WBNX CW55 in Cleveland Ohio is changing to ATSC 3.0 broadcast on 4-30-2026. Will there be an update for this?
Currently, Tablo does not support ATSC 3.0. Doing so, I believe, would require more than a software update. However, double-check with the station… often when stations add ATSC 3.0, they also continue to broadcast in the older standard as well.
Tablo 4th gen devices are very inexpensive. To handle something as radical as ATSC 3.0 with some sort of “just firmware” update would likely require “more” than what the device is. However, I’m ok with being surprised.
Correction before I get flamed:
It’s possible to do with a firmware update. But not Tablo.
Some vendors initially paid the $25 for the new chips and installed their new tuners. Only to later find out that there were additional certifications required. And fees. So some stopped development and pulled the product from market. Disabling the chips so only ATSC 1.0 functions.
The roadblock is cost. All ATSC 3.0 technologies are patented. The patents are owned by a consortium in a patent pool.
Getting the device certified as “Nextgen” also costs a bundle. Owned by the same consortium but farmed out to another company.
ROI is very negative.
That’s even before DRM roadblock.
Surprising. Are you sure? I mean, when I say “surprised”, I guess I mean very very surprised. Of course, licensing is a “factor”, but that too would be easy if what you’re saying is true. Different codecs in ATSC 3.0, both in terms of video and audio.
1 Like
Wouldn’t you also need different tuners/hardware?
1 Like
So, the answer to the OP is, “no”. Maybe Tablo will sell a DIY tuner upgrade kit. 
That was a joke.
Yeah… A big fat no.
Did I tell you that I bought a refurbished Zinwell 600B from Channel Master via Amazon? $99.
ATSC1/3 tuner. But only one tuner… Slow scans and DRM support.
Now if the TV stations in Dallas would fix their equipment I would be able to watch crappy upscale A3/NG. Out of the possible 11 channels only 3 work. Two of those are Spanish seniors. ~ over the n.
Point: as seductive as ATSC 3.0 and Nextgen are, it doesn’t work well and it’s a big disappointment.
For it to work my understanding is that the source cameras would be the starting point for upgrading to 4k. It’s all downstream upgrades from there.
It appears WBNX 55 your CW affiliate is the only CW affiliate.
There are no other ATSC 3/Nextgen stations in your market.
AFAIK the FCC still requires the station to provide the “equivalent” broadcast. Meaning somehow they have to provide a broadcast of 55.1 in a format that can be viewed by consumers using equipment they have today.
I don’t see how. Nevermind I found it.
So is it now time for ATSC 3.0 on Gen4? It doesn’t have to be certified by Nextgen.
When is International Talk Like a Pirate Day? Arrr!
Has anyone been releasing new terrestrial tuners in the last 6-8 years that didn’t support ATSC 3.0. You can only turn the functionality on if someone pays the patent royalties. So this functionality is locked down.
Opportunity knocks. CES wanted low cost boxes.
Pearl can waive those fees.
HDHomeRun and Zapperbox…
What does pearl have to do with it.
ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) patent royalties are managed through major pools like Avanci Broadcast and Via Licensing Alliance charging $2 to $3 per unit****, though non-pool patent holders can demand higher individual fees. [1, 2]
Patent Pool Rates and Structures
- Avanci Broadcast Pool: Charges roughly $2 to $3 per unit covering a large percentage of standard-essential patents with major backers like Samsung, Sony, and LG. [1, 2]
- Via Licensing Alliance Pool: Offers a single joint license for core ATSC 3.0 features, also pricing under $3 per unit. [1]
- Promotional Waivers: Pools occasionally offer incentives, such as Avanci Broadcast waiving fees for the first 75,000 units for new set-top box or dongle makers
LG stopped including ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) tuners in its U.S. televisions after losing a patent infringement lawsuit to Constellation Designs
, which demanded a $6.75 per-TV royalty that LG deemed too costly. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Lawsuit and Royalties
- The Plaintiff: Constellation Designs sued LG for using non-uniform constellation technology covered by its patents without joining the standard patent pool. [1, 2, 3]
- The Penalty: A Texas federal jury ordered LG to pay a $1.68 million past damages award alongside a $6.75 per-device future royalty rate. [1, 2]
- Appeals Ruling: The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the willful infringement finding and past damages, but partially vacated specific optimization claims and sent those back to the lower court
Based on this information, I’d say there’s about a 20% chance that the existing device can support ATSC 3.0. It boils down to having all the correct parts in the proper places. Only Tablo knows.
If you get to the bottom of the ChatGPT thread, it has a section “what would settle the question”…
As usual you are correct. Lots of facts.
The patent pool is controlled by…?
Reality notwithstanding the logjam will break.
The patent pool is controlled by ATSC org. Do you have a lot of devices that support AC-4. Only STB Roku Ultra 4802 and up and the 2023 fire tv stick 4k max. I don’t think appletv supports AC-4.
I used the term controlled because there is a difference between who controls what is in the pool and who manages(collects fees) the pool. If ATSC org knows what patents are required but didn’t like the Avanci costs they might use someone else.
Many different companies participated in the ATSC 3.0 standard. If I remember correctly early pre-approved standards were littered with patent disclosure information from those companies.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has not directly mandated or ordered ATSC 3.0 patent royalties to be reduced, but the agency has formally questioned and sought public comments on the high costs of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) and licensing fees impacting the NextGen TV marketplace. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Regulatory Background and Inquiries
- Marketplace Scrutiny: The Federal Communications Commission issued inquiries asking how the industry handles patent pools, high per-unit royalties, and licensing terms for ATSC 3.0. [1, 2, 3]
- No RAND Rule: Consumer groups and critics have long criticized the FCC for not imposing Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (RAND) licensing requirements from the start, which left patent holders free to set high fees. [1, 2, 3]
- Equipment Costs: The agency acknowledges that high patent royalties and digital rights management (DRM) encryption requirements directly drive up the manufacturing costs of ATSC 3.0 television tuners and converter boxes.
ATSC Patent Policies
- Voluntary Disclosures: The Advanced Television Systems Committee requires participants to state if they hold patents relevant to a standard, but it does not test or verify if a patent is truly needed
How Essential Patents Are Managed
- Independent Pools: Organizations like Avanci Broadcast and Via Licensing Alliance (formerly MPEG LA) run separate licensing pools. Their independent experts review submitted patents to decide if they are truly essential to the standard
