Katarzyna Petru
Even though ATSC 3.0 technology promised a new quality of free terrestrial television, its adoption in 2026 still faces huge hurdles. Most television manufacturers still hesitate to integrate this tuner into their standard models, which puts the future of digital broadcasting in North America in question.
What exactly is ATSC 3.0 and how does it compare to DVB-T2?
ATSC 3.0, also known as "NextGen TV," is a television signal broadcasting standard that aims to offer 4K picture quality with HDR, Dolby Atmos sound, and advanced interactive features. It is set to debut in North America and Australia. It can be compared to the European standard DVB-T2, which in Poland enabled the transition to HD and 4K quality. The main difference is that ATSC 3.0 is more oriented towards a hybrid connection with the internet. Unfortunately, while DVB-T2 has become a common standard in Europe, ATSC 3.0 is struggling with licensing and patent issues, causing manufacturers such as LG to completely withdraw from implementing this tuner in newer models.
Market vs Reality
Currently, the situation looks far from optimistic. Samsung only offers support in selected OLED and QLED models, while Hisense and Sony limit it to their higher series. Most cheaper brands completely ignore this standard. The industry is trying to salvage the situation by announcing the introduction of set-top boxes priced below $60 by 2026, however, with the prevalence of streaming apps, few users want to invest in additional hardware. According to reports from FlatpanelsHD, if the trend does not reverse, the planned shutdown of the old ATSC 1.0 signal in 2027 may be significantly delayed.
Source: FlatpanelsHD
