Tag: ATSC 3

What’s Next for ATSC 3.0 DRM?

As the rollout of ATSC 3.0 continues in the U.S., one major roadblock keeps surfacing: broadcasters’ push to encrypt over-the-air TV signals. This effort has made it more challenging for viewers to access free, over-the-air content and slowed adoption of the new standard by TV and tuner box manufacturers.

Now that the 2024 presidential election is behind us, I take a look at what might happen next in my latest video.

The recent election results are likely going to keep the government out of how broadcasters choose to implement the standard.

During a recent investor call, Nexstar, a prominent broadcaster, expressed optimism about potential regulatory changes under the current administration, particularly around loosening media ownership restrictions.

The FCC currently limits the number of TV stations a single broadcaster can own nationally, as well as the amount of broadcast space in local markets. Broadcasters argue that while they face restrictions, tech giants like Google enjoy open access to screens across the country. Ironically, these same broadcasters rely on Google’s encryption technology to encrypt their signals, making Google both a competitor and a provider. Additionally the only compatible tuner boxes are ones that are running Google’s operating system.

Current FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, considered the front runner to be the next FCC chair, favors market-driven approaches over governmental mandates. He cites the success of the United States’ 5G rollout and sees the government’s role in ensuring scarce radio spectrum meets its highest and best use in a competitive marketplace.

In his past remarks, Carr has emphasized the importance of letting the market dictate the success of ATSC 3.0, particularly viewing it as an opportunity for “Broadcast Internet” – a high-speed data service for rural areas that could transform TV broadcasters into ISPs. This perspective could ultimately steer the industry toward data services over traditional TV broadcasts, especially in underserved regions.

Given these past statements it’s safe to assume he’ll give the industry discretion to finalize the standard themselves including the encryption component. If the market doesn’t respond well to that, so be it.

And the market may already be responding: ATSC 3.0 adoption is still lagging due to the complexities DRM brings to the mix. Few TVs currently support 3.0, and most that do are higher-end models. DRM certification complicates the production of ATSC 3.0-compatible devices, a situation that has hindered innovation from startups that could otherwise provide affordable options for tuning into these signals.

With the government expecting a transition in 2027, and Carr eying the existing ATSC 1.0 spectrum for 5G data providers, it’s possible market forces and a lack of regulatory pressure may cause broadcasters to pivot their entire business model.

Viewers interested in voicing their opinions on the matter still have the option to submit comments to the FCC. It might be worth reminding the FCC that DRM encryption is limiting the market for a competitive hardware tuning market.

ATSC 3.0 Encryption Limits Consumer Choice

We are now about a year and a half in on the encryption of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast television standard. It’s becoming clear now how DRM is significantly limiting consumer choice and adoption of the new format. In my latest video I’ll demo how well an unencrypted channel works across a number of platforms that are currently restricted from viewing encrypted content.

This video was inspired by a recent press release pushed out by broadcast TV association Pearl TV touting a new USB dongle from ADTH that can tune into ATSC 3.0 content. They cite this as a step towards speeding up adoption of the new standard. BUT – the dongle will require an Internet connection to tune into protected channels.

What’s frustrating is that a similar device has been around for nearly a year, made by a company called GT Media. In fact I reviewed it when it came out. It’s a $60 USB stick that can pick up unencrypted ATSC 3.0 and 1.0 signals and an example of how robust the ATSC 3.0 tuner marketplace could have been by now.

What is clear is that we’d have many more affordable options like this one if broadcasters didn’t choose to encrypt and lock down their signals. I’m very interested to see what the ADTH dongle will cost vs. the GTMedia device given what the added expense of meeting those DRM requirements requires.

To show how frustrating this can be, I’ve got an HDHomeRun Flex 4K plugged into my antenna upstairs, and I can tune in non-encrypted ATSC 3.0 signals across multiple platforms: my Windows PC, iPhone, Roku TV, and even my Apple TV. Basically anything in my home with a screen can tune in. It all works perfectly without having to jump through hoops. But as soon as encryption gets involved, most of these options vanish, leaving me with only a few Android-based tuners to choose from that have to be directly connected to a television.

Earlier this year, broadcasters promised that we’d see more device compatibility beyond Android platforms, but here we are months later and we’re still waiting. Devices like Apple TV, Windows PCs, and others are still locked out because the encryption standard the broadcasters chose is a Google-based system.

It’s a real shame because ATSC 3.0 is such a leap forward in terms of video quality and efficiency. When it’s not locked down, it’s a game changer. I’ve been able to receive channels in my area that I never could before, but now two of my local networks have encrypted their signals, locking me out.

There’s still time to make our voices heard. The FCC is accepting comments on this, and it’s one of the most commented issues on their docket right now. If you feel the same way I do about the impact of encryption on the future of over-the-air TV, you can add your thoughts to the official file. I have instructions here on how to submit a comment to the FCC here on my site.

For now, I’m keeping an eye on how this develops, but it’s frustrating to think about how much potential this technology has and how much it’s being restricted by unnecessary barriers. If the encryption stays, I fear this could be the future of broadcast television—locked down and limiting what consumers can do with their own devices.

ATSC 3.0 Update: Did Broadcasters Mislead the FCC on LG Patent Suit Impact?

I’ve been closely following the transition of over-the-air television in the U.S. to the new ATSC 3.0 standard, also known as NextGenTV. Initially, the process appeared smooth, but things started to take a turn. Broadcasters began encrypting channels, making them inaccessible to viewers. Then, the industry was hit with a significant lawsuit that forced LG, one of the largest TV manufacturers, to pull its ATSC 3.0 tuners off the market.

In my latest video, we take a look at how the industry is responding to this lawsuit one year out. Broadcast industry association Pearl TV told the FCC last year that this lawsuit had no impact on the transition to ATSC 3.0, but they told a very different story to an appeals court hearing the case last week.

That lawsuit, filed by Constellation Designs, didn’t seek an astronomical sum—only $1.6 million in damages. But the real issue was the future costs: LG would have to pay a $6.75 royalty per unit for every television equipped with the tuner. This rate was about six times what they were paying to the patent pool for other related patents. LG, understandably, decided to exit the market rather than absorb those costs.

Fast forward to the present, and the broadcasters’ association, Pearl TV, has filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals. They argue that the lawsuit could jeopardize the transition to ATSC 3.0. Their concern is that other patent holders, seeing the success of Constellation Designs, might also opt out of the patent pool, potentially leading to more lawsuits and higher costs for manufacturers. If that happens, they fear other TV manufacturers might follow LG’s lead and exit the market as well.

What’s interesting, though, is that Pearl TV’s message to the FCC last year was quite different. After the lawsuit, they downplayed the issue, saying everything was fine and there was no need for the FCC to intervene. They argued that the patent pools were functioning well and that there was no sign of market failure.

Despite Pearl’s reassurance to the FCC, the market tells a different story. Only a handful of new televisions this year included ATSC 3.0 tuners, and most are found only in high-end televisions that aren’t affordable for everyone. Panasonic’s recent announcement of their return to the U.S. market with TVs featuring ATSC 3.0 tuners adds some hope. However, those tuners won’t be activated until a future firmware update, and there’s no clear timeline for when that will happen.

The broader issue here seems to be that broadcasters are attempting to turn this new standard into a proprietary one. With ATSC 1.0, if a manufacturer’s product meets the FCC’s standards, they can build a tuner and sell it on the market. But under ATSC 3.0, manufacturers must get approval from broadcasters, pay for testing and certifications, and potentially face high royalty fees from DRM, which could make it financially unfeasible for many small hardware and software companies to participate.

The result is that consumers may end up paying more for television access, and options will remain limited – especially as the DRM encryption prevents the use of gateway devices that allow in-home streaming to televisions not connected to an antenna. This is particularly concerning given that broadcasters use public airwaves for free.

I’ve been encouraging viewers to make their voices heard with the FCC regarding these issues. Many have already submitted filings, and the ATSC 3.0 proceeding is now one of the FCC’s top concerns. It’s clear that public dissatisfaction with the transition is growing.

With a U.S. election coming up, followed by a presidential transition, this is a pivotal moment to influence how the FCC approaches the ATSC 3.0 standard. There’s an opportunity to ensure that the new standard benefits consumers, not just broadcasters. The more public feedback that can be submitted now, the better the chances of ensuring a fair and accessible transition.

ATSC 3 Update: Broadcasters say we are the “Super, super, super sub minority”

I’ve been receiving numerous inquiries about new developments with the NextGenTV ATSC 3.0 over the air television standard. Unfortunately, there isn’t much news to report beyond some markets experimenting with streaming Internet-based channels that initiate their connections based on a URL passed over the air. You can see which markets support this new feature over at Rabbitears.info.

The other bit of news is that the industry refuses to budge on their desire to encrypt the public airwaves and make it more difficult for consumers to watch television in their own homes. In a recent interview, an industry spokesperson said those opposed to encryption are a “super, super, super sub minority” of the overall population. I disagree, and my latest video looks at why more people care than the industry’s tunnel vision suggests.

The interview was conducted by Dylan Ross of WNY Over The Air with David Arland of Arland Communications, who represents several industry players in the ATSC 3.0 rollout including the A3SA, the group responsible for the encryption.

Arland touched on gateway devices like the HDHomerun that bring a TV signal into one device and distribute over a local network to other devices. Arland said in the interview that gateway devices that support ATSC 3 encryption are coming, a claim that has been made since stations started locking their signals down a year ago. To date none of the certified ATSC 3 tuners allow gateway functions.

While the industry maintains this use case is minimal, a quick search of Amazon for “tv tuners” reveals that four of the top five best selling tuner products are in fact gateway devices: a few different SKUs of the 4th generation Tablo and the HDHomerun Flex 4k.

Arland also said claims that I and others have made that encryption is a tactic to steer consumers to subscription services is “bogus.” But if encryption is allowed by the FCC, that will be the only way for consumers to consume local tv stations in more than one room off of a single connection.

Despite the industry’s stance, consumer demand for flexible viewing options persists. Companies providing gateway hardware and software solutions for ATSC 1.0 continue to thrive, suggesting a substantial market interest. The future of DRM encryption will likely be decided by the FCC or Congress, influenced by the upcoming election and subsequent appointments to the FCC.

If you care about this issue, I encourage you to file a comment with the FCC. There are already over thousands of filings from other concerned viewers. The ongoing debate over DRM encryption is crucial, and your voice can make a difference.

ATSC 3.0 Emergency Alerts Stalled?

AWARN, an organization dedicated to standardizing television emergency alerts, has been instrumental in developing parts of the ATSC 3.0 standard. Their goal is to ensure that emergency alerts are consistent nationwide, allowing people to receive critical information in times of crisis. Improved emergency alerts has been one of the key selling points the industry is making in favor of adoption.

Like everything related to the ATSC 3.0 rollout, not much progress has been made in actually getting these these alerts to work. While the industry worked quickly to encrypt their signals to protect revenues, everything else appears to be falling by the wayside. This is the subject of my latest video.

John Lawson, AWARN’s executive director, told me that both broadcasters and the FCC need to provide some leadership to get this superior alert technology ready for the transition:

“Several major broadcast companies highlighted advanced alerting as the key benefit of NextGen TV when they filed comments requesting that the Commission approve voluntary transmission in ATSC 3.0. Chairman Pai thanked me personally for the role of AWARN in getting him to three votes for approval. But Sinclair and Capitol Broadcasting are really the only two broadcast companies making investments in advanced alerting since then. This inertia is exacerbated by a lack of leadership on the issue from the FCC.”

-Statement from John Lawson

Currently, emergency alerts are not being transmitted via ATSC 3.0 in most if not all markets, as demoed by WNY Weather on YouTube. This could pose a significant risk during emergencies when cellular networks are often the first to fail.

In a recent FCC Filing, AWARN showed examples of widespread cell tower outages during hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana but very few TV stations getting knocked off the air.

ATSC 3.0 promises enhanced alert features like geo-targeting to prevent “over alerting,” rich media content, device wakeup capabilities and more, which are crucial for effective emergency communication. These features can provide detailed information, such as evacuation routes and shelter locations, directly to affected individuals. Despite this potential, the lack of a standardized approach means these capabilities remain underutilized.

AWARN’s presentation to the FCC included practical suggestions, such as the use of battery-powered receivers for low-income households that might not have access to other forms of media. These receivers could ensure that everyone receives emergency alerts, regardless of their financial situation. They also pointed out that current set-top boxes like the ADTH and Zinwell devices could support these alerts, though no broadcasters are transmitting them yet.

The promise of ATSC 3.0 in improving emergency alerts remains unfulfilled due to a combination of industry priorities and a lack of interest by regulators for any part of the ATSC 3.0 rollout. The technology is available, but without a coordinated effort, its life-saving potential will not be realized.

ATSC 3 Update – The Arduous Zinwell Box Update Process

Navigating the arduous update process of the Zinwell ATSC 3.0 tuner shows just how much complexity ATSC 3 DRM’s requirements have brought to free over the air television. I run through the update in my latest video.

As I referenced in my initial review, the update process is anything but simple. The instruction to press a specific settings key, when the remote itself houses two, sets the stage for a complex journey. The update requires navigating deep inside the otherwise hidden Android interface to initiate a sideloading of the updater app followed by the update itself.

This complexity is magnified when considering their target market are users who are not technologically savvy. This also further erodes the marketing promise that this device does not require an Internet connection to operate. Unfortunately frequent changes to the ATSC 3.0 DRM will require frequent firmware updates to keep the television channels working.

Despite the complexity, the update introduced some notable improvements, such as an up-to-date Android security patch level and a new signal strength indicator. However, these improvements are somewhat overshadowed by the convoluted process required to install them.

The introduction of a slightly simplified update process through its TV tuner app marks a step in the right direction, albeit a small one. The tuner app will drop users off on the same updater apps they currently have to load manually. It does not appear future updates will happen automatically and it’s not clear what the update process will look like in the future.

The complexity and frequent updates required by devices like the Zinwell ATSC 3.0 Box just to maintain compatibility with unnecessary encryption serve as a reminder of the challenges that consumers will face when it comes to tuning free TV in the near future.

If you haven’t already, please reach out to the FCC and register your complaint. They seem very eager to extend their regulatory powers to the Internet, but are showing less of a desire to exercise their existing regulatory authority of the public airwaves.

Free Broadcast TV Streaming Service LocalTV+ Launches in Boston

LocalTV+, a non-profit streaming service, has made its debut in Boston, offering those within a 100 mile radius of the city the ability to stream free broadcast television on their Apple devices. LocalTV+ works off the same legal theory as Locast, a previously shut-down service, by aiming to avoid repeating Locast’s mistakes.

In my latest video, I look at some of the headwinds LocalTV+ faces as it begins to build out its user base.

I am situated just beyond the 100-mile radius required to access LocalTV+ personally. After I published the video I was able to access the service by changing the location settings on my iPhone to provide a less precise address to the app. The video quality looks good and things spin up quickly.

Local TV+ is exclusive to iOS devices – iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs. This choice is because the developer’s expertise with iOS and helps in more accurately determining user locations, crucial for adherence to federal law.

LocalTV+ operates through an antenna situated in Brookline and possibly other locations around Boston. The service captures the ATSC 1.0 signal, redirecting it to users through a Boston-based data center. It does not have DVR capabilities although I was able to pause and restart live TV on-device.

The service’s legal foundation is built on its non-profit status, established under the name Mass Local TV Inc. This positioning is essential for compliance with federal retransmission laws, as it seeks to avoid the pitfalls encountered by previous ventures such as Aereo and Locast.

Aereo launched a commercial service (also in the Boston area) which allowed users to “rent” a tiny antenna at their facilities to pick up over the air broadcasts. The broadcasters argued that Aereo was no different than a cable provider and was violating copyright by streaming their broadcasts. The US Supreme Court agreed with the broadcasters, arguing that there was an insufficient distinction between its offerings and those of a traditional cable service.

Locast took a different approach, setting itself up as a non-profit and depending on a provision in US law that allows non-profit organizations to retransmit television broadcasts. But these non-profits have to it “without any purpose of direct or indirect commercial advantage, and without charge to the recipients of the secondary transmission other than assessments necessary to defray the actual and reasonable costs of maintaining and operating the secondary transmission service.”

Locast asked users to make a “donation” to the service that was around $5 per month. It was possible to access Locast for free, but free users would be nagged constantly with notices asking them to donate in order to watch without interruptions. Locast used the proceeds of user donations to expand the service into other TV markets and grew to over 2.5 million users.

The broadcasters took Locast to court on the grounds that the law does not allow donations to fuel expansion. The judge agreed with the broadcasters and also agreed to make Locast’s founder, David Goodfriend, personally liable for copyright infringement. Locast quickly shut down after that. In a settlement the broadcasters collected the leftover funds and decided not to pursue additional damages from Goodfriend.

For LocalTV+ to succeed where others failed, a delicate balance must be maintained. Its operations need to not step over the line to what federal law defines a cable system to be. This includes avoiding a paid donation subscription model and ensuring that any expansion is not funded by viewer donations.

Looming over this entire scenario is the ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV standard, which is on track to encrypt over-the-air signals. Such a development, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, would make it illegal for non-profits like LocalTV+ to retransmit encrypted signals, potentially rendering this and similar efforts futile.

Enjoy it while you can!

New DVR / Gateway Rules Announced for ATSC 3.0

On Monday, the A3SA announced new DRM rules for the emerging ATSC 3.0 TV standard. While the announcement on the surface looked encouraging, digging deeper reveals that these rules will not solve the issues the broadcast industry created by encrypting over the air signals. You can see an analysis in my latest video.

For the uninitiated, ATSC 3.0 is a new over the air TV standard that will soon replace the current ATSC 1.0 broadcast technology. Broadcasters added a digital rights management (DRM) feature into the new standard in an effort to prevent third parties from re-transmitting these signals over the Internet.

While it likely won’t stop piracy what it has been doing so far is preventing legitimate antenna television watchers from viewing the ATSC 3 signals – especially those of us who use a gateway device like the HDhomerun or Tablo. These devices allow a single antenna connection to bring over the air television to just about any device in the home with a screen. Encrypted channels don’t work with these gateway devices at the moment.

The A3SA’s press release, while not revealing the entire standard due to its proprietary nature, hints at significant changes that will restore network DVR functionality and will allow for in-home streaming from a gateway device to a software or hardware based video player like a phone, tablet, set top box and smart TV.

A3SA also says that the addition to the standard will also follow the “broadcast encoder rules” which allow for the freedoms we currently enjoy with over-the-air content, like recording, skipping ads, and no retention limits.

But there’s a catch .. the broadcast encoder rules are rules established by the industry, not the FCC or Congress. Additionally broadcasters are only required to abide by these rules so long as the encrypted ATSC 3.0 channel is simulcast with the older ATSC 1.0 version. After that they could do a rug pull and severely limit what TV viewers can do in the home with their recordings.

Device compatibility is another pressing issue. The announcement mentions support for platforms like Android, Fire TV, Roku, webOS, and Tizen but leaves out significant players like Windows and Mac PCs and gaming consoles like the Xbox and Playstation. And their support for Apple devices is, in their words, “in process” and not yet finalized.

As I have been detailing over the last several months the broadcast industry’s desire to encrypt all of their signals risks ruining the future of over the air television. DRM has added nothing of value to consumers and has only made the process of watching TV unnecessarily complex.

We need to keep the pressure on. Please be sure to contact the FCC and make your voice heard!

Working Around ATSC 3.0 DRM with the Channels App’s Custom Channel Feature

I recently explored a unique solution for encrypted ATSC 3 TV stations with a special feature of the Channels App that allow for creating custom channels. You can see how I set it up in this video!

The Channels App consists of a DVR server running locally on a device like a NAS, Raspberry Pi, or PC and client apps that run on Apple TV, iOS, Fire TV and Android. The server application conencts to an HDHomerun and TV Anywhere sources for recording and streaming to client devices. You can learn more about Channels in this playlist. (Disclosure, Channels is an occasional sponsor on the channel)

One unique aspect of Channels is its ability to add custom channels through an M3U playlist. For example, one could use a hardware video encoder with an HDMI input and have that video sent into channels as a custom source.

However, Channels doesn’t run a listening server, meaning it needs to connect to an external source vs. having something sent to it via OBS. This led me to investigate an open-source Docker project called Restreamer, designed for video streaming but adaptable for integrating TV tuner video into Channels. Notably, all ATSC 3 tuners supporting DRM that I’ve seen do not encrypt the HDMI output. This allows consumers to legally record over-the-air television, as HDMI encryption has not been implemented by broadcasters and thus does not require the viewer to break encryption which is illegal under the DMCA.

My setup involved a Linux Mini PC connected to an HDMI capture dongle and the Zinwell TV tuner I recently reviewed. The installation of Docker and the Restreamer application was straightforward for anyone familiar with Docker. The setup on the Channels app involved adding a new source, configuring it with the right parameters, and mapping it to the actual guide data.

The custom channel I created was then fully integrated into my channel setup, behaving like any other channel despite its origin as an ATSC 3 DRM encrypted signal. It displayed correct guide data and allowed recording, just like other channels.

This proof of concept does show it’s possible to integrate DRM encrypted channels into an unrestricted home DVR. But of course this will only tune one channel at a time unless multiple tuners are connected to multiple capture cards.

Of course none of this is nonsense necessary with the current ATSC 1.0 broadcast standard that does not encrypt broadcast signals!

An Update on my Zinwell ATSC 3 Nextgen Tuner Box Review

My latest video is a follow-up of my initial review of the Zinwell Nextgen TV tv tuner box.

In my initial assessment I demonstrated that the device did not function as advertised, particularly in decrypting DRM-encrypted ATSC 3.0 stations in Connecticut without an internet connection. This was contrary to the device’s major selling point, which claimed no need for an internet connection for decryption.

Since publishing I received feedback from a viewer who was able to get his box to work with encrypted channels without ever connecting to the Internet. Additionally I heard from the Joe Bingochea, the President of Channel Master (the US distributor of the Zinwell box), who said they successfully tested the device in multiple markets prior to launch without first connecting the box to the Internet.

To ensure fairness, I revisited the issue, sharing my initial setup process and the difficulties I encountered. Following its initial channel scan, my Zinwell box tuned to WFSB here in Connecticut which is an encrypted channel. It displayed a blank screen. I then tuned to WTNH, an unencrypted ATSC 3.0 channel, which spun up quickly. Following that I tuned to another encrypted channel, WVIT, where I received an onscreen notification that I needed to connect to the Internet to watch.

Bingochea also addressed a discrepancy with the product’s quick start guide, which stated the need for an Internet connection. He admitted that this guide was outdated and not reflecting improvements made before the device’s launch. This situation highlighted the challenges and inconsistencies surrounding the DRM rollout in the broadcasting industry. It underscores the haphazard rollout of these “security features” which, in my opinion, seem to inconvenience consumers more than prevent unauthorized retransmission of broadcast signals.

Channel Master said they will be producing their own video demonstrating the device’s functionality, which I plan to share when available. This is fine I suppose, but my review documented a true consumer’s experience as I bought the product from their website and set it up like any normal consumer would.

I am sure we will be revisiting this topic soon as things develop. As they say don’t touch that dial!

The Zinwell Nextgen TV Box Requires an Internet Connection – Despite Claims to the Contrary

Zinwell’s new ATSC 3 Nextgen TV Box is the subject of my latest review. This device was eagerly anticipated by the cord cutting community as it was promised to tune DRM protected channels without the need for an Internet connection. Unfortunately those claims proved to be false.

The Zinwell Nextgen TV Box, retailing for $149, is designed for TVs without a built-in ATSC3 tuner. It’s a straightforward device – plug in your antenna, connect it to your TV, and you’re set to receive both ATSC 3.0 and the older 1.0 signals. The setup process is impressively quick, and the interface, while minimalistic, is user-friendly.

However, the device’s limitations soon became apparent. Despite its claims, the Zinwell box requires an Internet connection to decrypt ATSC 3.0 DRM channels, at least initially.

This contradicts the product description and the industry’s assurances. Just a few days ago broadcast industry association Pearl TV congratulated Zinwell on the product release claiming the new box is “A3SA security verified to operate without needing an internet connection for tuning to channels with protected broadcast content.” That clearly is not the case as the first thing the “quick start guide” urges consumers to do is connect to the Internet in order to watch encrypted channels.

After connecting to the internet and tuning into an encrypted channel, you can disconnect the Internet and still view it. But this process must be repeated for each encrypted channel. The duration these channels remain viewable without internet re-connection is unclear. I’ll be leaving my box off the Internet for the foreseeable future and will report back if the security credential expires.

Another downside is the box’s outdated security. Running on Android 11 with its last security update from August 2021, it’s significantly behind in terms of security patches. This is concerning, especially given the need for an internet connection to access certain features.

The update process is another area of frustration. It’s complex and not user-friendly, requiring the user to manually launch and sideload updates from deep within its Android operating system.

All of this is incredibly unfortunate given just how good the ATSC 3.0 standard is proving to be in my area when channels are not locked down. The quality of the over-the-air television signal is remarkable and the reception is notably improved. Unfortunately the actions the broadcast industry is taking regarding is likely going to hinder adoption.

See more of my ATSC 3.0 coverage here.

ATSC 3 TV Tuners Have an Expiration Date, Slow Progress on Gateway Devices and More..

The transition from the ATSC 1.0 to the ATSC 3.0 standard in over-the-air television broadcasting has been a topic of much discussion and concern, particularly regarding the DRM (Digital Rights Management) encryption applied to broadcast signals. This shift brings a significant limitation for viewers like myself who have enjoyed the freedom to watch and record television in the privacy of our homes.

In my latest video update on the ATSC DRM situation, I learned that every ATSC 3.0 tuner will have its decryption certificate expire after a certain length of time.

These certificates, essential for viewing encrypted signals, will expire after a predetermined period – varying from 10 to 30 years. For example, the certificates in devices like the ADTH box and Zapperbox are set to expire in 30 years. But the costs of these certificates are based on length AND quantity. Many manufacturers producing high volumes of tuners may opt for the shorter length certificates to remain profitable. And so far no manufacturer has disclosed how long their certs will last.

Given that the HDHomerun I reviewed over a decade ago is still running on my network today, it’s not unreasonable to have a tuners in use for lengths of time that exceed the certificate’s expiration date. At the moment these certificates are tied to the model number of the hardware being produced and are not renewable via firmware updates.

Another aspect of the ATSC 3.0 transition that has come to light is the ‘phone home’ feature of these devices. Regardless of whether an internet connection is necessary for television viewing, devices with ATSC 3.0 tuners will communicate back to broadcaster servers for certificate validation whenever they tune into an encrypted channel, provided an internet connection is available.

The progress—or lack thereof—in developing gateway devices for ATSC 3.0 has been another point of contention. Gateway devices, like the Tablo and HDHomeRun, are popular as they allow users to stream broadcast content across various devices within their home network. Unfortunately, due to the DRM encryption, creating compatible ATSC 3.0 gateway devices has been a challenge. This struggle is further complicated by compatibility issues with platforms like Apple TV, Roku, and Windows, among others.

Interestingly, the shift towards ATSC 3.0 has led to a potential change in how broadcasters might distribute high-bandwidth content like 4K. Rather than using valuable broadcasting bandwidth, it appears more likely that 4K content will be streamed over the internet, signaled by URLs pinged out by broadcasters over the air. This was revealed in the latest Zapperbox release notes:

As broadcasters seemingly retreat from utilizing public airwaves to their full potential, one wonders if these frequencies could be repurposed for community-benefiting uses, such as local access television. This would provide a new avenue for public access channels, which are currently struggling due to the decline in cable TV subscriptions and the consequent reduction in funding.

The ATSC 3.0 transition, marked by its DRM encryption and tuner expiration dates, raises critical questions about the future of over-the-air television broadcasting. As we move towards the 2027 deadline for the completion of this transition, the decisions made by broadcasters and regulators will significantly impact how we consume broadcast television in the years to come – if at all..

GT Media HDTV Mate – The most affordable ATSC 3 Tuner So Far

In my latest video I take a look at the GT Media HDTV Mate, a portable USB over the air TV tuner that currently only works with Android devices like Android TV boxes, TVs and smartphones. Currently it’s the least expensive ATSC 3.0 compatible tuner but unfortunately it doesn’t support the DRM encryption that broadcasters are using to lock down their signals. It can also tune into ATSC 1.0 broadcasts.

The hardware has a USB plug on one side (for attaching it to the host device) along with a coax connector on the other end for an antenna. Also in the box is a USB-A to USB-C cable for smartphone connection, and an extension cable for smart TVs or TV boxes. For devices with a single USB port, like the Onn box I used for testing, an additional adapter like this Smays hub will be needed. The device also features an SD card slot for rudimentary DVR capabilities, although I couldn’t get this feature to work in my tests.

The setup process involves scanning for channels, which took about five minutes in my case. The channel guide, while functional, lacks a polished interface. Channel tuning speed varies based on the device used, but overall, it was reasonably quick. ATSC 3 channels took slightly longer to load than ATSC 1 channels. On both my Onn Box and Pixel 8 Pro smartphone, playback was smooth, although a 1080i ATSC 1 channel exhibited interlacing issues.

The device worked well with my Pixel 8 Pro, offering a similar app experience as on the TV. The concept of a portable tuner like this is appealing, especially for situations like emergency response where cell networks might be down. No Internet is required to tune into unecrypted broadcast TV (at the moment anyway..).

The GT Media HDTV Mate is not something I’d recommend for a primary tuning device but it does offera viable portable solution for ATSC 3 and ATSC 1 channels on Android devices. While it has its rough edges, it demonstrates the potential affordability of ATSC 3 tuners. However, the future of such innovative products seems uncertain with the looming encryption and DRM requirements broadcasters wish to impose on consumers.

ATSC 3.0 Patent Fight Continues – Industry Tells the FCC to Stay out of It

The FCC’s ATSC 3.0 docket lit up this week with stakeholders urging the FCC to stay out of a patent dispute that threatens the emerging over the air television standard. I summarized some of these filings in my latest video.

Here’s the background: a few weeks ago LG announced they were removing ATSC 3.0 tuners from their new televisions. This decision came as the result of lawsuit that found LG in violation of a patent owned by a small company called Constellation Designs. This was a significant development because LG is one of the key partners who helped developed the ATSC 3 standard, and the patent covers how the ATSC 3 broadcast signal works.

In announcing their decision, LG asked the FCC to seriously consider enforcing “reasonable and non-discriminatory” (RAND) practices for all patents related to the ATSC 3.0 standard. RAND terms ensure that even if a technologies that make up the standard are developed by competing companies everybody is treated equally and fairly when it comes to licensing that technology to implement the standard.

In the case of ATSC 3.0 there are patent pools that roll-up all of the patents with each manufacturer paying a very reasonable fee to license everything. You can learn more in my video on the topic.

RAND practices have been a part of the ATSC 1.0 standard from the beginning, with the FCC adding them to the regulation in 1996. But with ATSC 3.0, broadcasters and TV makers asked the FCC to allow them to regulate RAND behavior outside of government regulation. This means that the ATSC 3.0 standards body, not the FCC, enforces RAND requirements.

The only penalty for not complying is getting kicked out of the ATSC association. But in the recent patent case against LG, Constellation Designs was never a part of the association in the first place so they had nothing to lose. And now Constellation Designs will collect royalties for their single patent that are 6 times higher than the cost for licensing the entire patent pool.

The industry’s response to LG’s suggestion of FCC regulation of RAND practices is one of vehement opposition. The National Association of Broadcasters, the Consumer Technology Association, One Media LLC (a subsidiary of Sinclair broadcasting) and even one of the patent pool administrators all registered their strong opposition. They believe that the transition to ATSC 3.0 should remain voluntary and market-based even with the risk of patent trolls coming out of the woodwork.

So, what’s next for the ATSC 3.0 patent fight? I think it’s likely that one of the ATSC principles will buy Constellation Designs to remove them from the equation. However, the threat of other potential patent holders finding their way to court remains. Without regulation around the RAND requirement, there’s room for groups to exploit potential loopholes – especially as there is no penalty from patent holders outside the ATSC group from suing.

For now, LG will wait things out as they file an appeal and perhaps hope for a friendly suitor for Constellation Designs. Until then, their new televisions won’t have ATSC 3.0 tuners.

As this story unfolds, I’ll be here to keep you informed. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving topic.

New LG Televisions Will Not Have ATSC 3 Tuners Due to Patent Dispute

In a surprising bit of news LG, a major TV manufacturer and co-developer of the ATSC 3 standard, announced its decision to discontinue support for ATSC 3 on their upcoming televisions. This surprising move is a direct result of a patent lawsuit, and the implications of this decision are significant for the adoption of the new standard. I cover the news in my latest video.

The news was first reported by Cord Cutters News, a trusted source for updates related to cord-cutting. LG also provided a detailed explanation regarding their decision in a recent FCC filing.

At the heart of the patent lawsuit is the A/322 physical layer standard, which is integral to receiving the ATSC 3 broadcast signal. A company named Constellation Designs asserted they had the patent for a portion of this standard. Despite LG’s disagreement with this claim, a Texas jury ruled against them. Consequently, LG is now obligated to pay $6.75 for every television they’ve sold bearing the NextGenTV logo to Constellation Designs LLC.

The judgment against LG was a paltry $1.6 million, and doing the math this equates to only about 250,000 televisions sold with ATSC 3 tuners installed. This does not bode well for the millions of installed tuners broadcasters will need in order to convince the FCC to allow a transition to the new standard – especially as a major manufacturer is now pulling support for the time being.

The ATSC 3 standard is a complex web of patents from a multitude of companies. To streamline the management of these patents, there are established patent pools that offer licenses at standardized rates that cost manufacturers around $3 per tuner. However, participation in these pools is not mandatory, leading to potential conflicts like the one LG encountered.

There’s a growing concern that other manufacturers utilizing this technology might find themselves embroiled in similar legal battles with Constellation Designs who now likely smells blood in the water. In their FCC filing LG expressed concern that other patent holders may also try and sue and extract more revenue from television makers.

So what’s next? Broadcasters were no doubt anticipating that beginning in 2024 more new televisions would have ATSC 3 capability built in. With LG pulling out, will Samsung, Sony and others do the same? Will the companies attempt to buy out Constellation Designs? Will the FCC step in to try and smooth things out? And can they even make an impact?

This television drama will continue. As they say, stay tuned!

ADTH Tuner Firmware Update Still Does Not Encrypt the HDMI Port

Last week I reviewed the new ADTH ATSC 3 TV tuner, the first external device that can decrypt DRM protected TV stations.

I discovered in the review that the ADTH is not protecting the HDMI output which is required according to the ATSC 3.0 DRM specifications. Some asked if recent firmware updates corrected this oversight.

After updating my box this morning my Windows laptop equipped with an Elgato Camlink USB HDMI capture device is still able to record encrypted stations:

The ADTH Nextgen TV Box Shows Us Just How Bad ATSC 3.0 Encryption Will Be..

I recently got my hands on the $99 ADTH NextGen TV Box, the first certified tuner for ATSC 3.0 NextgenTV broadcasts that supports channels encrypted with DRM. You can see it in action in my latest review.

The ADTH is a basic tuner that plays back live TV to the television connected to its HDMI port. There are no DVR capabilities, and it only has a single tuner on board. It runs on Android but boots directly into its TV watching app. Some viewers have been able to shoehorn other apps onto it, but their custom tv watching app is the only one that can interact with the onboard tuner.

The device has an ethernet port, Wi-Fi, an HDMI output that supports 4K televisions and HDR, an AV out for analog audio, and an optical audio out. It only plays back on the TV it’s connected to, so the wifi and ethernet are used only for firmware and DRM decryption (more on that below). The antenna port is where you connect your antenna for receiving broadcasts. It supports AC4 audio decoding, making it compatible with older televisions.

The interface is incredibly Spartan. When you boot it up, it takes you directly to the TV viewing app. The channel guide is very limited, and the remote control is as basic as it gets, with no numbers on it. You’ll have to navigate through the channel guide or use the channel up and down buttons to find the channel you want to watch.

But the elephant in the room is the ADTH’s DRM playback capabilities. In my market, my NBC and CBS affiliates have both encrypted their ATSC 3.0 signals. And the ADTH is able to tune into them – provided I have an active Internet connection to do it. While I was able to take the box off the Internet without interrupting playback, it did require an active connection before I could switch to another encrypted channel.

This raises concerns about how the emergency broadcast system will work in the future if everything is encrypted and requires an internet connection for over the air content to play back.

Interestingly, this box allows you to directly capture footage out of the HDMI port on encrypted channels. I was able to capture the footage directly using my Elgato 4K USB capture dongle which does not allow capturing of encrypted HDCP HDMI signals. I tested a few other capture boards that restrict HDCP content and all of those worked too.

The broadcast industry, through an organization called Pearl TV, is forcing manufacturers to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to certify their players to protect the signal all the way to the television. This includes ensuring that even the HDMI signal is protected – yet this box was released without proper protection? This raises questions about just how serious broadcasters are in protecting their signals vs. trying to steer customers into expensive subscription streaming plans.

All that said the ADTH experience wasn’t all that great when it did successfully decrypt a channel. I encountered occasional playback issues where the video would start to stutter after a while but then correct itself. At this time the box does not have a signal strength meter so I was unable to determine if it was the signal or something else.

Channel surfing is also not fluid; there’s a long delay and a buffer before the channel starts playing. This delay is even longer for the DRM channels as it has to go out to the internet first to get its decryption keys.

If you’re looking to watch live TV that is encrypted via the new ATSC 3 DRM, this device will allow you to watch those channels. However, it only works on the TV it’s connected to, and the tuning quality is not as good as other options like the Zapperbox or the HDHomeRun. The ADTH also confirms my beliefe that DRM is completely unnecessary, especially given that they didn’t even bother to lock out its HDMI port from allowing direct video capture.

So, it works, but it’s not great. I’ll keep you updated as we make progress fighting the encryption of over-the-air television. Be sure to register your thoughts with the FCC on their official docket!

ATSC 3 DRM is Worse Than We Thought!

I’ve been deeply involved in raising awareness about the broadcast industry’s intentions to encrypt free over-the-air television. Recent developments have shown that the situation with DRM encryption is eve worse than I initially thought. You can see more in my latest video.

Our collective efforts to inform the FCC about these concerns have been fruitful. Since my last update, the number of comments and filings on the FCC’s official transition docket has significantly increased. This surge in participation is heartening, but there’s still a long way to go. I urge everyone to continue voicing their concerns.

In a positive turn of events, the FCC has delayed the official transition to ATSC 3.0 until at least June 2027. This gives us more time to make our case and ensure that when the transition does occur, it doesn’t come with undue restrictions.

However, there’s concerning news on the horizon. Despite promises from Pearl TV, the organization behind this initiative, it seems that even certified devices can’t decrypt DRM protected content. This revelation comes as Silicondust, the makers of the HDHomerun, now have certified firmware for their hardware and apps – yuet those apps cannot decrypt the DRM content.

This directly contradicts Pearl TV’s earlier statements in June that certified devices would be able to decrypt broadcasts:

Thankfully, the security layer already included in NEXTGEN TV is being enabled now and is supported by all of the television manufacturers selling NEXTGEN TV-certified receivers.

A recent article by Jared Newman from Tech Hive further delved into the intricacies of this DRM. Shockingly, broadcasters could potentially delete DVR recordings from your own server after a certain period of time or block the recording of content outright. And if you’re not using a television connected directly to an antenna an Internet connection will be required to watch live television – that includes smart TVs using an app, tablets, computers and other devices.

Additionally, there could be restrictions that effectively prevent out-of-home viewing from network tuners. This means that every time you watch television or a recording, you will have to disclose your physical location.

The industry’s justification for these restrictions revolves around concerns of copyright violations. However, it’s evident that the real motive might be to protect retransmission fees they collect from cable and streaming service subscribers. With many consumers cutting the cord due to exorbitant fees, broadcasters seem to be taking measures to protect their revenue streams.

The essence of free over-the-air TV must be preserved if broadcasters wish to continue using the public airwaves. Viewers shouldn’t be burdened with unnecessary limitations in an effort to force them into paying exorbitant subscription fees. It’s crucial to continue voicing our concerns and ensuring that the public’s best interests are upheld.

I’ll be back with more on this soon including a new effort we’ll be undertaking to let the industry know we’re not going to stand for this!

TechHive Picks Up our ATSC 3.0 Encryption Story

As many of you know Tyler the Antennaman and I have been on a mission to inform the public about the rapid encryption of what used to be free over the air television. To date we’ve had 7,600 people sign our petition to the FCC and added 2,000 new comments to the FCC’s docket about the issue.

TechHive this week covered the issue with an extensive piece that uncovers just how restrictive the DRM will be:

  • For DVR, broadcasters can set expiration dates on recordings or even block them outright. It’s unclear if broadcasters will do this, but ATSC 3.0 gives them the capability.
  • ATSC 3.0’s DRM has latency restrictions that effectively block out-of-home viewing from networked tuners such as the HDHomeRun Flex 4K.
  • Users will need an internet connection to stream local broadcasts around the home, for instance from an HDHomeRun tuner to a Roku player, and an occasional internet connection might be required for external tuner boxes.
  • Recordings won’t work without the original tuner that captured the programming, effectively preventing users from transferring programs they’ve recorded on a DVR to other devices, such as a laptop or tablet for away-from-home viewing.
  • With an HDHomeRun tuner, third-party apps must get independently certified to play encrypted ATSC 3.0 content. It’s unclear if programs such as Channels and Plex will do so.

It’s clear to see that broadcasters are eager to only provide the bare minimum live viewing experience to antenna viewers who don’t want to pay their exorbitant broadcast fees.

Let’s not forget that these stations don’t own the public airwaves that they want to turn into a toll road. We the taxpayers do. How does this serve the public benefit?

Read more in the TechHive article.