Technology @lemmy.world guywithoutaname @lemm.ee 8mo ago

TV Station Launches Multiple 4K Broadcasts OTA on ATSC 1.0

Low power TV station takes advantage of the fact most TVs support H.264 and HEVC video codecs to broadcast 14 HD programs over the air.

15 comments

It's funny that most people forget OTA TV still exists and that you don't need to pay to see a lot of shows. For the cost of one month's service fees you can get a decent amplified antenna, but if you're near any large cities that broadcast you can get a cheap cardboard-sandwiched antenna for less than $10 and requires no installation. It's cool to see some people are taking advantage of the open spectrum and newer technologies.
- I've been running a Tivo OTA since 2017. Haven't paid for local channels since then. Paid once for the box and a good outdoor antenna. Now I only have Disney/Hulu bundle for free with my cell phone data package.
  
  I've been OTA for 11 years. My last TiVo croaked on me last September.
  
  I cannot get a new one. They're not available... Anywhere! I even tried to bid on one on E-bay.
  
  WTF!
Sorry for the stupid thumbnail. It's not my video.
- Lol, that's just how Antenna man has always done thumbnails. As a semi-regular viewer, I can say the interview with the small broadcaster really elevates this video above most of his other content. It's a pretty fantastic and informative video.
- He kind of looks like a discount Tobuscus, which would probably be better than regular Tobuscus
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This is interesting. I use OTA antenna tv everyday, almost exclusively. I almost forgot OTA HDTV still uses the mpeg2-ts, similar to the dvd codec. Newer tv hardwares (>2010-ish) all can decode mpeg4, theoretically, since they utilize internet streaming apps and services.
I smell a new format war a comin'.
I say, go right for mpeg4 h.265, or higher. Instead of mixing mpeg2 and mpeg4, like the video demonstrated. Because no way am i going to "buy" a DRM-protected thing for every broadcaster.... I'm currently pulling-in 20+ stations.

And that may be the other format war... to pay or not to pay.
I am not really sure what ATSC3.0 brings that 1.0 doesn't have besides the codec features. I doubt it adds much on the bandwidth side.
- What I Think its adding is additional broadcast streams over the internet but integrated into the TV experience. This also means that all ATSC 3.0 TVs require a live internet connection, I think. So think the worst invasive monitoring and control of smart TVs forced on you just to watch broadcast television.
  
  I have zero interest in ATSC 3.0.
What about the intrinsic quality of the broadcast programs? Shit stays shit even at 8k resolution
- Yeah I get it. But it could be so much more than that.

15 comments