Capitol Broadcasting Launches ATSC 3.0 Television Station
ATSC Members Help WRAL-TV Design, Test, Implement Historic Broadcast
Digital television pioneer WRAL-TV, Capitol Broadcasting’s NBC affiliate in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., launched its new ATSC 3.0 TV station with the nation’s first live simulcast of a commercially licensed television station.
The official ATSC 3.0 broadcast launch on June 29 began with WRAL News at Noon newscast and a simultaneous second-channel broadcasting “Take Me Out to the Bulls’ Game,” a documentary shot, edited and post-produced in 4K Ultra HD/HDR. (Here’s the WRAL-TV News report on the launch.)
In addition to delivering 4K UHD signals, WRAL-TV said it plans to use ATSC 3.0 Next Generation TV to provide a deep offering of On-Demand content, access to multiple sources of video to enhance linear viewing, and a number of other 24/7 streams of TV and radio programming, representing the marriage of broadcasting and broadband.
Operating on Channel 39 under an experimental license 
from the FCC, WRAL-TV’s ATSC 3.0 broadcasts are expected to show how this advanced new transmission standard will not only dramatically improve over-the-air reception by antenna, but will also be much better at penetrating buildings and being received by small mobile devices on the move.
According to Capitol Broadcasting Director of Engineering and Operations Pete Sockett, WRAL-TV assembled a team of “forward-thinking” technology partners to help design, test, and implement ATSC 3.0:
- Electronics Research Inc. – Antenna and Filter assembly
- GatesAir – Transmitter and exciter
- Harmonic – UHD real-time broadcast encoder
- Keepixo – Dash Packager
- LG Electronics – ATSC 3.0 receiving equipment
- Meintel, Sgrignoli & Wallace – Consulting engineers
- Monroe Electronics – Emergency Alert System technology
- Triveni Digital – Signaling, transport generator, ATSC 3.0 analyzer, and system integration support
“We’ll be broadcasting throughout Raleigh and Durham and performing test measurements to learn about the characteristics of this new delivery platform,” said Sockett. “We’ll share this information with fellow broadcasters and equipment manufacturers to test their new designs in the real world.”
Capitol Broadcasting’s ATSC 3.0 launch bookends another historic event 20 years ago when WRAL-TV was the first commercial HDTV station on the air with what’s now known as ATSC 1.0.
SIDEBAR
Quotable Quotes on Historic ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Launch:
“Capitol Broadcasting believes strongly in the future of over-the-air broadcasting, and that ATSC 3.0 represents the technological breakthrough that will enable local stations to remain the primary source of news, information and entertainment on any device. In fact, Next Generation TV will provide the capacity for an extraordinary range of new interactive tools, and become a major part of the digital future.”
– Jim Goodmon, Capitol Broadcasting President and CEO
“Embracing new technology is part of who we are, and CBC is launching this new technology to see firsthand how it works and to explore its many applications. We intend to share what we learn with the broadcast industry while utilizing ATSC 3.0’s capabilities to become better providers of news and information for our viewers.”
-Jimmy Goodmon, Vice President and General Manager, CBC New Media
“The magic of the launch of this new technology is that this is only the first step. We have plans to leverage the capacity of the IP-based technology of ATSC 3.0 to develop new levels of service including interactivity with the viewers. It will affect what you see and hear on your TV and mobile devices for years, even decades, to come.”
– Steve Hammel, WRAL-TV Vice President and General Manager
Posted in ATSC News
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Subscribe to The Standard, our monthly newsletter, to stay up-to-date with ATSC news and events around the world.
