EAST LANSING, Mich.—Apollo PublicTV Platform continues to rollout technology that is geared toward helping with the transition to the ATSC 3.0 standard, announcing it will be releasing an Android-based, fully compliant NextGen TV suite of receiver devices for the B2B and B2C markets. These are expected to be the first consumer “gateway” ATSC 3.0 devices on the market.

The NextGen TV receiver is designed to operate over both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 transmission using a modular tuner approach. The receivers support all major 3.0 next-generation capabilities, including dynamic ad insertion, interactivity, NRT, Receiver and Broadcast ap, AEA, DRM and A/344.

The receivers employ USB based plug-n-play tuners and can have either a 1.0 tuner, a 3.0 tuner or both tuners. This setup will allow for users to receive 3.0 services inside 1.0 transmission by utilizing Apollo PublicTV’s three-in-one solution.

Apollo Public TV expects the release of these receivers to help accelerate 3.0 adoption because of three key factors. First, with the three-in-one technology broadcasters can start providing 3.0 services inside 1.0 transmissions; second, the receiver has a hybrid and modular design that will help reduce costs of the transition as the receiver can work in both 1.0 and 3.0; and lastly, it allows broadcasters to create carrier grade services to test market demand and inform their communities.

“The promise of NextGen TV is much closer with the availability of these low cost receivers,” said Susi Elkins, general manager at WKAR Public Media, a partner of the Apollo PublicTV Platform. “Public broadcasters who want to experiment with NextGen TV, or test market readiness for their public service and business ideas, now have access to everything they need to move confidently ahead.”

Apollo PublicTV Platform is a collaborative effort between WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University and Gaian Solutions to help with the adoption of NextGen TV by public broadcasters.

EAST LANSING, Mich.—After launching in December with the specific goal of helping public broadcasters transition to the ATSC 3.0 standard, Apollo PublicTV has announced a new service that will let stations broadcast NextGen TV immediately, NextGen Broadcast (NGB).

This patent-pending three-in-one solution from Apollo PublicTV is designed to leverage a station’s existing ATSC 1.0 broadcast spectrum to launch ATSC 3.0 services, requiring no 3.0 license or spectrum and no 3.0 broadcast chain.

Available in a “pay-as-you-use” model, an NGB subscriber station is offered 3.0-ready receivers, RF equipment and access to cloud tools that will enable them to create 3.0 services, conduct test scenarios, provide educational sessions to station staff, perform PoC’s and field trials and get the word out to their communities and local governments.

WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University, a partner in Apollo PublicTV, is the first station to go on-air with the NGB service.

“The promise of potential NextGen TV is now being made available to every public broadcaster with Apollo’s NGB as a service solution,” said Suis Elkins, general manager at WKAR Public Media. “It’s exciting to be able to provide a clear migration path to NextGen TV. The solution we’re announcing today allows public broadcasters the opportunity to bring NextGen TV broadcast experiences to their communities with minimal effort and cost commitment.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.