One Media Seeks expedited action on rolling out ATSC 3.0

[danristheman]

Nothing like watching a 4K video on a 7 inch on a tablet.

 

[harshness]

I'm interested in five of the newest features of ATSC 3.0:

Advanced Emergency Alerting

Is this that important? Sounds like a buzzphrase to me. Then again, pretty much all we get from our EBS where I live is Amber Alerts and while important, there isn't much you can do to "enhance" them.

IP Transport

In that packets can't reasonably be resent, I'm not sure I see the benefit of adding a layer to the protocol pile.

Immersive Audio

As opposed to Dolby Digital 5.1?

Ultra High-Definition TV

This could be real if UHD catches on. At this point, I have to wonder if 1080i isn't good enough.

Robust Mobile Reception

I firmly believe that this one is a baldface lie for most users. The rig that they demoed was essentially a TV receiver and antenna strapped to the back of a wireless phone. Hardly my idea of robust reception in a world where miniature TVs have always been more a curiosity than a tool. Given the numbers of people who claim that they can't get solid OTA with a stationary antenna now, I can't imagine reception on something a phone could support is going to be worth the effort. When was the last time you saw a daily driver with a OTA antenna mounted on it?

If broadcasters and consumers are going to have to lay out millions to implement ATSC 3.0, there must be broader appeal than a fascination with new technology to deliver much the same old thing. The ATSC must take a position that their new standard will make almost everything better, but that doesn't mean that we have to believe what they're say. Where is their evidence?

Could the practical benefits be achieved without all the expense?