- NextGen TV is free over the air; you need a NextGen-capable TV or tuner and an antenna.
- A full-power station airing ATSC 3.0 must simulcast its main programming in today’s ATSC 1.0 format.
- Look for the NEXTGEN TV certification logo when buying equipment.
If you shop for a TV in Boston, you will see the NEXTGEN TV logo on some boxes. It refers to ATSC 3.0, a newer broadcast standard that stations are rolling out alongside the digital TV standard most sets use today. Here is what it means for an antenna viewer, and why you do not have to rush out and buy anything.
What NextGen TV adds
The industry’s consumer site, run under the NEXTGEN TV brand, describes it as a free, over-the-air service available to viewers with an antenna in most major markets. It promises HDR and 1080p video, with 4K upgrades when available, better audio, an advanced program guide and features such as program restart. ATSC, the broadcast standards association, defines ATSC 3.0 in a suite of more than 20 standards and recommended practices and describes it as Internet Protocol-based.
In plain terms: same free channels, potentially sharper picture and sound, and some extras that depend on what each station chooses to offer.
Will my current TV stop working?
Not during the transition as the rules stand. Under the FCC’s rule at 47 CFR 73.3801, a full-power station that chooses to air an ATSC 3.0 signal must simulcast its primary programming stream in the current ATSC 1.0 format, and the two must carry substantially similar programming. Stations meet this by partnering: one station’s transmitter carries another’s signal in the old or new standard. That is why a station can switch its own transmitter to NextGen TV and still appear on your existing TV, sometimes after a rescan.
Tip: If a channel moves to a new place during a NextGen launch, the fix is the same as always: rescan your TV.
Questions to ask before you buy
- Does the TV or receiver carry the NEXTGEN TV certification logo?
- Does it receive both NextGen TV and today’s ATSC 1.0 signals, so you keep every channel?
- Will you use it with an antenna? NextGen TV is free over the air, not a streaming service.
- Which Boston stations are on NextGen TV right now, according to the city lookup?
The simulcasting rule has limits worth knowing. It covers the primary programming stream; the FCC’s rule says the requirement does not apply to multicast streams aired on the ATSC 3.0 channel. Some extra subchannels may therefore appear only in one format or the other, and the line-up can change as stations reorganize their shared transmitters.
What you need to watch it
- A TV with a built-in NextGen TV tuner, or a certified upgrade receiver for your current TV.
- An antenna. NextGen TV is an over-the-air service, so the advice in The Best TV Antenna for Boston: How to Choose One for Your Home applies.
- A channel scan once everything is connected.
The NEXTGEN TV site lists certified TV models from several major brands, along with certified upgrade accessory receivers. It encourages buyers to look for the certification logo, because certified products are designed to receive and display NextGen TV content properly.
Content protection
The same site notes that local stations are beginning to use ATSC 3.0’s ability to secure signals. In practice that means some NextGen broadcasts may only play on certified equipment. If you are buying a tuner from a brand you do not know, check that it carries the certification logo before relying on it.
Is it available in Boston?
NextGen TV is rolling out market by market, and which Boston stations carry it can change as stations add or swap simulcasting partners. The NEXTGEN TV website has a city lookup that shows what is on the air in the Boston market. Check it before you buy, and check again after a rescan if you already own a NextGen TV.
Keep in mind that NextGen TV is a broadcast upgrade, not a different kind of service. The channels are the same local stations you get today with an antenna. If a station’s programming is what you are after, an ordinary antenna and TV will still show it, thanks to the simulcasting requirement, while NextGen equipment may add picture, sound and interactive features where stations offer them.
If you already own a NextGen TV, run a fresh scan every few months. As stations change which transmitter carries which format, new NextGen channels can appear and older ones move, and your TV only learns about them after a scan.
Should you wait?
If your current TV and antenna work well, there is no urgency. The FCC’s simulcasting rules exist so viewers are not forced to upgrade. If you are buying a new TV anyway, a NextGen-capable model gives you the option. For the stations you can receive today, see Boston TV Channels: Every Local Station You Can Get With an Antenna.