LAS VEGAS—Pearl TV, a consortium of broadcasters, manufacturers and service providers promoting ATSC 3.0 has announced the launch of a new program to seed the market for NextGen TV with low-cost converter boxes priced $60 and under.

Since the transition began in the late 2010s, broadcasters have struggled to gain traction, primarily because ATSC 3.0 lacks backward compatibility with the existing ATSC 1.0 standard.

According to the Consumer Technology Association's most recent figures, as of late 2024, approximately 10 million TV sets that support 3.0 have been shipped to the U.S. since they hit the market in late 2020, with an additional half a million to a million converter boxes shipped. A number of those boxes purchased by early adopters, however, lacked the capability to handle DRM-encoded programming, leading to a barrage of criticism about copy protection.

Additionally, there is no insight as to how many of the 3.0 TV sets are actually used for over the air reception. The FCC is currently considering steps to accelerate the transition to 3.0, including mandating the inclusion of 3.0 tuners in TV sets sold in the U.S. CTA, which unsuccessfully opposed such a mandate during the transition to 1.0 two decades ago, also opposes the new requirement.

According to the ATSC, more than 75% of U.S. households are within receiving distance of a 3.0 signal and CTA says more than 20 million U.S. households use an antenna on at least one household television to watch local channels.

The ATSC announced its intention to launch the program when it showed prototypes of the boxes during the 2026 International CES in January. Those prototypes from ADTH, Skyworth, and Zinwell will again be on display in the ATSC booth in Central Hall (C1655) at the 2026 NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas.

Pearl noted that this is a new product category — distinct from existing retail ATSC 3.0 set-top receivers and smart TVs — with its own branding under the NextGen TV umbrella. It will include special pricing considerations from participating IP license holders and component manufacturers and broadcaster promotion of the availability of converter boxes to help drive volume from launch.

“This effort brings together broadcasters who are transmitting in ATSC 3.0 with high-volume consumer electronics companies who see the potential to sell low-cost receivers with a simple purpose – easily and affordably making the jump to NextGen TV with a simple converter box that will connect to a display via HDMI, just like other accessory components. At the NAB Show in Las Vegas, we’re officially launching the NextGen TV Converter Box Program and inviting qualified electronics companies to join with broadcasters to offer a new range of receivers,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV.

“Of approximately 23 million over-the-air households in the U.S., we estimate that at least 15 million will be looking for exactly this kind of easy-to-use device,” Schelle added. “The NextGen TV Converter Box is built to serve that market: a compact, easy-to-use HDMI accessory that delivers the NextGen TV experience on any existing display, at a suggested retail price of $60 or less. We know that not every consumer will want to buy a new TV, which is why the NextGen TV Converter Box Program is so critical for a successful transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0. A device that qualifies under our Converter Box Program will not include an integrated display or a digital video recorder and will have no more than one tuner. This keeps the design lean, the bill of materials manageable, and the $60 price point achievable.

The Fine Print
The NextGen TV Converter Box Program is open to all qualified device manufacturers on a fair and non-discriminatory basis. Pearl TV does not favor any chipset, operating system, software stack, or supply chain approach. Manufacturers are free to propose the technical implementation they believe best meets the program's specifications and economics.

The NextGen TV Converter Box connects between an antenna and a television via HDMI, delivering the over-the-air viewing experience. The core device requirements include:

• Full ATSC 3.0 and ATSC 1.0 reception, supporting both broadcast standards
• 4K-capable HEVC video decoding with High Dynamic Range (HDR) support;
• Dolby surround audio;
• Features support for emergency alerts, closed captioning, audio descriptions, dialog enhancement, and parental controls;
• Over-the-Air delivered electronic program guide;
• Simple, consumer-first user interface;
• No internet connection required.

Additionally, device manufacturers may wish to offer more fully-featured receivers that include broadband connectivity for access to additional programming options.

Devices in the NextGen TV Converter Box Program must meet NextGen TV Converter Box certification requirements that will include applicable standards from the Consumer Technology Association and the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA), as well as new radiofrequency (RF) sensitivity and user interface standards.

Pearl TV says it "will work with participating manufacturers to support the certification process to ensure every device delivers a consistent, quality experience that upholds the NextGen TV brand promise."

Detailed draft technical specifications are provided to qualified manufacturers under a non-disclosure agreement. Interested manufacturers should contact converterboxprogram@pearltv.com

DirecTV has announced that it is rolling out a major upgrade to the hardware it is providing satellite customers as well as a new advertising campaign featuring actor Brian Cox as an “Overly Direct Spokesperson.”

The newly launched set top box Gemini, which is the most significant hardware launch for DirecTV’s satellite customers in nearly a decade, is a wirelessly connected device that allows customers to watch 4K across their favorite apps.

Gemini also provides an integrated Google voice remote to help customers search thousands of their favorite apps like HBO Max, Netflix and others while eliminating the need to switch between TV inputs. The first Gemini device is included for new DirecTV customers at no extra cost.

“We’ve made it possible for DirecTV satellite and DirecTV internet customers to experience entertainment without compromise by providing the greatest variety of live and on-demand shows, sports and movies as well as seamless access to their favorite apps all without switching TV inputs,” said Vince Torres, chief marketing officer of DirecTV.

To reinforce its new entertainment options, DirecTV has also launched its “Entertainment Without Compromise” in its latest ad campaign featuring actor Brian Cox as an “Overly Direct Spokesperson.” 

The campaign highlights many of the major pain points consumers experience with cable, and how DirecTV delivers an elevated entertainment experience through its long-standing sports leadership (including more local Major League Baseball games than any pay TV service4), a top-tier customer satisfaction rating from ASCI5 and greater than 99% satellite signal reliability6.

“I thoroughly enjoy being the Overly Direct Spokesperson in the new campaign for DirecTV,” said Brian Cox. “The main broadcast spot is truly an ode to all that DirecTV is doing to simplify their TV watching experience.”

HICKORY, N.C.—Home network solution provider CommScope has announced that Telenor Sverige AB is deploying its VIP5702W set top powered by Google's Android TV to customers in Sweden. 

“Telenor Sverige is a leading service provider that wants to grow its business with a new video offering,” said Phil Cardy, vice president, international PLM, Home Networks, CommScope. “By using a solution powered by Android TV from the Home Networks’ business, Telenor Sverige will deliver a great viewing experience to its customers with its own branded user interface using a solution that is compact and easy to install.”

The VIP5702W set top delivers ultra-high definition 4K video and comes with dual-band selectable Wi-Fi for flexible deployment in Telenor’s managed networks. The set top also provides users with a state-of-the-art interface and Android TV features for an enhanced viewing experience, CommScope said. 

“We are excited to offer our customers a new TV and entertainment experience by deploying CommScope’s innovative set top solution,” said Hanna Idstam, manager TV and media, Telenor Sverige AB. “CommScope’s expertise in deploying solutions powered by Android TV enabled us to deliver a rich, entertainment offering that our customers have come to expect.”

The set top’s live and on-demand viewing experience on the set top uses 24i’s software platform which supports attractive features such as unified search and single sign-on while allowing the Telenor team to build and design its own user interfaces.

“24i is delighted to support our friends at Telenor Sverige with its on-going service enhancement, including the rollout of this new generation of Android TV set tops, powered by the same 24i software platform that brings the Telenor Sverige customer experience to existing set tops, iOS and Android mobile phones as well as Apple TV devices,” said Dr. Neale Foster, CEO, 24i.

HICKORY, N.C.—CommScope has announced that EKTRA is deploying CommScope’s VIP7100 UHD set top solution to it Balticum TV customers in Lithuania.

The VIP7100 is an interactive IP set top powered by the Android TV operating system (OS) and allows subscribers to enable both linear TV and various OTT streaming services. The device speeds up the process of launching Netflix, YouTube, and various local apps, CommScope said. 

“Service providers understand how valuable it is to enhance their subscriber’s live and on-demand TV offering and the ability to stream content quickly and easily,” said Phil Cardy, vice president, International PLM, Home Networks, CommScope. “By deploying CommScope’s VIP7100 set top solution, EKTRA is providing their Balticum TV customers with a solution that delivers a rich, entertainment offering they have come to expect.”

The set top supports standard Android TV applications and allows subscribers to mirror their Android device to their TV screen. By using the voice-enabled remote, subscribers can also search for additional content and install additional applications on the device.

“We are excited to offer our customers a solution that brings a whole new TV viewing experience into their homes,” said Valery Alfimov, CEO, EKTRA. “CommScope is a market leader in set top solutions, we are excited to provide our customers with a new device that allows them to launch new TV services quickly with pre-certified OTT applications.”

NEW YORK—You would need a crystal ball to see what the FCC has in mind with its recent 3-2 vote to proceed with the chairman’s #unlockthebox proposal. Certainly the words in this proposal have just the right feel-good tone, with lots of focus on consumer choice and promoting innovation. We’re all consumers, after all. Who doesn’t want to think that someone in Washington is going to bat for the little guy?

RJ-11 (photo credit: ecx.images-amazon.com)

But when the cable networks argue that the FCC is looking backwards, I find it hard not to agree. Let’s start by examining the Chairman’s faulty comparison between today’s cable service and the old days of telephone service. The transition to store bought, third-party telephones that was facilitated when the FCC mandated support for third party devices was beneficial to consumers and their wallets, but the phone companies were left with the wire to your house and no control over anything past that point. That moment was the effective end of innovation on the telephone network--and who could blame the phone companies? In the name of standardization the FCC (to a large extent following court rulings) put a stake in the ground in 1976 and Ma Bell never progressed beyond voice-only solutions.

Well, there was one notable beneficial exception. The FCC chose the lowly RJ-11 as the “registered jack” point of demarcation. This simple device that permitted consumers to plug any device into the network paved the way for the plug-in, store-bought, computer modem to replace the acoustically coupled ones being used up to that time. This innovation undoubtedly helped lead to AOL and widespread use of the Internet. Of course, that glory has long been supplanted by the cable modem. More on that later.

With its position on set top boxes, the FCC is again driving a stake in the ground that may foster short-term innovation and lower rental fees, but the obsolescence of that stake is already written on the wall.

The FCC is specifying a magic box, a complicated spin on the RJ-11 type of universal interconnect. The objective is for this box to connect to the cable company’s video-over-QAM network and convert the output to IP. Maybe this would even be built into the cable modem. The theory is that this would permit new, innovative, store-bought devices to plug into this adapter while permitting, in fact encouraging, the cable companies to keep their old networks unchanged. Long live QAM!

The misstep here is that unlike the old telephone company, the business of cable providers is not built around their wire. It’s the interface on the STB that is their storefront; a portal the cable companies have created through which they directly engage the consumer and upsell VOD and other services. By demanding that these systems support third party boxes, the Chairman is expecting the cable companies to let go of the consumer experience upon which for better or worse they have built their businesses. No wonder the cable companies object!

Practically speaking, by the time the standards under discussion are firmed up and pass the inevitable lawsuits that will be thrown in their path, they will be obsolete. They are halfway there already.

This is not to suggest that the FCC doesn’t have a role in helping consumers by improving the quality of their experience. It’s just that the solution being offered is too late and too small. The FCC only sees two objectives: the political challenge to encourage more competition in the MVPD space, and the technical challenge to drive innovation in the consumer experience.

By focusing on the STB, the FCC is taking a pass on the obvious, bigger need for more competition in the broadband space. Real progress and lasting innovation in the telephone industry didn’t spring from the RJ-11 connector. What the FCC eventually got right was another 20 years down the road when legislation forced the Baby Bells to open their networks to competitors. When competitors gained access to the networks we saw meaningful, new technologies like SIP and VOIP that presented customers with choice.

Likewise, the new universal adapter being proposed will not be the thing people fondly look back on. The FCC should be maneuvering for real broadband choice for consumers. Most U.S. consumers have one or at best two choices for broadband. Their broadband provider holds all the cards. That needs to change if there is to be meaningful competition. In Europe, governments require that companies that own pipes lease space in their pipes to rival companies. In the U.S. the places with the best service exist where the cities and towns own the pipes and lease them to third parties. If we have true competition in how the IP signal gets to the consumer, the MVPDs will be forced to innovate and TV over QAM will fade away.

That doesn’t mean the cable industry is out of options. Current IP hardware is light years beyond the cable box at a fraction of the cost of renting an STB. Heck, my 10-year-old TiVo exceeds anything I’ve seen in a cable STB. But MVPDs are getting smarter. They know their video services are at risk and that fact is driving innovation such as Charter and Time Warner’s recent adoption of Roku as an IP STB.

We should applaud the FCC for taking some action, but at the same time realize that we don’t have another 20 years to fix the real problem. At the end of the day, if the FCC is serious it needs to focus on bigger issues. Making broadband, not STBs, more competitive will create a landscape with real consumer choice. Make that happen and the closed MVPD delivery system will die of natural causes and drive innovation as MVPDs innovate to survive.

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – According to the Set-Top Box Market Monitor report from IHS, Pay TV operators purchased $15.3 billion worth of set-top boxes in 2014, down from 2013’s total of $15.9 billion. Despite a higher number of shipments in 2014, the effects of price erosion was big enough to cause the first dip in revenue from year to year since 2002.

“The industry is now at an inflection point,” said Daniel Simmons, head of connected home research at IHS Technology. “Mature pay TV markets are saturated with high-value advanced boxes, so shipments are set to decline there; and operators in emerging markets aren’t transitioning to advanced boxes fast enough to increase overall industry value.”

IHS also forecasts that the market will continue to decline for the next several years; falling to about $13.2 billion in 2018 before leveling out in 2019. An indication of this is the recent acquisitions and departures from the market, like South Korea’s Woojeon & Handan, and Swiss vendor Advanced Digital Broadcast. ARRIS also recently acquired Pace, the second largest vendor by revenue according to IHS.

There are still some bright spot areas in the market. Satellite pay STBs will still offer value to vendors as satellite vendors must invest in STB hardware to provide DVR and other traditional STB functions into the cloud so they can compete with IPTV operators who are able to access that through the Internet. There is also expected to be continued growth in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Central America in the pay TV market over the forecasted period.

The arrival of 4K and ultra-high definition for pay TV could also be beneficial to STB growth. South Korea, Japan and India have already launched new boxes that are capable of decode UHD video, with a number of U.S. pay TV operators expected to launch UHD STBs sometime this year. By 2019, UHD STBs look to be worth 40 percent of the market, totaling about $5.4 billion.

For more information regarding IHS’s report, click here.