ATLANTA—Atlanta DTH is launching its AIRialTV Solo ATSC 3.0 ultra-compact television tuner for NextGen TV. Slightly larger than a plug-in USB memory card, AIRialTV Solo incorporates a coaxial TV antenna interface allowing direct connection of the feed from a satellite or digital terrestrial source. Output is via a standard USB connector which also sources power for the tuner.
Designed for direct connection to smart TVs, set-top boxes and mobile devices, AIRialTV Solo supports the many enhancements which ATSC 3.0 brings to free-to-air broadcasting, including ultra-high-definition, high dynamic range and interactive content. It can also be used to view streaming services such as Plex.
The companion AIRialTV App provides easy access to an electronic program guide and additional features such as closed captioning. Free-to-air ATSC 3.0 UHD HDR as well as ATSC 1.0 HD and SD programs can be viewed through the tuner wherever the transmitted signals are available. Android, Linux and Windows compatible devices are fully supported.
First shipments of the tuner are scheduled for September at a kickstarter price of $74. Developer tools that will allow entrepreneurs to create ATSC 3.0 related applications will be available for $150.
"AIRialTV Solo is the latest in our range of tabletop and ultra-compact TV tuners," says Michael Day, Atlanta DTH CEO. "Its launch coincides with the increasing adoption of the ATSC 3.0 advanced TV standard by broadcasters in North America."
ATSC is available in the U.S. Canada, Mexico and South Korea. ATSC 3.0 is available in South Korea and more than half of the U.S. and has been adopted for Jamaica and recommended for Brazil. ATSC 1.0 is based on a 19.4 Mbps bit rate and 8VSB modulation to allow 1080-line HD and 525-line SD multicasting. ATSC 3.0 is based on data rates of up to 36 Mbps and OFDM modulation to support 2160p60 UHD and HD multicasting.
