Cord cutters rejoice. In case you haven’t noticed, gradually and methodically, the nation’s over-the-air (OTA) broadcast stations are ramping up support for so-called NextGenTV (or ATSC 3.0) station transmissions across the country.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week issued a public notice that 68 markets across the country have at least one station licensed to begin transmitting a channel. That’s enough to cover at least 50% of U.S. television households.
Why does this matter? Eventually, these NextGen TV stations (transmitting signals for the Advanced Television Systems Committee 3.0 broadcast standard will become the de facto way to receive OTA local television and national networks in your reception area.
That doesn’t mean your current free OTA based on the legacy ATSC 1.0 digital standard are going away immediately. You’ll have a few years to enjoy them with your current equipment. But eventually, ATSC 3.0 stations will stand supreme, and chances are you are going to want to be able to enjoy them.
Among the beautifies of this new technology is that it was developed to blend the capabilities of one-to-many broadcasting with one-to-one IP-based interactive (two-way) capabilities to enable a variety of powerful new capabilities, many of which haven’t even been conceived of yet.
Among the most common ones will be pictures offering full 4K UHD/HDR resolution (and eventually even better) with robust high quality multi-channel audio surround sound providing clearer and more immersive experiences.
It also means that OTA broadcasters will be able to charge for some portion of their services that are now largely free, but the FCC is requiring that at lease one channel of core content remain free and clear for all cord-cutters to see.
The bad news about all of this is that ATSC 3.0 is not backward compatible with the currently available ATSC 1.0 standard. So, to see it you are going to need a new tuner, either embedded in your television set (as done for the most part today) or connected via an input to some sort of set top box or dongle.
You’ll also need some sort of antenna if you haven’t installed one already. Fortunately, almost any antenna that works today will work with the new broadcasts, and often much better.
But this means that if you are looking for a new television set today, one of the shopping considerations on your decision list for a model should be whether or not it has the NextGenTV tuner built in.
Most of the premium television sets offered by today’s biggest brands are now including ATSC 3.0 tuners in their products. But not all, so it will pay to make sure the capability is listed in the specs or confirmed by you sales associate.
Going into 2023 we expect a much larger percentage of televisions supporting NextGenTV tuning but for now, it’s not a certainty.
We’ve provided a list here of the certified NextGenTV-ready television models that are ready today to take you to tomorrow’s robust new OTA experiences.
The brands to look for today for ATSC 3.0 NextGenTV support include: LG, Samsung and Sony, which have each offered a smattering of such options for the past several years. But be forwarned, not every model will have this capability, so look carefully.
Hisense has also announced it is planning to add ATSC 3.0 tuners in select premium models coming later this year. But that’s about it. For anything else, you will need to look for an external ATSC 3.0 tuner dongle or set-top solution. There are a few, but they aren’t always easy to find, and can add a few bucks to the cost of a new TV that is lacking.
The good news is that there aren’t a lot of stations available yet, so you have some time to wait until the add-on tuner market fills out and prices and user friendliness improve.
If you are looking to buy a TV now with ATSC 3.0 on-board, you’ve got some nice options waiting for you or coming soon. Check the links below for the latest pricing and availability options.
Hisense
As the newest manufacturer to announce TVs with NextGenTV tuning , Hisense might provide one of the more affordable options. The company is offering ATSC 3.0 tuners in three model series, starting with the Hisense U7 series, which is expected to see models at prices starting at around $800.
Models announced at CES 2022 in January include the following series and screen sizes, all including ATSC 3.0 “NextGenTV tuning”. Stay tuned for shipping and pricing announcements:
Samsung 2022 QD OLED Now On Sale
Shop Wireless Speakers and Speaker Systems at SVSound.com
Receive an Extra 10% Back When You Purchase 3 or More Eligible Samsung Appliances
See What Your 4K UHD TV Can Really Do With The Spears & Munsil 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc, $39.95.
Portrait Displays Calman Display Calibration Software Available Here
Amazon’s Best Selling 4K Ultra HDTVs
Amazon’s Camera, Photo & Video Deals
Amazon Fire TV Cube Media Adapter with Alexa
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max with Alexa Voice Remote
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker with Premium Sound, Alexa Voice Control
Amazon Echo Show 15 Alexa Voice Controlled Smart Screen
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock Voice Controlled Speaker
Amazon Echo Studio 3D Audio Alexia Smart Speaker
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
Availability and pricing for Hisense models below will be announced later this summer.
U9H: 76-inch (features Quantum Dot, 1280 zones of 4K Mini-LED backlight for 2000 nits of expected peak brightness, HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, Dolby Vision IQ, Google TV OS, 4K/120Hz gaming in Game Mode Pro, AMD FreeSync Support. Expected suggested retail price: $3,200.
U8H: 55-, 65- and 75-inch, that latter at “under $1,500”. These models will also be 120Hz Quantum Dot, 4K Mini-LED TVs models with fewer dimming zones than the U9H and brightness levels topping out at around 1,500 nits. These will also run Google TV
U7H: 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch. These will be 120Hz Quantum Dot 4K/HDR LED-LCD TVs with Game Mode Pro, HDMI 2.1, ALLM, and VRR support, and Google TV.
LG Electronics
LG continues to offer ATSC 3.0 tuning in its top-end 4K and 8K OLED TVs for 2022.
Supported series include the G2 4K/HDR Gallery series, and the Z2 8K/HDR series.
Screen size models include the following:
G2 evo 4K OLED TVs: 55-, 65-, 77-, 83- and 97-inch 4K OLED television. Key features include: super bright LG evo OLED panels with software and heat-sync cooling systems to hedge against image retention; Filmmaker Mode; Game Optimizer/Dashboard; Galley Picture Design and included wall mount; Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, and HLG HDR profile support; 120 Hz refresh rate; 4 HDMI 2.1 ports; ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos; 3 USB ports, webOS 22 smart TV software.
Z2 8K OLED TVs: 77- and 88-inch 8K OLED televisions. Key features include: 8K Ultra HD (7,680 x 4,320 pixel) resolution; Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10, and HLG HDR profile support; 120 Hz refresh rate; Game Optimizer/Dashboard; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with ALLM; VRR; Filmmaker Mode; HFR 4K/120 HDR10 and 4K/120 Dolby Vision gaming; ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos; webOS 22 smart TV software.
Samsung Electronics
8K NEO QLED QD900B: 65-, 75-, 85-inches. Features include: 8K UHD/HDR (7,680 x 4,320) resolution; quatum dot Mini-LED backlit 120 Hz wide-angle, glare-resistant LCD panel; support for the HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG HDR profiles; external One Connect box with 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/120 HDR10; VRR; G-Sync, FreeSync Premium, ALLM, ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound; Filmmaker Mode; Smart TV Hub/Tizen smart TV OS.
8K NEO QLED QD800B: Features include: 65-, 75-, 85-inches. Features include: 8K UHD/HDR (7,680 x 4,320 pixels) resolution; quantum dot Mini-LED 120 Hz wide-angle, glare-resistant LCD panel; support for the HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, One Connect box; HLG HDR profiles; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/120 HDR10; VRR; G-Sync, FreeSync, ALLM, ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound; Filmmaker Mode; Smart TV Hub/Tizen smart TV OS.
4K Quantum HDR Quantum Dot/OLED Hybrid TV
4K Quantum-HDR Quantum Dot/OLED S95B: 55- and 65-inches: Features include high-brightness 4K UHD/HDR resolution; 100% color volume; 120Hz wide-viewing-angle panel; support for the HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG HDR profiles; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with VRR, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium, ALLM; Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound; LaserSlim Design; Filmmaker Mode; Smart TV Hub/Tizen smart TV OS.
NEO QLED QN95B: 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inches. Features include: 4K UHD/HDR resolution; quantum dot Mini-LED 144 Hz wide-angle, glare-resistant LCD panel; support for the HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG HDR profiles; Game Bar; One Connect box with 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/144Hz HDR10; VRR 48-144Hz; G-Sync, FreeSync Premium, ALLM, ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound; Infinity One Design; Filmmaker Mode; Smart TV Hub/Tizen smart TV OS.
NEO QLED QN90B: 43-, 50-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inches. Features include: 4K UHD/HDR resolution; quantum dot Mini-LED 144 Hz wide-angle, glare-resistant LCD panel; support for the HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLG HDR profiles; Game Bar; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/120Hz HDR10; VRR 48-144Hz; G-Sync, FreeSync Premium, ALLM, ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound; Infinity One Design; Filmmaker Mode; Smart TV Hub/Tizen smart TV OS
Sony Electronics
Sony offers the widest support for ATSC 3.0 tuning across much of its 2022 flat-panel TV range.
Supporting models start with 43-inch X90K series 4K Bravia LED-LCD TV, and go all the way up to its best Z9K 8K Mini-LED LCD TV series.
Check links below for latest pricing, promotions and availability:
Z9K Master XR Series: 75- and 85-inches. Features include: 8K UHD/HDR Mini-LED backlit LCD panels with 120 Hz refresh rate; XR Backlight Master Drive; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode; X-Wide Angle; X-Anti Reflection; PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG HDR profile support; 4 HDMI 3 with HDMI 2.1 supporting HFR 4K/120 HDR10, VRR, ALLM, ARC/eARC.
A95K Master XR Series: 55- and 65-inches. Features include: 4K UHD/HDR high brightness QD-OLED TV panels; XR OLED Contrast Pro; Cognitive Processor XR; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode; PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG HDR support; 120 Hz refresh rate; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/120 HDR10, VRR, ALLM; ARC/eARC; Dolby Atmos; Google TV OS.
A90K: 48-inch 4K OLED TV. Features include 120 Hz WRGB OLED panel; XR OLED Contrast Pro; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode; HDR10, Dolby Vision HLG HDR profile support; PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; Cognitive Processor XR; 4 HDMI 2.1 inputs with HFR 4K/120 HDR 10, VRR, ALLM; ARC/eARC; Google TV OS.
A80K: 4K OLED 55-, 65-, 77-inch: Features include 120 Hz WRGB OLED panel; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode, PS5 features, Ambient Optimization Pro, IMAX Enhanced; HDR10, Dolby Vision HLG HDR profile support; PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; Cognitive Processor XR; 4 HDMI ports 2 with HDMI 2.1 support for HFR 4K/120 HDR10, VRR, ALLM; ARC/eARC; Google TV OS.eatures include:
X95K: 65-, 75-, 85-inches. Features include: 4K UHD/HDR Mini-LED backlit LCD; 120 Hz refresh rate; XR Backlight Master Drive; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode; X-Wide Angle; X-Anti Reflection
PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG HDR profile support; 4 HDMI 2 with HDMI 2.1 support for HFR 4K/120 HDR10; VRR, ALLM, ARC/eARC, Dolby Atmos; Google TV.
X90K: 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-inches. Features include: 4K Full-array LED LCD 120 Hz refresh rate panel; XR Backlight Master Drive; Bravia Core Calibrated Mode; X-Wide Angle; X-Anti Reflection
PS5 features; Ambient Optimization Pro; IMAX Enhanced; HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG HDR profile support; 4 HDMI 2 with HDMI 2.1 support for HFR 4K/120 HDR10; VRR, ALLM, ARC/eARC, Dolby Atmos; Google TV.
Online purchases made using links provided on this site might generate a small commission for HD Guru.com. We thank you for your support!
By Greg Tarr
Have a question for the HD Guru? HD GURU|Email
Copyright ©2022 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HD GURU is a registered trademark.
Stay connected