Is the Future of Broadcast TV Up in the Air?

CORRECTION: I've been told that the HDHomerun will have a software update to support DRM encrypted channels. Users will not have to return their boxes.

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[mikecampbell]

I remember watching black and white TV and only having one TV station when I was a kid. We got cable and color TV in 1968 and I was so happy. It's absolutely amazing how far TV has advanced.

[thomaschristopher]

in the 60s, 70, 80 and well into the 90's i used to know the primetime lineup of ABC, CBS and NBC by heart. I now can go a month without turning on the TV and I haven't watched a program on those 3 stations for years.

[sweepingdenver]

There's something about the way Tyler talks that I find very engaging. It's very genuine and conversational, and every clause of every sentence has an inflection that tells you what his real opinion is, with a slight amount of snark when necessary. Lol, keep it up!

[FreeSwimmer]

You helped me dump an expensive streaming app and have antenna tv again. I installed a Clearstream 4v antenna with a pole mounted pe-amp and a powered, 2 tv distribution splitter. My scanning said 84 channels in both rooms. I only need about 6 or 8 channels to stay relevant. The wife likes Netflix and were deciding on 1 other app for bravo at a fair price.

[RobertOsgood]

I sincerely hope that broadcast TV survives. One of my pet peeves is people that are streaming who are calling themselves cord-cutters. If you are streaming, you have a cable to provide the internet. Cord cutting means no cord. I like the anonymous feeling of OTA TV. The provider does not get to track what I am viewing. Before I blasted over the cord-cutter comment. I do have internet and stream a lot of content. I just don't call myself a cord-cutter. I also have a good antenna setup that Tyler helped design through his recommendation service. I highly recommend his service if you are thinking about putting up an antenna.

[billpenna]

To be fair, over the air TV is limited in the number of channels it can offer. I like where it's headed but they'll never compete with streaming if it's just network programming and side channels that show repeats of Gunsmoke, etc. IF over the air (and it's a big if) can provide lots of current quality programming around the clock (and not load up on infomercials, shopping channels and religious broadcasts) they might stand a chance.

[jackphillips]

I look forward to your video on the update. I cannot for the life of me figure out how an entity can use licensed, public, airways for encrypted TV.

[allenmyers]

HD Radio was a sole-source provider and receiver -- namely Ibiquity Digital Corporation. They were the only company to bid to develop HD radio. Also, all HD radios come with a $50.00 add-on that goes to Ibiquity. Hence, they were simple much more expensive than standard radios. So, most radio manufacturers decided not to produce them. By the way, the mandate for all TV's to come with UHF receivers was mandated by Congress and not the FCC. I wouldn't expect that agency to require ATSC 3.0 receivers to be in all new TV sets.

[rafaelperez]

Since ATSC 3.0 seems to be cost prohibitive and it’s not mandatory, stations are not in a rush to upgrade their towers. Great video Tyler!! 👍😁

[jamesmiller]

Thank you for the heads up. Because of your continuing info I finally installed a out door antenna.

[ArnieDXer]

As a non-US watcher, I'm shocked the US terrestrial TV stations do encrypt their signals, and that they use DRM for that. Guess it only adds a lot of hassle with these channels, not just cost. Unthinkable in Europe, except for paid packages. (That said, there are countries where only public TV is free on terrestrial)

[davidebacchi]

For comparison: Italy here: DVB-T2 is a 15 years old standard, here switch over (to DVB-T2 and HEVC) was planned but was pushed to kalendae grecae in favor of a switch over to AVC over DVB-T1 because of "lack of compatibility with existing sets" (but actually because all TV managed to fit in the available spectrum otherweise I bet we'd have already had T2 ), and since 2017 it's compulsory for every tv set or digital set top box to be compatible with T2 and HEVC.
I'm still trying to figure out how in America can a switch-over be planned with no installed equipement.

As a note, here DVB-T is the standard, DVB-S is the exception and cable is virtually non-existent (just the OTT over internet).

[journeyon]

I was going to ask this very question about the future of over-the-air tv and Tyler read my mind by addressing it in this video. Thanks for the info in this ever changing world of broadcast tv. Believe me, it's changing what seems to be every week.

[crazycoollady]

I hope over-the-air TV doesn't become completely obsolete. I love the nostalgic feel and affordability that comes with over-the-air TV. I know people enjoy being able to watch whatever they want when they want (and rightfully so), but to me it feels special when I have to wait a specific time to watch a program. Even though I am not generally a fan of TV graphics or commercials that came out in recent years; TV station graphics, bumpers, and commercials from previous time periods have always provided memories for me throughout my youth. For example, I liked the graphics that ABC-7 KGO-TV had from 2002 until 2009.

[kamaleon]

I used to work for a major local tv company that is part of the NextGen technology. There has been something that has bothering me. Even while working there, I asked quite a few times if there were any updates to CC or making things more accessible for people that had sight or hearing issues and I was laughed at by the grunts relaying information from their press release ... line by line.... or higher ends of org tree. . (I am not one of these people but when I get older, my sight is going to leave me like it has most others I know).

Has there been any discussions or notifications whether ATSC 3.0 is making TV either OTA or on Satellite/Cable or even TV manufacturers to make things more accessible to people with disabilities?

[bradmiller]

Broadcast tv is best. It feels less lonely knowing I'm watching something that's playing in someone else's house at the same time. After ten years of streaming and DVR, I'm ready to step back a little and go back to the old way.

[RickPaquin]

Excellent assessment!! Our local ATSC 3.0 channels are lumped on one, low power UHF channel and only broadcast at 1200x700. Why would I even bother with them? Using my HDHomerun and using their TV app, some TV brands don't even have audio on these stations, but yet some do.

Remember, what's driving OTA is the cost of cable, where the minimum cost of cable for just LOCAL stations you can pick up with antenna now runs about $74/mo. with most cable companies, and that's why the FCC needs to be more focused and proactive on the RF needs of the taxpayer. Congress previously subsidized the cost of digital boxes when we went digital. Why not the same for ATSC 3.0 boxes AND mandate ATSC 3.0 capability in ALL new TV's so we have OTA that actually works better than it does now?

As other's have mentioned, the roll out of UHF television would have been REALLY delayed if there hadn't been a mandate by the govt. for all TV's after 1964 sold in the U.S. to include UHF tuners.

The television industry needs to know the direction of the FCC before they will invest in new low cost ATSC 3.0 capable televisions. The FCC should follow the same actions they took years ago with digital to spur ATSC 3.0 into the market and they need to relax the rules where it makes sense. They are supposed to be working for us, and they should be leading this effort, but I really fear ATSC 3.0 may already be doomed to fail because of limited RF space in many areas, thanks to poor planning at the FCC.


I checked out one application currently on file for our area. They claimed to be operating ATSC 1.0 currently to meet the FCC rule. Well, ... not that I can tell! But that rule should be ditched.

[juannunez]

I'm in the New York City market. A huge key market for adoption of any technology but there's only one single ATSC 3.0 station on the air here. That's a huge problem.

[kakurerud]

If DRM Klls ATSC3, they will likely blame anything other than DRM breaking things again.

[JoshRazauskas]

ATSC 3.0 is such a good thing overall but this encryption thing with DRM is a horrible horrible thing hopefully something can be done so that they’re made to stop doing it and the tuners will be able to become affordable. Great break down as always, Tyler!