NAB Petitions FCC for ATSC 1.0 Sunset Starting in 2028

telcodad

The National Association of Broadcasters has petitioned the FCC to approve a February 2028 sunset for ATSC 1.0 broadcasts in the top 55 markets, with the remaining markets making the transition to ATSC 3.0 by Feb. 2030:

NAB Petitions FCC for ATSC 1.0 Sunset in 2028 and 2030
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/nab-petitions-fcc-for-atsc-1-0-sunset-in-2028-and-2030

sempergoofy

telcodad Since I had no idea what this was about when I read the thread title, I went and read the article. Having done that, I googled to see if the 2024 Samsung S95D TV that I bought in January was good to go. Nope. Per this review:
_Samsung 77" S95D Quantum Dot OLED TV Review

...Unfortunately, no display is perfect. After offering many 4K NextGen TVs last year, Samsung has only put new ATSC 3.0 tuners in its 8K models this year. We weren't given a reason for this omission. However, Samsung has quietly followed the path of its rival LG Electronics. They are cutting their use of these tuners as broadcasts become more available. LG previously announced it is dropping ATSC 3.0 tuners from all its 2024 models due to an IP-licensing dispute.
If you want ATSC 3.0 capability in a new OLED TV, we suggest you consider getting one of the 2023 Samsung S95C Quantum OLED models or wait to see what Sony brings to market soon. Alternatively, you can purchase a third-party NextGen TV set-top tuner box outfitted with new Digital- Rights Management (DRM) support for about $100 on the low end.

So, my year 2024 model doesn't contain a Nextgen tuner, but I could have had one if I had bought an older 2023 model. No thanks. If they can't get the TV manufacturers behind this, am I supposed to care?

AMDUSER

telcodad The article mentions having a February 2028 date for when all tvs must have the ATSC 3.0 tuner devices. What the FCC should have done is forced the IP holders to to due the fair / reasonable for the licensing fees; the same as the ATSC 1.0.

Who knows how this will pan out. None of my tvs have the the ATSC 3.0 tuners in them..

telcodad

It seems that the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has a different opinion on that:

From:
Debate on broadcaster transition to 'NextGen TV' erupts
The NAB has proposed transitioning high-power US broadcast stations to ATSC 3.0 in about five years, but the CTA believes it will raise costs and enable broadcasters to chase a 'failing business model.'
Light Reading - February 28, 2025
https://www.lightreading.com/video-broadcast/debate-on-broadcaster-transition-to-nextgen-tv-erupts

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) are squaring off over the NAB's proposed plan to transition broadcasters to the next-gen ATSC 3.0 signaling standard in the coming years.

Boiled down, the NAB believes the FCC can play a major role in accelerating a transition to a platform it considers critical to the future of US broadcasting. But the CTA, which runs the annual CES tech-fest in Las Vegas, argued that the proposal is unnecessary and stands to raise costs for TVs at a time when consumers are tightening belts.

CTA: NAB plan will raise costs for a platform consumers aren't embracing

Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chair of the CTA, which looks out for the interests of TV manufacturers and other consumer electronics companies, believes it's wrong to force a cost-increasing requirement for a platform that consumers are not embracing. He jokingly wondered if a mandate for 3D-TVs is next.

"This will impose large percentage increase in costs at a time when the TV set has proved to be the rare deflationary product," Shapiro said in a statement. "Rather than innovating, broadcasters are lobbying for regulations to prop up their failing business model … CTA remains focused on delivering real value and choice to consumers, not propping up failing business models through regulation."

telcodad

Latest update on all this:

NAB Urges Swift Action by FCC on NextGen TV Transition
The Commission “has a timely opportunity to move the transition from its current, limited implementation phase to a full, nationwide deployment that serves the public interest,” the NAB said in its latest filing
By George Winslow, TV Technology - January 20, 2026
https://www.tvtechnology.com/regulatory-legal/nab-urges-swift-action-by-fcc-on-nextgen-tv-transition

The NAB has filed additional comments with the Federal Communications Commission stressing the urgency of quickly implementing policies that will speed the transition from ATSC 1.0, the current broadcast standard, to ATSC 3.0 aka NextGen TV.
:
“NAB urges the Commission to adopt a date-certain ATSC 1.0 sunset, modernize its receiver standards so consumers can reliably receive authorized broadcast services, ensure continued MVPD carriage of stations’ primary ATSC 3.0 signals and associated program-related features, and reaffirm a stable approach to content protection that supports broadcasters’ ability to secure and deliver the high-value programming viewers expect while preserving longstanding consumer viewing expectations," the NAB argued.

While the agency has signaled that it wants to liberalize some rules in ways that will speed up the transition, it has not taken a position on two of the key issues raised by the NAB filing, namely a cutoff date for ATSC 1.0 broadcast signals and a requirement that all new TV sets be able to receive 3.0 signals. …

cypherstream

Uh, they better get LG to play nice and resolve that patent dispute. You have some of the best looking OLED TV's on the market that could be more than capable of ATSC 3.0, but software locked to ATSC 1.0 due to patent issues.

Then they have to figure out the DRM issues. HD Home Run users can't easily distribute ATSC 3.0 through the home with Plex or many other playback devices and software. The DRM basically kills it.

ATSC 3.0 may have some nice features, better reception, more efficient codecs - but there are definitely major setbacks.

Somewhat-Reticent

The National Assoc. of B—ers can want away, the ball's already fumbled.
Economy shrinkage may make it moot soon anyway.

ThirdShifter

Broad cast transmision is dying. The 1960s want their TV back. The future is all fiber or satellite IPTV.

lesmikesell

ThirdShifter Broad cast transmision is dying. The 1960s want their TV back. The future is all fiber or satellite IPTV.

The broadcasters want to kill it by making ATSC 3.0 difficult or impossible to receive and especially to record or send to existing apps or equipment. They get their money from the rebroadcast fees from cable and streaming vendors and killing ATSC 1.0 will ensure they keep getting it.

Donut417

ThirdShifter except those options cost money. OTA TV does not. Also Fiber doesn’t where I live and we are not installing a satellite dish.

Bink63

ThirdShifter Broad cast transmision is dying. The 1960s want their TV back. The future is all fiber or satellite IPTV.

So, you think Cellular companies should be allowed to keep grabbing more of the public airwaves spectrum to make more $$$, at the expense of leaving The Public Consumers at their mercy and their control over access to news and weather?

Thane_Bitter

ThirdShifter That is why the issue will not be fixed in TVs, users can go by another one (now costing more with tariffs) or they can subscribe to some pay service which will have an ever escalating prices as competition is killed by mergers to the benefit of the political powers that approve them.

Win win for everyone but the consumer/taxpayer/voter.

Genman

Donut417 except those options cost money. OTA TV does not.

Which in many markets is dying.

Somewhat-Reticent

Tuner vendors also want people to recycle their vintage hardware and buy new.

Donut417

Bink63 I rather the Cellular companies have it at this point then broadcasters being allowed to use encryption and DRM to restrict users. At least with the Cellular providers there providing some level of competition to the cable monopoly when it comes to internet access. Further more I get my weather info from the internet. Most of the stuff on the news is Bullshit and most news agencies are politically aligned either to the right or to the left so it's not like the news is objective.

Donut417

AMDUSER I recall Vizio had “Home Theater Displays” at one time. They couldn’t call them TVs due to no tuner. I wonder if we will go back to that. Have external tuners/ DVRs. I just know that if they force this issue OTA will be dead to me, I rely on a HD home run to transmit the OTA signal thru my home, not practical to run coax. I know at least a few channels that are encrypted, I wait for more to follow.

AMDUSER

Donut417 I remember seeing those Vizio [home theater displays] at Walmart...
I'm not buying a new tv until ATSC 3.0 tuner is included. I don't watch much OTA these days.

Donut417

AMDUSER The issue is parts of the standard are under patents. Some TV manufactures like LG pretty much said FUCK IT, obviously the cost to license the tech much be more than they are willing to spend. LG has some of the best display tech in the industry. Not to mention encryption and DRM that is built in to the standard. I dont think ATSC 3.0 is going to succeed on its own.

AMDUSER

Donut417 Yeah, especially since LG got sued. They were ordered to pay $6.75 per tv with the ATSC 3.0 tuner. ATSC 3.0 LG Lawsuit .

Somewhat-Reticent

AMDUSER $6.75 per

_Then add tariff(s) and profit margin.

Nice to see Consumer Technology Association (CTA) shine a light on the absurdity.

FTA broadcast has already been greatly reduced by mis-timed ad interruptions
crowding out shows.
( terrifying ads, at that - "common side effects" worse than the latest disease )

lesmikesell

AMDUSER Yeah, especially since LG got sued. They were ordered to pay $6.75 per tv with the ATSC 3.0 tuner. ATSC 3.0 LG Lawsuit .

That's in addition to what they thought all the patent fees were supposed to be. Somehow this wasn't bundled into what the standards group thought the package needed or would charge but they managed to win a lawsuit.

AMDUSER

Somewhat-Reticent OT: Those tariffs are likely going to raise prices at work by 20-25% depending on dept.. Quite a bit of the food product they sell in the dept I work at comes from Canada.

antdude

Didn't Vizio stop including ATSC tuners inside their newer TVs?

AMDUSER

antdude No, they still are including them. ATSC 1.0 currently. Unless you purchased a Vizio SmartCast TV P series which has no tuner.