TG3 PROGRESS REPORT: ATSC 3.0 WORK UNDERWAY

Posted on February 4, 2013 in ATSC News

By Jim Kutzner

Public Broadcasting Service

Chairman, ATSC Technology Group 3

The ATSC is charting the future course of television with our exciting long-range initiative, known as “ATSC 3.0.”  The Technology Group 3 (TG3), which I am privileged to chair, is already making huge strides in this process, as shown below in the four-year schedule for the development of ATSC 3.0.

TG3 began its work in two areas: development of system requirements and developing an RFP for the physical layer.  TG3 elected to begin work on the physical layer even before the system requirements were completed, and plans to issue a request for proposals when the essential requirements are determined.

Anticipating the completion of the system requirements soon, TG3 recently created two new specialists groups that roughly follow an anticipated a layered approach to the future ATSC 3.0 system.  S4, the Specialist Group on Management and Protocols (the middle layers), and S6, the Specialist Group on Applications (the upper layers) were created and chairs are now being selected.  These groups are expected to begin work in March.

System Requirements

S1, the Specialist’s Group on System Requirements, is focusing on developing the system requirements.  The group worked through their process of soliciting “use cases” and then distilling them into specific and separate scenarios where ATSC 3.0 will provide service.  The scenarios are now being used to develop the specific system requirements.  S1 is first focusing on a set of higher level and general requirements for the physical layer (the transmission system) as S1 needs to deliver the requirements to S2 allowing that group to complete its next steps.

Physical Layer RFP

S2, the Specialist Group on the Physical Layer, is nearing completion of an RFP, expected to be issued in late February.  S2 began with the development of a list of attributes of a future physical layer system.  The RFP will ask respondents to consider and address these attributes in their responses.  S2 is also developing a recipient list for the RFP, and the RFP will be available at the ATSC web site.

Four-Year Timetable for the Development of ATSC 3.0

Posted in ATSC News