Impact of ATSC 3.0 on Canadians getting USA reception

[BrooklinOTA]

Hi everyone,

I just saw an article on CNET around the continued emergence of ATSC 3.0 broadcasting. This had me wondering, once the new format becomes mainstream, will it affect my ability to watch Buffalo stations from Toronto?

[ADTech]

You're assuming it becomes mainstream, but my opinion is that it will be "probably not too much" if and when it happens..

You'll likely need to worry a great deal more about the effects of the on-going repack as the assigned channels get shuffled around on both sides of the border. Co-channel and adjacent channel interference are probably going to be the limiting factors as there will about the same number of stations crammed into a much smaller section of RF real estate.

US broadcasters, in order to transition to ATSC 3.0, will have to channel share with an existing licensed facility My guess is that this will have to happen on both the ATSC 1 and the ATSC 3 sides of the equation. They will be required to maintain an ATSC 1 signal, whether on their own licensed signal or would have to share with another licensed station (on that station's ATSC 1 signal) in order to free up their own signal to carry ATSC 3. I'd expect to see several (2-3, perhaps) stations in an area share one station's signal for ATSC while the ATSC 1 signals get shared on others.

I'd be very surprised to ever see the Canadian broadcasters make the move to ATSC 3.0.

[BrooklinOTA]

Fascinating. The media don't seem to be focusing on these technical issues. Does it give you a sense of where OTA television will be in the next 5-10 years?

[JoeAZ]

As AdTech stated:

"You'll likely need to worry a great deal more about the effects of the on-going repack as the assigned channels get shuffled around on both sides of the border. Co-channel and adjacent channel interference are probably going to be the limiting factors as there will about the same number of stations crammed into a much smaller section of RF real estate."

You will most certainly lose the ability to receive some if not many of those fabulous Buffalo,
NY stations. Perhaps you might want to contact Canadian Broadcasters and
ask them why they do not carry worthwhile programming. I've not understood why
Canadian Broadcasters do not often use their available sub-channels. For example,
why is CTV-2 not carried as a sub-channel of CFTO rather than a UHF stand alone
signal??? You'll have to get by with reruns of Red Greene or Coronation Street!

[ADTech]

contact Canadian Broadcasters and ask them why they do not carry worthwhile programming.

Look at who owns/operates them....