The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has announced the approval of the ATSC NRT (Non-Real-Time) Content Delivery standard, a backwards-compatible enhancement to digital TV broadcasting that provides a framework for the delivery of a broad range of new services.
The new ATSC NRT standard is designated “A/103.” The delivery of non-real-time services via A/103 will now allow broadcasters to deliver file-based content, including programs and clips, information for emergency alerts and even commercial applications such as digital signage.
The ATSC NRT broadcast standard will support terrestrial transmission to both fixed location and mobile DTV receivers designed to make use of the new flexibility.
“Non-Real-Time services, or NRT for short, represent just one element of the emerging ATSC 2.0 Standard that also is likely to include new advanced coding technologies, Internet-related features, enhanced service guides, audience measurement and conditional access capability for TV broadcasts,” said ATSC president Mark Richer.
“ATSC’s NRT standard gives broadcasters the capability to deliver all types of file-based content to consumers. Using broadcast television, programmers will be able to send content that a viewer may watch at their convenience.”
One of the mobile television groups, the Mobile500 Alliance, is expected to include both live TV broadcasts and NRT services at launch. Such a system would allow a user to watch on-demand a specific program that has been cached to the mobile device.
Applications thought to be strong for NRT services include push VOD content, news, information and weather services, personalized TV channels, music distribution and mobile emergency alerts.
