LG Introduces ATSC 3.0-enabled OLED TVs in the U.S.

LG Electronics (LG), co-developer of the ATSC 3.0 next-generation television standard, is ushering in the era of NEXTGEN TV with the introduction of six advanced new LG OLED TV models equipped to receive new services with enhanced content, pictures and sound.

Unveiled at CES 2020, these new TVs – with screen sizes from 55 to 88 inches – represent the combination of LG OLED and NEXTGEN TV technologies, winning three 2020 CES Innovation Awards.

Their introduction dovetails with U.S. broadcasters’ plans to launch NEXTGEN TV services in dozens of U.S. markets this year – with signals reaching the majority of TV viewers in America.

Billed by broadcasters as “The Future of Television,” NEXTGEN TV powered by ATSC 3.0 unlocks new features, additional content, more control and personalization for broadcast viewers. Initial enhancements (which may vary by broadcaster) include improved pictures with more 4K UHD and high dynamic range content; immersive audio for movie-theater-like sound; and enhanced content such as an advanced TV guide, additional program information, and an on-demand video library.

“This is a milestone year for NEXTGEN TV, and we welcome LG’s announcement,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “Early-adopter consumers with these TVs will benefit from NEXTGEN TV’s new services being launched by local TV stations across America. We’re delighted that TV manufacturers like LG, which contributed significantly to the cutting-edge ATSC 3.0 standard, are leading the way.”

The six 2020 LG OLED models earning the NEXTGEN TV logo from the Consumer Technology Association are the 55-, 65- and 77-inch class GX Gallery Series 4K Ultra HD models, the 65-inch class WX Wallpaper 4K model and 77- and 88-inch class ZX Real 8K models.

The minimalist Gallery Series takes design to a new level with an ultra-thin form factor that hangs on the wall like a piece of art, while the razor-thin 65OLEDWX Wallpaper TV becomes one with the wall and includes a high-performance Dolby Atmos soundbar for immersive audio. The 2020 LG OLED ZX Real 8K models, delivering four times more detail than 4K TV and 16 times more than HDTV, exceed CTA’s strict requirements related to the official industry definition for 8K Ultra HD TVs.

Along with LG’s proven third-generation ATSC 3.0 receiver/demodulator, the LG OLED NEXTGEN TVs include the new α9 (Alpha 9) Gen 3 AI Processor that leverages upgraded processing power and artificial intelligence to further enhance picture quality and enable specialized features for movies, games and sports. Combining OLED’s self-emitting pixel technology and perfect blacks with support for Dolby Vision IQ and the UHD Alliance’s new Filmmaker Mode, 2020 LG OLED TVs bring the cinema into the living room with new levels of realism.

“As the first TV manufacturer to support the Phoenix Model Market ATSC 3.0 project starting in 2018, LG is helping to set the foundation for the launch of NEXTGEN TV in the Top 40 markets this year by demonstrating the new NEXTGEN TV broadcaster application framework with Pearl,” said Anne Schelle, executive director of the Pearl TV broadcaster business group that represents more than 400 network-affiliated TV stations.

In addition to its work with Pearl TV, LG also is demonstrating ATSC 3.0 reception at CES in cooperation with Sinclair Broadcast Group in the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s booth (#11329).

NEXTGEN TVs jumpstarting the U.S. market follow LG’s early leadership in ATSC 3.0-enabled products in South Korea since 2017. The U.S. NEXTGEN TV launch also reflects LG’s key role in the Advanced Television Systems Committee’s suite of ATSC 3.0 standards that merges the capabilities of broadcast and broadband for the first time.

“LG is among the strongest leaders and contributors within ATSC across the development, testing and commercial deployment of NEXTGEN TV, initially in South Korea, and now in the U.S. LG was the first to develop an ATSC 1.0/3.0 tuner/demodulator chip,” ATSC President Madeleine Noland said. “Now, this time-tested technology is embedded in the new lineup of LG OLED TVs as NEXTGEN TV makes its way into viewers’ homes across the country.”