LAS VEGAS, April 02, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Achieving the critical industry goal of transitioning to ATSC 3.0 and sunsetting ATSC 1.0 will require creative and innovative solutions. The cloud era of broadcast television will make the transition of the top 55 markets by February 2028 or earlier, as well as the transition of the entire industry by February 2030 or earlier, an easily achievable goal. At NAB 2025, leading ATSC 3.0 (also known as NextGen TV) technology providers will showcase a cloud-native NextGen TV demonstration on a special broadcast channel in Las Vegas that Sinclair set up specifically to showcase what a full-spectrum NextGen TV broadcast can achieve.
Ordinarily, stations transitioning to ATSC 3.0 must replicate much of their current equipment and operations – including encoders, packagers, schedulers, and more – which must then be configured. With cloud-based broadcasting, stations can acquire preconfigured broadcast air chains that will save capital investment and time – helping to speed a successful transition to ATSC 3.0 and unlock the future of television for viewers and broadcasters.
Sinclair is already running automation and playout from the cloud. Completing the broadcast chain, this demonstration will showcase a cloud-based broadcast system which includes an Ateme Titan Live encoder feeding the ENENSYS MediaCast ATSC 3.0 packager, which in turn feeds ENENSYS SmartGate ATSC 3.0 broadcast schedulers/gateways. All components are implemented in software and their instances are deployed natively within the same AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) leveraging multicast capabilities and utilized natively.
This demonstration highlights the significant efficiencies gained by deploying encoders in the cloud, enabling broadcasters to dynamically scale resources based on demand while reducing on-premises hardware requirements. The configuration uses a single ROUTE signaling server to feed multiple broadcast gateways, creating a streamlined workflow that optimizes infrastructure costs while maintaining broadcast-grade quality and reliability.
The cloud-based system will broadcast an over-the-air lineup of channels, including 4K Advanced HDR content, Sinclair’s KSNV Las Vegas station programming, popular Sinclair national diginets (Comet, CHARGE! TBD/ROAR and The Nest), and AWS' live content originating from the show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). These signals will be broadcast over the air, with reception demonstrations available at the LVCC, allowing NAB Show attendees to experience firsthand the quality and capabilities of cloud-generated NextGen TV broadcasts. These demonstrations will be located in the LVCC West Hall: ATSC (Sinclair) Booth W3056, AWS Booth W1701, and Enensys Booth W3255.
All transmissions will feature Broadcaster Application functionality and Advanced Emergency Alerting functionality. This cloud implementation demonstrates how broadcasters can maintain traditional broadcast reliability while benefiting from the flexibility and scalability of cloud infrastructure.
The overall solution is monitored with the appropriate and dedicated AWS tools and the ENENSYS StreamProbe solution – running within the same AWS environment – for QoS and QoE monitoring, providing centralized global control of these ATSC 3.0 over-the-air signals.
"This collaboration showcases the transformative potential of cloud technology for the ATSC 3.0 broadcast industry," said Remi Beaudouin, CSO at Ateme. "By leveraging our advanced encoding and packaging solutions in the cloud, broadcasters can achieve greater scalability and operational efficiency while delivering broadcast-quality ATSC 3.0 content to viewers across a range of devices and platforms."
"ENENSYS is extremely proud to be part of this collaboration demonstrating a full ATSC 3.0 station natively in the AWS cloud," stated Ralph Bachofen general manager for North America at Enensys. "Utilizing a centralcast configuration serving multiple transmitters will minimize complexity and cost for mass deployment."
"Cloud-based broadcasting will help make it an easy reach to sunset ATSC 1.0 consistent with industry goals," said Mark Aitken, SVP, Advanced Technology of Sinclair, and President, ONE Media Technologies. "Sunsetting 1.0 and unlocking the full potential of NextGen TV is vital for the industry and our viewers, and cloud-based broadcast airchains make that transition far simpler and faster."
NAB Show’s Broadcast Engineering and IT Conference will include several sessions on cloud-based broadcasting from these technology partners (all in LVCC West Hall rooms W220-W221):
"Beyond the Antenna: Cloud-Native Broadcasting with ATSC 3.0 – A Blueprint for the Future of Broadcast Operations," Saturday, April 5, 1:30pm.
"ATSC 3.0 and TV 3.0 in the Cloud," Saturday, April 5, 1:50pm.
"Cloud Advantages and Problematics for NextGen TV," Saturday, April 5, 2:10pm.
"Broadcast Using Cloud and Broadband Technologies: Deployment Challenges and Uses Cases," Saturday, April 5, 3:20pm.
"Cloud-Based Advanced Emergency Information (AEI) System for ATSC 3.0 and IP Delivery," Sunday, April 6, 3:20pm.
About Ateme
Ateme is a global leader in video delivery solutions, providing broadcasters, content providers, and service providers with cutting-edge technologies that deliver high-quality video experiences to audiences worldwide. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, ATEME continues to drive the evolution of video delivery and streaming technologies.
For more than 20 years, the ENENSYS Technologies Group has been accompanying its international customers in the evolution of uses and technologies. ENENSYS offers highly innovative solutions for efficient content distribution in several ecosystems: Targeted Advertising, Streaming, Terrestrial Broadcasting, Satellite Communications and Critical Communications. With approximately €60M invested in R&D over the past 10 years, the Group has a reputation for excellence in video stream optimization, security and monetization solutions. The solutions are marketed through two brands – ENENSYS and TestTree – and reach over 1.2 billion viewers worldwide.
Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations in 86 markets affiliated with all the major broadcast networks; and owns Tennis Channel and multicast networks Comet, CHARGE!, TBD/ROAR, and The Nest. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and the nation’s largest streaming aggregator of local news content, NewsON. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.
