Tablo Cord Cutting This Week Archives

Cord Cutting This Week - Expect Longer Timelines for ATSC 3.0 Transition

April 03, 2020

Forward

Happy Friday Cord Cutters!

Hope you're all staying healthy and safe.

This week we're talking about additional delays in the transition to the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard.

Also: Q&A on TV antenna amplifiers, short cuts, must-see OTA TV, and more.

As always, if you know of someone who might need some insight or help with cutting the cord on cable or satellite, please forward our newsletter, or use the handy share buttons at the top of this email.

OK... now let's get to it!

NEWS: ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Transition Still in Flux

Future plans for just about everything are in flux at the moment, and the transition to the new ATSC 3.0 Over-the-Air broadcast standard is no exception.

During our last major blog update about this topic, we talked about how existing delays with the FCC's channel repack might push back the adoption of ATSC 3.0. But now experts are saying that COVID-19 is adding to the backlog, pushing back some of the earliest planned deployments of the new standard.

Beyond implementation hurdles, there's still debate over the nitty-gritty details of the regulations for ATSC 3.0. The FCC is currently seeking comments on whether to allow multiple broadcast transmission sites spread across a coverage area. While this could improve OTA reception within urban and suburban locations, it could also cause signal overlap and therefore interference in outlying areas.

And with an overall surge in antenna TV viewing — especially for local news — due to the pandemic, broadcasters may be even more reluctant to make any changes. Overall, this means a longer than anticipated time line for the eventual ATSC 3.0 transition.

Q&A: What's the Best Way to Boost my Antenna Signal?

Send us your most pressing cord cutting questions via email so we can answer them in an upcoming issue.

Today's question comes from Todd who says, "What are some of the best antenna boosting methods? When is it appropriate?"

If there are one or two channels in your area that you struggle to receive with your Over-the-Air TV antenna, your first inclination might be to pick up a 'booster' or amplifier.

But amplifiers aren't a silver bullet solution to OTA reception problems. In some cases, they might do more harm than good as they'll amplify both the signal and any interference or noise or could send too strong of a signal to your TV/DVR.

Before deciding on a plan of attack for improving your reception, do some research about the problematic channels.

Are these channels on the UHF or VHF frequency? Are they being broadcast from a tower located in a different direction than the channels you receive well? Are they broadcasting at lower or reduced power? Is your location impacted by potential sources of interference?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you can choose the right solution which could be improved antenna positioning, switching to a more (or less) powerful antenna model, or adding an accessory like a distribution amplifier or LTE filter.

Have a question about cord cutting that you'd like answered? Send us a note and you may see your question in an upcoming issue of Cord Cutting This Week!

SHORT CUTS: How To Watch Local News, Twitter Giveaway, & More

Most weeks there's more news than we can cram into this email. Thankfully 'short cuts' delivers the cord-cutting news and deals we didn't have room for, including:

It's never been more important to know what's happening in your own backyard. Get the how-to scoop on watching your local TV news without cable.
Have a Twitter account? Get in on this sweet giveaway and you could win a Tablo DUAL LITE OTA DVR and your choice of Over-the-Air TV antenna from Antennas Direct!
With no live sports on TV, more and more consumers are questioning the 'regional sports fee' on their cable bills.
And with networks humming along under increased usage and the absence of datacaps, it's clearer than ever that they are a pointless excuse for ISPs to make more money.
Reports say streaming TV is up by a whopping 85% over the last three weeks.
And starting today, there's even more to stream with free HBO content including Barry, Veep, The Wire, Silicon Valley, and The Sopranos.
Want to watch your favorite show but need to be quiet while others are working from home? Learn how to use headphones with your favorite streaming players.

WHAT'S ON: Must-See OTA TV

As always, there's lots great TV coming to you FREE with an antenna this week including:

Country fans will want to catch the special ACM Presents: Our Country - April 5th @ 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Catch the historical drama miniseries World on Fire on Masterpiece - April 5th @ 9:00 p.m. on PBS
Watch the special Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Secrets & Surprises - April 6th @ 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC
Canadians can enjoy the season 4 premiere of Cardinal - April 6th at 10:00 p.m. ET on CTV
Check out the new miniseries The Gene: An Intimate History - April 7th @ 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS
After the series finale, Canadians can catch the special Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell - April 7th @ 8:30 p.m. on CBC
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire returns with celebrity guests playing for charity - April 8th @ 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC/CTV
Before the two-part series finale of Modern Family, tune in to the special A Modern Farewell - April 8th @ 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC

Don't forget to regularly check the TV SHOWS > PREMIERING on your Tablo app to find and set new and old favorites to record!

CANADIAN CORNER: Rent First-Run Movies from Cineplex

Cineplex movie theaters in Canada will be closed for the next little while.

But that doesn't mean you can re-create the experience at home by renting some first-run films including hits like Parasite, Jumanji The Next Level, and Bad Boys for Life for as little as $4.99 from the Cineplex site.

Then all you'll have to do is pour a metric ton of butter on to some popcorn and spill some pop on the floor and you'll be set!

We hope you enjoyed this edition of Cord Cutting This Week!

If you know someone who may be interested in cutting the cord on cable or satellite, please feel free to forward this newsletter to them or use the handy share buttons at the top of this email. Make sure to ask them to sign up as well!

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Stay tuned!
The Tablo Team

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