ATSC 3.0

ATSC 3.0

Basic Information
Release Year	2017
Product Type	Television transmission protocol
In Production	Yes
Official Website	https://watchnextgentv.com/

ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGenTV (in the U.S.A.) or TV 3.0 DTV+ (in Brazil),^[1][2] is a television protocol for terrestrial (over-the-air) broadcasting. It promises to deliver over 4K resolution and 120 frames-per-second (FPS) broadcast television using modern standards like HEVC, HDR, Dolby AC-4, and MPEG-H 3D audio, alongside better "interaction among the broadcasters and the users".

NextGenTV has had privacy concerns over internet-based viewer metrics and analytics, as well as targeted advertising, voiced by FCC commissioner Geoffrey Starks in 2020.^[3] More importantly, NextGenTV introduced DRM and encryption to freely available television airwaves.

The authority for encryption in ATSC 3.0 is called A3SA.^[4] According to an article on Techhive,^[5] restrictions that could be imposed by A3SA's DRM might include:

• Blocking or setting expiry dates on recordings
• Blocking the remote access of tuners
• Always-on internet is required for viewing/streaming/playback.
• Pairing recordings to the tuner from which it was recorded
• "Blessing" devices that pass the A3SA's DRM certification and licensing program

The Techhive article also describes that implementing DRM could increase the cost of tuners due to the required licensing and certification programs for vendors.

Lon Seidman also discovered that tuner decryption certificates can expire after 10 to 30 years on certified devices.^[6]

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents related to this product line. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the ATSC 3.0 category.

Many major US ATSC 3.0 pilot stations started encrypting their broadcasts in 2023,^[5][7] locking out users of all pre-certification ATSC 3.0 tuners without decryption support. This has led to some resource websites like rabbitears.info to become concerned about their future providing information on channels due to encryption becoming more widespread. They warned that the site may be unable to operate as the tools for analysis of channels become inoperable on encrypted channels.^[8]

In cases where encrypted channels could be decrypted using certified tuners, it has been reported that an active internet connection is required to tune or switch between encrypted channels.^[9]

LG has also encountered patent issues trying to incorporate tuners into its TVs, which resulted in a dispute with Constellation Design Inc. that ended ATSC 3.0 tuner support in new LG televisions as of September 2023.^[10]

SiliconDust of HDHomeRun has engaged in official correspondence with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to Pearl TV (ATSC 3.0) with regards to "Authorizing the Permissive Use of the “Next Generation” Broadcast Television Standard (GN Docket No. 16-142)",^[11] pointing out Pearl TV is acting as a gatekeeper by deciding which tuners to allow and not allow even after being "certified" for NextGenTV ATSC 3.0 as well as making mention that strict exclusive use of (google) widevine prevents popular devices such as Roku, Xbox, Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Windows, or Mac from ever accessing the encrypted channels.^[12] The two responded back and forth, and Pearl TV attempted to claim that SiliconDust was using a blacklisted chip. Pearl also claimed that SiliconDust must have a Widevine CDM license.^[13] SiliconDust responded by claiming Pearl continues to push false narratives. They point out they are "not required or expected to have the Level 1 CDM license described by Pearl," as well as stating that the "SoC part used in a video gateway device [the blacklisted chip], is not relevant in any way to viewers accessing ATSC 3.0 content."^[14]

In follow-up to this incident, Nicholas J Kelsey — President of SiliconDust — met with the FCC where he goes over in detail how the broadcast industry is attempting to use ATSC 3.0 DRM to limit access to public airwaves illegally, stating that:

With support from LG, Silicondust wrote an app for LG televisions that played all unencrypted ATSC 3.0 channels and played all recordings made by the HDHomeRun of unencrypted ATSC 3.0 channels.

LG and Silicondust approached A3SA together. This in itself should be concerning, that we had to approach a private organization to try to get permission to make a consumer product where the sole purpose of the product was to enable people to watch and record the television being broadcast free on public airwaves. The five broadcast networks that make up the deciding members of the A3SA have asserted control over what was just five years ago a free market for TV receiver products. The free market is gone.^[15]

It should be noted that discussions regarding the A3SA specifications and rules are forbidden from being referenced in filings due to NDAs.

Pearl TV accuses SiliconDust HDHomeRun devices of using a chip manufactured by Chinese HiSilicon, which is black-listed by the U.S. government. It uses their reasoning to not approve SiliconDust HDHomeRun for DRM certification. This suggests that any component from a blacklisted company violates the industry's secret, non-disclosable rules concerning decryption.^[11] However, the SiliconDust devices have FCC certification and approval for sale in the U.S.A., indicating broadcast networks are trying to regulate tuner devices despite private industry having no authority. It is also worth noting that A3SA and Pearl's use of "selectively enforcing this rule" is based on the fact that their own DRM-certified device (Converter X1 by GTMedia, a Chinese company) contains a similar chip that the U.S. government also blacklists. Moreover, GTMedia devices ran an outdated Android OS with known security vulnerabilities. This also caused a requirement for all apps to be side-loaded.^[16]

• RabbitEars' page on ATSC 3.0, listing encrypted channels.
• Lon Seidman Blogpost on the FCC response to ATSC DRM
• Digital rights management
• Discontinuation bricking