The evolution of ATSC 3.0 is reshaping broadcasting, and 2024 is a pivotal year. With ATSC 1.0 increasingly unable to meet the demands of modern video and audio standards, broadcasters are turning to ATSC 3.0 for its promise of 4K resolution, HDR (High Dynamic Range), and Dolby AC-4 audio. Industry forecasts suggest that 2025 will bring a major wave of adoption as broadcasters modernize networks to meet viewer expectations. This transformation is at the heart of NEXTGEN TV, redefining consumer expectations for over-the-air broadcasts. But how will this affect video operators? This article explores how ATSC 3.0 content delivery presents both challenges and opportunities.
Closing the Quality Gap Without Disruption
The shift to ATSC 3.0 addresses significant quality gaps. HDR offers brighter highlights, deeper blacks, and more detailed mid-tones, rivaling premium streaming platforms. Dolby AC-4 improves audio clarity and immersion. However, integrating these into existing workflows and delivering them to deployed devices remains a challenge for many operators.
Operators need solutions that adapt ATSC 3.0 content to formats their systems can handle, ensuring compatibility without costly infrastructure upgrades. WISI’s solutions also address compliance with the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA), ensuring Widevine-encrypted streams meet broadcast content protection standards while supporting the NEXTGEN TV ecosystem. Balancing next-gen technology with operational continuity is critical.
Preparing for the 2025 Adoption Wave
As widespread adoption of ATSC 3.0 nears in 2025, operators must modernize networks to meet both immediate needs and long-term goals. Aging ATSC 1.0 equipment and rising maintenance costs make transitioning to ATSC 3.0 practical. Predictions suggest that datacasting and targeted advertising enabled by ATSC 3.0 could unlock billions in new revenue streams by the end of the decade.
Yet, practical barriers remain. Not all networks or subscriber devices can support ROUTE/DASH formats, 4K HEVC HDR video or Dolby AC-4 audio. These newer formats demand ATSC 3.0 compatible equipment, and older set-top boxes and hospitality QAM systems often lack support for the advanced codecs ATSC 3.0 introduces.
WISI: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Legacy Systems
WISI’s enhanced Inca IP Video Platform helps operators embrace ATSC 3.0 without overhauling existing infrastructure. The Inca platform enables operators to receive, decrypt, and transcode 4K HEVC HDR video and Dolby AC-4 audio into widely supported formats like MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 for video and Dolby AC-3 or AAC for audio.
By converting ATSC 3.0 content to resolutions and codecs compatible with existing devices, operators can deliver high-quality video and audio while maintaining continuity. WISI’s modular, power-efficient platform consolidates ATSC 3.0 reception, bulk decryption, and transcoding into a single 1RU chassis. This eliminates the need for costly upgrades and truck rolls, allowing operators to adopt ATSC 3.0 at their own pace.
Positioning for the Future
WISI’s enhanced Inca IP Video Platform helps operators embrace ATSC 3.0 without overhauling existing infrastructure. The Inca platform enables operators to receive, decrypt, and transcode 4K HEVC HDR video and Dolby AC-4 audio into widely supported formats like MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 for video and Dolby AC-3 or AAC for audio.
By converting ATSC 3.0 content to resolutions and codecs compatible with existing devices, operators can deliver high-quality video and audio while maintaining continuity. WISI’s modular, power-efficient platform consolidates ATSC 3.0 reception, bulk decryption, and transcoding into a single 1RU chassis. This eliminates the need for costly upgrades and truck rolls, allowing operators to adopt ATSC 3.0 at their own pace.
Originally Published on ICN Issue 14.
Written By: Rosalinda Thorleifson
Marketing Manager for WISI America