0 transmissions:

 

43.1 is on KFOR's RF27 spectrum

43.2 & 43.3 are on KOKH's RF24 spectrum

43.4 is on KOCB's RF33 spectrum

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WFXQ-CD in Springfield, MA is the latest station to file paperwork to transition to 3.0.

 

Honestly, I saw this coming a mile away. WFXQ is basically a UHF translator for WWLP, so it makes sense that they'd want to use it for the new standard, after Nexstar failed to sell it in the spectrum auction.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Big news in Raleigh-Durham today:

WTVD (Disney / ABC), WNCN (Nexstar / CBS),  WLFL (Sinclair / CW), and WRDC (Sinclair / MNT) have all launched ATSC 3.0 tech today.

The article also states locally-owned WRAL (NBC) and WRAZ (Fox), and the PBS station WUNC will all fully have ATSC by the end of this year, making RDU "one of the most fully deployed ATSC 3.0 markets in the country.”

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

News here from Detroit

Five channels switched over to 3.0, including the big 4 networks.

Scripps' WMYD (MNT / 20) + WXYZ (ABC / 7), Fox's WJBK (2), Graham's WDIV (NBC / 4), and CBS's WWJ (62)

WMYD is the host station.

 

Coming with this development is "the launch of the “Motown 3.0 Open Test Track” for merging automotive applications with NextGen TV."

More as follows:

Quote

"The goal of the Motown 3.0 Test Track is to provide another research and development environment for the automotive industry to road test proof-of-concepts and connected car solutions using the internet protocol (IP) capabilities of the new broadcast TV standard. Transformative advances in core TV broadcast technologies made possible by ATSC 3.0 give terrestrial broadcasters new abilities to deliver Infotainment and IP data services to an infinite number of vehicles simultaneously, as well as to the displays and devices in them — whether on-the-go or in the garage....In the future, automobile makers will be able to, for example, update millions of in-car systems simultaneously at a comparatively low cost to today’s manual systems. This is just one of the exciting innovations we see available through this IP capability."

Brian Lawlor (Scripps President)

Initial participants in the Motown project are LG Electronics, Amazon Web Services, and LTN Global.

Edited by Roadrunner
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