The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has approved the adoption of an enhancement to the current broadcast digital video transmission system which will allow broadcasters to transmit file-based content on a non-real-time (NRT) basis. The new standard, designated A/103, is backwardly compatible with the present U.S. digital broadcast standard and supports both fixed and mobile television services.
NRT delivery capability was lacking in the original implementation of digital television broadcasting, and its implementation is expected to be a boon to viewers who aren’t able or who don’t wish to view some of a broadcaster’s program offerings on a real-time basis.
“Television broadcasting remains the most efficient means to move popular content to a very large audience because broadcasting is an infinitely scalable one-to-many technology,” said Mark Richer, ATSC president. [The] ATSC’s new 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.”
NRT content delivery could be applicable to both traditional entertainment,news/weather/sports programming, as well as information that is not now directed to consumers, including personalized television channels,video-on-demand offerings, music distribution, emergency and reference information, news and weather updates, and even digital signage.
“Non-Real-Timeservices…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 Richer.
In the new delivery system, NRT content is delivered and stored until the consumer wishes to make use of it. The ATSC noted that in addition to the applications described above, the new methodology had been tested in the delivery of supplementary stereoscopic content for 3DTV demonstrations.
