Sinclair Launches first ATSC 3.0 Station

Sinclair Broadcast Group launched its first ATSC 3.0 channel in Las Vegas, but you might not be able to watch it!

Okay. First, the facts. Sinclair’s CW affiliate in Las Vegas (KVCW) began broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 on May 26. Complications due to recent events pushed its launch date back. Once it was made available, the station’s 3.0 programming includes CW, CBS, ABC, and NBC content.

What will become of the station’s 1.0 programming? That will be co-hosted by three TV stations in the Las Vegas market:

1. KTNV (ABC affiliate) will host KVCW’s CW programming.
2. KLAS (CBS affiliate) will host TBD, ThisTV, and Comet.
3. KSNV (NBC affiliate) will host NBC and MyNet.

Okay, so that’s the ATSC 3.0 update for the Las Vegas TV marketing. So, why won’t some people be able to watch it? Well, that all comes down to receivers. How many TV sets are able to handle the new 3.0 format? Samsung, LG, and Sony have announced that ATSC 3.0 receivers will be available this year. To date, only Samsung has made such units available.

The other TV set makers manufacturers might want to catch up. ATSC 3.0 is about to launch in 60+ markets by the end of the year. That’s like 70 percent of all U.S. viewers. That means there’s a lot of people who might be disappointed. Imagine being told there’s this awesome new NextGen TV but you can’t watch it because there are no TV sets to handle it. Speaking of which…

…ATSC 3.0: Here Are the Basics

ATSC stands for Advanced Television Systems Committee. That’s the organization that helps create broadcast TV standards. (They’re assisted by the National Association of Broadcasters and manufacturers.) These standards make sure the TVs you buy work with over-the-air TV stations.

ATSC also refers to the standards the group creates. ATSC 1.0 is the current over-the-air TV standard. This is being replaced by ATSC 3.0. ATSC 2.0 was skipped because it came out on the heels of 4k and 4K HDR. The innovations of ATSC 2.0 – interactive content, video on demand, and advanced video compression – are a part of ATSC 3.0.

5 Benefits of ATSC 3.0

Cord-cutters will love the new ATSC 3.0 standard. It has some exciting improvements for an entertainment medium that hasn’t had many updates in the past 10 years. When it’s finally available in every TV market, ATSC 3.0 will allow:

1. 4K HDR picture
2. Better sound quality than what you have now
3. Improved over-the-air TV coverage
4. Custom weather alerts
5. Internet active news stories

Thinking About Cutting the Cord?

Now’s the time to do it. The antenna you buy today will be compatible with the ATSC 3.0 programming that headed your way. You’ll be future-proofed for the nationwide rollout of this exciting new TV standard. Solid Signal carries the largest online selection of indoor and outdoor antennas. To get the best antenna for your TV market, call us at [email protected]. You can also fill out the form below and send it to us.