WASHINGTON: From the Advanced Television Systems Committee:
Local television broadcasters may soon offer Internet connectivity, 3D broadcasting, on-demand programs and additional features for viewers as standards for broadcast television evolves to reflect the needs of TV viewers.
These and other proposed enhancements will be highlighted by the ATSC when it discusses new ATSC 2.0 capabilities for broadcast digital TV at the Hollywood Post Alliance Technology Retreat in mid-February in Indian Wells, Calif.
“Among other things, ATSC 2.0 contemplates the marriage of broadcasting and the Internet,” said ATSC President Mark Richer. “ATSC 2.0 is intended to address the increasing desire on the part of consumers for everything-on-demand... ATSC 2.0 services will be carried in DTV broadcast channels and their presence will not preclude or interfere with proper operation of current ATSC services in the same RF channel, or have any adverse impact on legacy receiving equipment.
“Longer term, we’re also starting work on what we call ‘ATSC 3.0,’ which will reinvent broadcast TV as we know it.”
“ATSC 2.0 – Enhancing Today’s DTV Services” is a four-hour seminar at the upcoming Hollywood Post Alliance Tech Retreat on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 in Indian Wells. It will be led by ATSC Standards Development Vice President Jerry Whitaker. Capitol Broadcasting’s Sam Matheny will provide an overview of ATSC 2.0 followed by Triveni Digital’s Rich Chernock, who will explain the emerging NRT (non-real-time) standard. NAB’s Skip Pizzi will put ATSC 2.0 into context with other standards efforts like mobile DTV and 3D transmission, while Harmonic’s Pat Waddell will highlight what’s possible and what’s practical in advanced video coding. Dolby’s Oren Williams will discuss capabilities and features of advanced audio coding and describe key elements of ATSC 2.0 and what broadcasters can expect going forward. Finally, industry guru Mark Schubin will present a broadcast history lesson.
Registration for the conference, which runs during the week of Feb. 13, is now open atwww.HPAonline.com. The four-hour seminar outlines work underway on the key aspects of ATSC 2.0, including non-real-time capability, Internet-enabled services, 3D and more.
