- A full-power station that airs ATSC 3.0 must simulcast its main program in today’s ATSC 1.0.
- NextGen TV is free over the air with a certified TV or receiver and an antenna.
- L.A. viewers still need VHF reception for ABC7, KCAL, FOX 11 and KCOP.
NextGen TV is the consumer name for ATSC 3.0, a newer broadcast TV standard. In a market as big as Los Angeles, with dozens of stations sharing a few mountaintop transmitter sites, the switch is gradual and mostly invisible. Here is what matters if you watch with an antenna.
What NextGen TV promises
The industry’s consumer site describes NextGen TV as a free, over-the-air service in most major markets, with HDR and 1080p video, 4K upgrades when available, better audio, an advanced program guide and features such as program restart. ATSC, the standards association, says ATSC 3.0 is defined in more than 20 standards and recommended practices and is Internet Protocol-based. What you actually see depends on what each Los Angeles station chooses to offer.
Your current TV keeps working
The FCC’s rule at 47 CFR 73.3801 says a full-power station that chooses to air an ATSC 3.0 signal must simulcast the primary video programming stream in the current ATSC 1.0 format, with substantially similar programming. Stations meet the requirement by partnering, so one station’s transmitter carries another’s signal in one format while its own carries the other. Your channel numbers usually stay the same, though a rescan may be needed when stations rearrange.
Tip: When a channel disappears around a NextGen launch, rescan before buying anything. The simulcast may have moved to a partner’s transmitter.
What is not covered
The FCC’s text says the simulcast requirement does not apply to multicast streams aired on the ATSC 3.0 channel. Some subchannels may exist in only one format. The industry site also notes that stations are beginning to secure ATSC 3.0 signals, which means some NextGen content may play only on certified equipment.
Equipment for L.A.
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| A certified NextGen TV or upgrade receiver | To decode ATSC 3.0, including secured signals |
| An antenna that handles VHF and UHF | ABC7, KCAL, FOX 11, KCOP and KDOC transmit on VHF channels |
| A clear view toward the San Gabriel Mountains | Most L.A. TV stations transmit from Mount Wilson and nearby peaks |
The NEXTGEN TV site lists certified TVs from several major brands and certified upgrade receivers and recommends looking for the certification logo.
Shared transmitters and channel sharing
Los Angeles already has many shared channels. In the FCC’s public files, KCET and KLCS share RF channel 28, KSCI and PBS SoCal’s KOCE-TV share 18, and KXLA and KJLA share 30. NextGen TV adds another layer of sharing as stations swap formats between transmitters. The practical result is the same for viewers: rescan when something changes.
Is NextGen TV on in Los Angeles?
The NEXTGEN TV website has a city lookup. Line-ups change as stations rearrange, and we could not confirm the current L.A. list from the stations themselves, so we do not list it here. Check the lookup before you buy and again after a rescan.
Reception does not change
A NextGen signal still has to get from the mountain to your antenna. If your home struggles today, as some in the Valley and canyons do, NextGen TV will not fix that; better antenna placement will. See TV Reception in the San Fernando Valley: Why It Is Different and How to Fix It and The Best TV Antenna for Los Angeles: VHF, Mount Wilson and Placement.
Should you upgrade?
If your setup works, there is no rush. When you replace a TV, a certified NextGen model is a sensible choice. Either way, the free stations in Los Angeles TV Channels: Every Free Over-the-Air Station stay available with an antenna.
Questions to ask in the store
- Does it carry the NEXTGEN TV certification logo?
- Does it also receive today’s ATSC 1.0 broadcasts, so you keep every channel?
- Does it have an antenna input, and will you use one?
- Will your antenna handle VHF for ABC7, KCAL, FOX 11 and KCOP?
If anyone suggests NextGen TV is a subscription, correct them: the industry describes it as free, over-the-air TV that needs an antenna. Any monthly fee would be for something else.
If you already own a NextGen TV
Rescan every few months. As stations change which transmitter carries which format, NextGen channels can appear, move or disappear, and your TV only learns about them after a scan.
And if a store suggests you need a special NextGen antenna, be skeptical. NextGen TV uses the same TV channels as today’s broadcasts, so a good VHF and UHF antenna with a clear view of the mountains is what matters. The certification logo belongs on the TV or receiver, not the antenna.
Last, give it time. NextGen TV in a market as large as Los Angeles involves dozens of stations and several shared transmitters, and arrangements can change more than once. A rescan every few months, on either an old or a new TV, keeps your channel list in step with what is actually on the air.