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The best Halloween movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and more


The best Halloween movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and more

Halloween movies are a thrilling watch year-round, but there's no better time to enjoy them than when chillier temperatures settle in. Especially this year, with the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way we partake in classic Halloween activities like trick-or-treating, you might need something to transport you to fictional places where the horrifying stuff isn't actually real. (We all cope differently, right?)

Here are our top picks for the scariest, creepiest and sometimes silliest films to stream or watch on demand on platforms including Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, PeacockHBO Max and others. We've noted which of these films require higher-tier streaming subscriptions like Hulu Plus Live TV, or a Showtime or Cinemax add-on.

Read more:  15 of the best movies to see on Amazon Prime Video

Disney

Hulu started life as a joint venture between ABC, NBC and Fox. Since Disney (ABC's parent) absorbed most of the Fox Entertainment properties, however, it's been buying out its remaining partners and converting Hulu to more of a Disney Plus for adults. As such, you can watch the movies below with their full, R-rated gore intact. The baseline subscription includes commercials, and you can also bundle this with Disney's other online properties, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV. Also available on Peacock.) We always appreciate a well-done horror comedy! You can catch the sequel, Zombieland Double Tap, on Starz.

(Also available on Tubi.) Something about murderous children in a cornfield just feels autumnal. 

It's a Swedish film about a little girl vampire. Are we selling it? It's fantastic, trust us. 

(Also available on Tubi.) We don't particularly get this franchise, but Hellraiser viewing parties are a pretty common Halloween activity. You do you.

Quite frankly, this adaptation isn't the greatest, but then again neither was the first one. Still it definitely has some chilling moments.

(Available with Showtime add-on.) The first Paranormal Activity was pretty unnerving. It might be worth a revisit this Halloween. 

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV starting Oct. 7.) We refuse to fact-check this, but Get Out is possibly the only Oscar winner on this list. That's inaccurate. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Rosemary's Baby. And The Silence of the Lambs won like 5 Academy Awards too. Are you happy? Get Out is fantastic though.

get-out-daniel-kaluuya.jpg

Get Out 

Universal Pictures

Our 8-year-old selves still believe deep down this is the greatest Halloween movie ever made. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, please, please return to making films.

This Korean creature feature is easily one of the best films on this list.  

As far as haunted house movies go, this one is better than The Amityville Horror, but not quite as good as The Conjuring.

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV starting Oct. 8.) Once again we learn abstinence is the only way to prevent slow-moving nightmare monsters from trying to kill you. What a helpful PSA!

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) This is the part where you stop reading the article and immediately go put on Ghostbusters. Don't worry, this article isn't going anywhere. We'll wait. 

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) Rebecca's mom really loves the Madea movies. And who are we to deny you options?

(Available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) On the one hand, it's a pretty good remake. On the other hand, Zack Snyder directed it. Your call.

(Available with Cinemax add-on.) Don't you want to finally understand what a "Jacob's Ladder scenario" actually is?

Ever since Dead Snow came out, we are always 100% down for any movie with Nazi zombies. 

(Available on Hulu plus Live TV. Also available on Spectrum.) It's possible Rebecca has seen this film more than any other film on this list. Don't judge!

Saw (2004)

(Available on Hulu with Cinemax add-on.) If you plan on watching Saw, we also recommend checking out our interview with screenwriter Leigh Whannell. He tells us about his 5-year-old's bedtime story demands and let's just say, twisted storytelling definitely runs in the family.

Netflix hardly needs an introduction, but the biggest streaming service out there remains a mixture of TV shows and movies, including content licensed from other studios and a growing stable of originals. 

We probably didn't need a family-friendly version of The Omen, but we enjoyed it nevertheless.

If you've come to this list looking for the scariest horror films, watch this one. Maybe with the lights on. 

Anjelica Huston is majestic in this Roald Dahl adaptation.

Even if you're not into super dark films, the storyline in this Guillermo del Toro masterpiece will be enough to win you over.

One of our favorites and Zelda Rubinstein's performance is really just the cherry on top.

This is probably the most under-the-radar film on this list, but it's absolutely worth your time.

Certain horror fans find themselves disappointed when the "big bad" turns out to be metaphorical. Don't worry, this one has a satisfying "actual monster" payoff.

This movie is carried by Mark Duplass and his amazingly sinister face. A delightfully creepy watch.

(Also available on Spectrum.) Ghost movies are great for Halloween, right?

Universal Pictures

Already subscribe to HBO? You can probably get HBO Max at no extra charge. Think of it as (wait for it) "HBO Plus" -- everything on HBO, plus a bunch of additional back catalog and exclusives from Warner's catalog, as well as some nice licensed exclusives like Doctor Who and the Studio Ghibli library. 


Shark movie!!! Sorry, didn't mean to get that excited. But we did see The Meg on opening weekend. Are you a "shark movie" person? No better time to find out!   

Possibly the last time we found the ending to a horror film surprising. 

I (Rebecca) thought this movie was really scary when I was 13. It might still be scary. There's really no way of knowing these things. 

We all know the saying, "In space, no one can hear you scream," but your neighbors will definitely be able to hear you scream while watching this on your couch.

It's pretty rare with a horror masterpiece to stumble upon a masterpiece of a sequel, especially with a different director. Thanks, James Cameron!

John Landis doesn't get enough credit for being able to blend horror and comedy.

While The Shining is probably the favorite horror film of many and may not have needed a sequel, it's one of the better Stephen King adaptations in recent years.

A very enjoyable example of a dark comedy and horror mashup.

Disney

You know ... for kids! It's probably not the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of "horror," as nothing here eclipses PG-13 scares. But it also has the full libraries for everything from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and The Simpsons, to name just a few of the big content silos you'll find here. As with Hulu, you can subscribe to this solo, or as a Disney/Hulu/ESPN bundle.

A cult classic you can finally stream. 

(Also available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) It's really a Christmas movie, but also you should be watching it year-round.

This vibrant, touching film brings Day of the Dead to life in the most beautiful way.

Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but this is simply a Disney classic.

Feel-good and Halloween don't always go hand in hand, but this nostalgic Halloween classic always warms our witchy little hearts.

As if trusting her new beau wasn't hard enough already.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Peacock is NBCUniversal's recently launched streaming app that includes several free movies and TV shows. Paying customers can unlock the platform's full library of content, and can also pay a little more to go ad-free. 

You should really watch/rewatch them all, but the third film does have the most Halloween-y vibe. 

You can't get more classic than Frankenstein!

We love a good dystopian film.

Another for the classics fans.

Screenshot by Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET

This ad-supported network offers a range of free TV shows and movies. It's available on devices including Roku and Amazon Fire TV, as well as on Android and iOS. You won't need an account to watch content, but creating one enables you to save favorites and resume playback when switching between devices.

Is it really Halloween if you haven't watched a creepy Tim Burton film?

A cannibal villain is as horrifying as it gets.

Not exactly sure if a flick about a viral outbreak is something you want to watch right now, but if it is, you're in luck.

MGM

Existing Showtime cable subscribers can access all of its content on the Showtime Anytime app on most major app platforms. But you can also get it as a straight streaming app for a monthly fee. (Disclosure: Showtime and CNET are owned by the same parent company, ViacomCBS.)

(Also available on Netflix.) This is one of our favorite films to watch on Halloween. Hannibal Lecter is a magnificent villain.

If you don't barf while watching the shaking cameras, it's a pretty good creature feature. 

This would pair well with The Omen for a Halloween double feature. 

We're going to throw this out there: More films should be set in the 1600s. Provided they're as good as The Witch.

Focus Features

Like Showtime, this premium cable movie service is also available "over the top" as a direct streaming option on most app store platforms.

This is the quite possibly the most perfect Halloween movie on this list. Demon spawn! (If you're interested, you can also find the 2006 version on Hulu.)

Not big on horror? No worries, you can check out one of the greatest comedies ever made instead.    

Is it just us or does anyone else find Edward Scissorhands incredibly soothing to watch?

Jeff Goldblum in a creature feature is all we're really looking for in a Halloween film.

Watch this after you finish watching The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Epix is another pay cable channel that's expanded its horizons to the digital realm. Get it with your cable or satellite subscription, or as a digital streaming option instead.

We're almost positive people have written dissertations on the influence of this film on the horror genre. So, we dunno, maybe check out?

Definitely worth it for Vincent Price. 

(Also available on Hulu.) Creature features often don't get enough love in the horror genre. But this one was our jam!

Warner Bros. Pictures

Prime Video is thrown in "for free" for anyone subscribing to Amazon's membership program, which otherwise guarantees delivery of a wide array of products in two days or less at no additional charge. It's got a ton of movies and TV shows from third-party studios, and a growing list of Amazon exclusives, too. Note, however, that only the first few selections are available via Prime; the rest are available as 48-hour rentals at a pay-per-view cost.

This movie will freak me out always and forever!

Chris Sarandon as a vampire? Sold!

(Available to rent.) This Michael J. Fox classic about a teen werewolf will have you howling for more! I promise that's the last pun in this article.

(Available to rent.) It's a Halloween movie list, so I'm obligated to include Pumpkinhead.

(Available to rent.) One of the few films on this list that is also a cinematic masterpiece.

(Available to rent. It's also available on Hulu Plus Live TV.) I know the found footage gimmick is tired, but do you actually remember how scary this movie was? An entire generation couldn't go camping for like a decade after it came out. 

(Available to rent.) This film was so scary that I still can't bring myself to watch any of the sequels or prequels! But if you are interested in watching The Conjuring 2, it's available on HBO Max. 

(Available to rent.) I went as the Bride for Halloween one year. This isn't relevant to my recommendation, but I'm trying to sell you on a film from 1935.

(Available to rent.) Carrie is so good! Sissy Spacek just has a special place in my heart. It isn't at all related to Halloween, but you should also check out Coal Miner's Daughter.

(Available to rent.) This is the American remake of Let the Right One In. And it's pretty well done for US market cash grab. 

It (2017)

(Available to rent. Also on Hulu plus Live TV.) This film is alway a thrill. The sequel is also available on HBO Max.

(Available to rent.) Frankly, I could use more sci-fi horror films. And more Vin Diesel.

(Available for rent.) For all the gore lovers.

(Available to rent, though the 1972 version is included with a Prime membership and is also on Hulu.) I'll say this about the remake: it's probably more suspenseful than the original. But the original left me feeling emotionally violated, and that's a special kind of horror that's hard to replicate. Still the remake is worth a watch.

(Available to rent.) Down with the yuppies! Honestly this is one of my all-time favorite films.

(Available to rent.) As a child I was only afraid of two things: Chucky and spiders. I am still terrified of both. But hey, now I'm also afraid of heights!

(Available with a Prime Video Channels subscription. Also available on Tubi.) It's Wes Craven so I'm not even going to bother trying to convince you. Just watch it.

Raw (2016) 

(Available to rent.) Watch only if you have a strong stomach!

(Available to rent.) OK, here's our pitch: Jessica Walter and Clint Eastwood. Are you sold?

(Available to rent.) Not to be confused with the Brooke Shields film The Blue Lagoon. This one is about a lagoon monster.

(Available to rent.) You'll never want to fly again. 

(Available to rent.) This is possibly one of the worst films ever made, but it stars Gerard Butler as Dracula. So you should probably watch it anyway.

(Available to rent.) Nearly half the movies in our roundup were in some way inspired by this classic slasher film. An absolute Halloween classic.

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Americans spent a third of waking hours on mobile devices in 2021, report finds


Americans spent a third of waking hours on mobile devices in 2021, report finds

With pandemic lockdowns worldwide last year, we all had plenty of time to play with our favorite handheld devices. In the top 10 markets, the average time spent on mobile devices was 4.8 hours a day in 2021, according to mobile-analytics firm App Annie, an increase of 30% from 2019.

Consumer spending on mobile games grew to $27.3 billion in the US last year, according to the firm's State of Mobile 2022 report, released Wednesday. That's up from less than $6 billion in 2020. And while most of the world put the brakes on IRL socializing, spending on dating apps soared past $4.2 billion worldwide -- a 52% increase from pre-pandemic 2019. 

Fueled by the explosive growth of TikTok, seven out of every 10 minutes on a mobile device was spent on a social media or photo/video app, according to the report. In all, consumers logged a record 3.8 trillion hours on their mobiles in 2021 and downloaded some 230 billion apps, spending $170 billion (an increase of nearly 20% from the year prior).

App Annie CEO Theodore Krantz called smartphones, tablets and other handhelds "the go-to device[s] of the future." The average American spent 4.1 hours a day on mobile devices in 2021, for example, but watched only 3.1 hours of TV.

"The big screen is slowly dying as mobile continues to break records in virtually every category -- time spent, downloads and revenue," Krantz said in a statement.


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Hisense debuts brighter mini-LED TVs and even more lasers at CES 2022


Hisense debuts brighter mini-LED TVs and even more lasers at CES 2022

This story is part of CES, where CNET covers the latest news on the most incredible tech coming soon.

Hisense unveiled its 2022 range of televisions, which include models equipped with mini-LED backlights and a pair of so-called Laser TVs -- short-throw projectors with screens included. Some sets include new technologies such as NextGen ATSC 3.0 tuners and gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports, and employ either the Google TV or the older Android TV system. All will be available by the middle of the year and unlike most CES 2022 announcements, Hisense detailed its pricing.

There are three main offerings: the ULED range, a selection of Laser TVs and the entry-level smart TV 'A' range. All of the TVs bar the smallest A4H models boast 4K resolution.

The ULED series is helmed by the U9H and U8H models, and both now include mini-LED backlights for higher brightness (up to 2,000 nits) and as many as 1,200 zones of local dimming. The U8H is an upgrade on last year's U8G which CNET's David Katzmaier said offered "more raw brightness than just about any I've reviewed." These TVs are followed by the midrange U7H and entry-level U6H.

1-120l5g-lifestyle-1

The 120-inch L5G laser TV

Hisense

Last year, Hisense debuted its first dual-cell LCD – the U9DG – which promised better contrast than traditional LCD, but there is no word on a replacement for 2022.  

Meanwhile, the PX1-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema and L5G 4K TVs expand the company's laser TV offerings for 2022. These are short-throw laser projectors that take on models like the Samsung Premiere and include features such as Dolby Vision and Android TV. Prices start at $3,999 and unlike the rest of the range, the laser TVs are available right now.

Lastly, the standout of the A-series is the A7H which offers a massive 85 inches for $1,700 and will ship in the spring. Like the laser TVs, these models will feature the older Android TV OS instead of Google TV. 

Here are the rest of the details on the new models, including the sizes and major step-up features for each one: 

U9H Series

  • 76-inch
  • 2,000 nits of peak brightness
  • 1,280 full-array local dimming zones
  • Auto low-latency mode, Game Mode Pro, variable refresh rate and FreeSync 
  • Late summer 2022
  • $3,200

U8H Series

  • 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch
  • 1,500 nits
  • Mid-summer 2022 
  • Starting at $1,099

U7H Series:

  • 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch  
  • Quantum Dot 
  • FreeSync
  • 120Hz
  • Mid-summer 2022
  • Starting at $800

U6H

  • 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch  
  • 60Hz
  • Integrated Google assistant
  • Summer 2022 
  • Starting at $580

A7H, A6H and A4H Series

  • A7H, 85-inch, spring 2022, $1,700. 
  • A6H, 43-inch/50-inch/55-inch/65-inch/70-inch, spring 2022, starting at $300
  • A4H, 32-inch/40-inch/43-inch, spring 2022, starting at $200 

Laser TVs

  • PX1-PRO TriChroma Laser Cinema, $3,999
  • L5G 4K Smart Laser TV, $4,499 (100-inch) and $4,999 (120-inch)

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NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.

What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.

One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today. 

Read more: Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10

NextGen TV to you

nextgen-tv-logo
ATSC.org

Here's the top-line info:

  • If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all. 
  • The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
  • It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
  • Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
  • There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
  • As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
atsc-3-stations-2022

Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.

ATSC

How it will work in your home

Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short. 

NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.

This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.

'Voluntary'

In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary. 

During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.

atsc-transmitter-sharing

Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.

ATSC/TVTechnology.com

While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.

John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."

Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.

Ah yes, targeted ads…

Broadcast TV will know what you're watching

One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising. 

Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.

The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.

Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.

That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.   

Free TV on your phone?

Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.

T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."

"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.

TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.

Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.

antennas-09.jpg
Sarah Tew/CNET

Cost (for you)

NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner. 

However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:

1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.

2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.  

3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD. 

Here's the actual language:

"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."

In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.

Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.

Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.

atsc-upgrade-path

As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.

ATSC/TVTechnology.com

Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.

How to get NextGen right now

lg-evo-cropped-for-door.png
LG

If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon. 

Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.

If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options. 

tablo-atsc3-quad-hdmi-in-situ-straight-crop-new.png

The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR

Nuvvyo

At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.  

The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.  

If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.

zapperbox-front-scaled
Zapperbox

Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD. 

Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?

One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive. 

It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets. 

Read moreCable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?

Seeing the future

The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years. 

Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.

But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.

There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.

So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have. 

For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.


As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.


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Tv buying guide 2021 how to buy a tv 2021 tv buyers guide 2021 how to buy a new tv 2021 television buying guide 2021 at home tv shopping channels uk tv shopping uk
TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)


TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)

What's happening

New 2022 TV models are now available, but plenty of 2021 TVs are still out there.

Why it matters

2022 TVs might be newer, but they're also more expensive and have similar features to the 2021 models. You'll save money right now by grabbing a 2021 unit. Or wait until the fall when 2022 TVs will be on sale.

If you're looking to get a new TV without breaking the bank, opting for last year's model or waiting a few months until prices drop on 2022 models are your best bets to get all the features you want while still saving money. That's because TVs are a mature technology, which means that new, groundbreaking features don't come out every single year. Changes are incremental, with new models adding only minor updates year-over-year. For example, a 2021 TV at a given size or price will generally have similar picture quality and features to its 2022 counterpart. There are still deals on 2021 TVs, which are significantly less expensive than the current models

When deciding which TV to buy and when, everyone should know about the annual television pricing cycle. It starts at CES, the huge tech show that happens every January, when new TVs (plus other tech like laptops and car technology) are announced each year. Later in the spring and summer -- basically now -- many of the new models are already on the shelves. But those new sets are at their highest prices of the year. During the fall, manufacturers start slashing prices to make way for next year's crop of new TVs. 

If you want the latest and greatest technology you're probably already set on a 2022 model and you'll certainly be able to save money on those in the fall. But if you're looking to get a new TV right now, scooping up a deal on a 2021 set is going to be the most affordable option. Just know that you'll probably have to jump on a bargain when you see them, as eventually manufacturers will sell out of their 2021 models.  

Read more: LG C1 vs. LG C2: Which OLED TV Should You Buy?

a95k-lifestyle-front-position

Sony and Samsung TVs with QD-OLED, a new technology promising better picture quality, are expensive and only available in 55- and 65-inch sizes.

Sony

If I buy a 2021 model now, what new features am I missing?

To put it succinctly, not too much. There's always something new around the corner, but changes from year-to-year are usually incremental. If you worry about missing out on the latest and greatest tech, it should give you peace of mind that even if something really new hits the market, it's going to be very expensive. 

New QD-OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony are a good example. They combine OLED displays with quantum dot technology, and claim higher brightness and better color compared to current OLED TVs. One of these new sets might sound enticing, but QD-OLEDs come with a premium price tag, so they might be tough to recommend over more-affordable OLEDs like the LG C2.

Read more: QD-OLED: Everything We Know About the Newest TV Tech From Samsung and Sony

In 2022, traditional OLED TVs are arriving in untraditional sizes. This year, LG introduced the 42-inch C2 Series TV, the smallest OLED on the market, while also laying claim to the largest OLED available with the 97-inch G2 TV.

p1055558

New for 2022, LG's OLED C2 now comes in 42- and 97-inch sizes.

Richard Peterson/CNET

Mini-LED TVs are also on the rise and could deliver close-to-OLED picture quality, but the new models we know about so far will also be expensive. The Sony Z9K and X95K are the company's first models with mini-LED, and the TCL X925pro has a new kind of slimmer mini-LED backlight, but none of them will be cheap. Samsung, TCL and Vizio are expected to announce more TVs later this year, many of which will use mini-LED, but we doubt they'll offer huge improvements over the 2021 models.

Also rolling out across the country is NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0. This is free over-the-air 4K TV, and it's moving forward quite quickly -- it might already be available in your city. In 2022 we'll see more TVs with built-in tuners that cost less than ever. Don't feel you need to rush to upgrade, or get those specific models however, since in the worst case you'll be able to buy a cheap external tuner and connect that to your TV.

Read more: Gaming Modes, Webcams and QD-OLED: Which 2022 TV Trends Stand Out?

There's also HDMI 2.1. While 2.1 has several new technologies that are great, it's not going to make any current TVs obsolete (unless it's a current 8K TV, but that's yet another story). As long as your current TV works with your current sources, you should be fine. 

Really old TVs, older than 10 years, might have issues connecting to modern streaming and disc sources, but there's no real workaround for that. If your TV doesn't work with a new Roku or Blu-ray player, then you might need to upgrade if you want to use one of those.

Do I need to upgrade?

Forget all the new tech. If your TV works and you're happy with it, keep it. Don't feel any pressure to upgrade. 

Modern TVs are, on average, brighter and have better picture quality than the TVs from a few years ago. Unless you're the type of videophile who wants to tweak every setting and fixates on nits and color accuracy, however, you probably don't need a new TV.

The pressure to upgrade is pervasive in our tech culture, but TVs tend to last (and be perfectly functional) longer than most devices. They don't, for example, have batteries that lose capacity like mobile phones -- or have wires that wear out like headphones. A TV from five or even 10 years ago likely works fine, though it might not look as good as the current 4K HDR TVs. So again, if that's not a huge deal for you, you can likely keep what you have for a few more years. 

Read more: Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S

This is even true when considering new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. If you've got a PS4, Xbox One or any console connected via HDMI, the new consoles should work fine. They might look better on a new TV, but they'll still look great on yours.

If your TV is having issues, or you just want something larger, that's a different story. New TVs are much cheaper per inch than TVs of the past. You'll be able to replace your current TV with something the same size, looks better and is cheaper than your old TV. Or you can pay the same amount as your old TV and get something that's far bigger.

When is the best time to buy a TV?

TV sales are the biggest in the fall and culminate on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are always some incredibly cheap 4K TVs on offer, but that's not the whole story.

First of all, the TVs that get the huge discounts are usually either no-name brands, or low-end models from name brands. They're fine if you just want a cheap TV, but they're not going to offer the picture quality of an even slightly higher-end model. The best TVs go on sale as well, but deep discounts on those are less common. 

Entrance of a Best Buy store during a day with blue clear

TV sales happen all year, but Black Friday season sees the biggest discounts.

Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images

Second, massive discounts on TVs are rare in general. It might be counterintuitive, but TVs typically don't have much mark-up. There isn't a lot of profit in a $500 TV. So unless the store is trying to clear out stock, you shouldn't expect a gigantic drop in price even during sales. Plenty of good discounts are available, they're just not going to be "50% off" or similar, unless there's a specific reason that model is getting such an extreme discount. Or it's a doorbuster in limited quantities.

Third, most big companies don't allow stores to offer their own pricing. This is called UPP, or unilateral pricing policy. It means that a TV from that company is going to cost the same, whether it's on Amazon, in Best Buy, or anywhere else. Well, anywhere else that wants to continue selling TVs from that company. If this sounds sketchy, it is, but that's a topic for a different article

the-frame-3

The Samsung Frame may look sophisticated, but your current TV might work just as well. 

Samsung

All in all, is it worth upgrading my TV?

Here's the short version:

Get a new TV now if:

  • Your current TV is having issues, or is too old to connect to a streaming service like Netflix.
  • You're willing to buy from a place that has a price-match policy, in case there's a sale.
  • You want something bigger than what you have now.

Don't get a TV now if:

  • Your current TV works fine.
  • There's literally anything else you need or want to spend money on.

If you've got the itch for something new, but you're still on the fence, consider giving your TV a bit of a makeover. If you've never adjusted the settings, it's easy to do and will probably make your TV look better than it ever has. That might tide you over for a bit.

And if you finally decide that, yes, you're ready to buy a new TV now, we at CNET do have some guidelines and suggested models.


As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff Morrison does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more. 

You can follow his exploits on Instagram and his travel video series on YouTube. He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel.

§

NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.

What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.

One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today. 

Read more: Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10

NextGen TV to you

nextgen-tv-logo
ATSC.org

Here's the top-line info:

  • If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all. 
  • The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
  • It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
  • Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
  • There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
  • As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
atsc-3-stations-2022

Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.

ATSC

How it will work in your home

Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short. 

NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.

This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.

'Voluntary'

In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary. 

During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.

atsc-transmitter-sharing

Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.

ATSC/TVTechnology.com

While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.

John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."

Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.

Ah yes, targeted ads…

Broadcast TV will know what you're watching

One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising. 

Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.

The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.

Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.

That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.   

Free TV on your phone?

Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.

T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."

"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.

TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.

Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.

antennas-09.jpg
Sarah Tew/CNET

Cost (for you)

NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner. 

However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:

1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.

2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.  

3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD. 

Here's the actual language:

"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."

In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.

Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.

Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.

atsc-upgrade-path

As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.

ATSC/TVTechnology.com

Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.

How to get NextGen right now

lg-evo-cropped-for-door.png
LG

If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon. 

Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.

If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options. 

tablo-atsc3-quad-hdmi-in-situ-straight-crop-new.png

The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR

Nuvvyo

At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.  

The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.  

If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.

zapperbox-front-scaled
Zapperbox

Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD. 

Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?

One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive. 

It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets. 

Read moreCable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?

Seeing the future

The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years. 

Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.

But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.

There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.

So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have. 

For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.


As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.


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