Pearl TV says it has lined up reduced licensing, testing and security costs for low-cost ATSC 3.0 converter boxes, with the first products from participating manufacturers expected to be unveiled in early 2027. The group, made up of seven of the country's largest TV station groups, released its progress report ahead of NAB Show New York, which opens Oct. 21 at the Javits Center in Manhattan.
The converters are meant to plug into an existing television over HDMI, so viewers can pick up NextGen TV signals without buying a new set. That matters because ATSC 3.0 is not backward compatible with the ATSC 1.0 tuners in most TVs now in use, and a full transition depends on viewers having a way to receive the new signal.
Under Pearl TV's Converter Box Program, patent owners participating through the Advanced Broadcast licensing platform, along with Dolby and Advanced HDR by Technicolor, have agreed to licensing terms tailored to qualifying boxes. Testing provider Resillion and the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority have set special pricing for certification and security. Pearl TV said talks continue with other intellectual property licensors and component makers, and that it is working with the Consumer Technology Association so shoppers can identify qualifying products at retail. Managing director Anne Schelle said, "Millions of these receivers will be needed to complete the transition, and this collaboration is helping lay the groundwork."
The program's specifications now require qualifying boxes to support the recommended user interface requirements for ATSC 3.0 Advanced Emergency Alerting, aimed at consistent, geo-targeted emergency information delivered over the air. Mark Aitken, president of ONE Media and senior vice president of advanced technology at Sinclair, said the framework was developed by Sinclair and ONE Media through the NAB NextGen TV News Technology Lab, supported by a Knight Foundation grant, and was shaped by input from about 300 emergency managers.
Pearl TV said more than 600 NextGen TV services are on the air nationwide, with broadcasters sharing transmission facilities to keep both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 service available during the transition. Schelle said a transition involving more than 1,600 commercial TV stations will need affordable consumer equipment, improved services and a clear timeline.