Skip to main content

New LG TVs could stop working with over-the-air broadcasts by 2027

LG M3 Wireless OLED review
Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

The transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0, the newest standard for over-the-air (OTA) broadcasting, hasn’t been going very smoothly. Now, it looks like a patent dispute is about to make things worse, at least for folks who buy a new 2024 TV from LG.

According to LG, its 2024 TVs will lack ATSC 3.0 (also known as NextGen TV) compatibility, and if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sticks to its current plan of forcing broadcasters to shut down their ASTC 1.0 signals by June 2027, these TVs will have no way of receiving OTA stations after that time — without the help of a third-party set-top box.

Recommended Videos

The decision comes as something of a surprise. Until now, LG has been one of ATSC 3.0’s biggest supporters. It has included NextGen TV-compatible tuners in almost all of its flagship OLED and LED TVs for several years in anticipation of the new OTA digital standard becoming the way that all U.S. broadcasters deliver content via antenna.

Patent squabble

In a recent letter to the FCC, LG details the way a specific set of patents has caused it to abandon its support of ATSC 3.0 going forward.

The issue stems from patents held by Constellation Designs, LLC. These patents cover items that are deemed “essential” to compliance with the ATSC 3.0 standard, but Constellation Designs hasn’t included these patents in the patent pool that covers most, if not all, of the other essential ATSC 3.0 patents. In other words, LG and any other manufacturer that wants to include ATSC 3.0 in its products must negotiate a separate licensing deal with Constellation Designs outside of the royalty fees that are already being paid to the license pool.

When LG began its inclusion of ATSC 3.0 technologies in its TVs, this arrangement was apparently successfully negotiated. Now, LG contends that Constellation Designs has increased its royalty fees by over 100%, from $3 per TV to $6.75. LG sees this as a departure from the normal ATSC requirement that essential patent holders set royalties on a “reasonable and non-discriminatory” (RAND) basis. LG and Constellation Designs have even gone to court over the matter, but the case was decided in favor of Constellation Designs.

It’s not over yet

There’s still a chance this problem could go away. LG has indicated it may yet appeal the court’s ruling, and if it does, it could win that appeal. It’s also possible the FCC will review its 2027 deadline, thereby extending the amount of time that ATSC 1.0 broadcasts remain available — LG’s TVs will continue to be ATSC 1.0 compatible regardless of their ATSC 3.0 compatibility. However, if the patent dispute can’t be resolved, this just kicks the problem further down the road.

It’s also possible that LG has made its declaration regarding its 2024 TVs as a bargaining chip, showing its resolve in the hopes that this will force the FCC to act on the matter. In its letter, LG effectively asks for that:

“LG strongly urges the Commission to recognize the role of patents and the rights of both patent licensors and licensees, and especially their impact on the rollout of NextGen TV products in the United States. We urge the Commission to continue its inquiry in this area and to recognize the benefits of RAND behavior. The Commission may wish to examine the effects of patents held by patent holders that have not committed to offer their patents under RAND terms.”

If the FCC is able to resolve the patent dispute, LG still has time to walk back its decision to abandon ATSC 3.0.

Pearl TV, a business organization of U.S. broadcast companies whose membership includes more than 750 TV stations, many of which have begun broadcasting in ATSC 3.0, seems optimistic a resolution can be reached. “LG’s decision to suspend support for NextGen TV products in 2024 because of an ongoing patent dispute is unfortunate,” said Anne Schelle, Pearl TV’s managing director, in a statement provided to Digital Trends, “but we are hopeful that the matter can be resolved. In the meantime, we continue to project that total NextGen TV sales will cumulatively top 10 million units by year end.”

Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
Best gaming TVs of 2024 for Xbox Series X, PS5, and more
LG C4 OLED

The best TVs should look great, sound fantastic, and feature numerous optimizations for the types of content people love watching most. And while it would easy to say that a TV billed as 4K is all you need for a great gaming TV, pixel count is just one checkbox. If you’re a diehard gamer (console or PC), there are plenty of other picture specifications to consider when buying a new TV. And while 4K resolution is still essential, features such as HDR (high dynamic range), input lag, and response time are far more critical tech specs to gamers who want their games to be smooth, fast, and looking as good as they can. 

Not all TVs are created equal, and even some of the best TV brands have one or two sets that aren’t great for gaming. That’s why we’ve put together this list of all the best gaming TVs you can buy in 2024. With options from Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense, and TCL, there’s a gaming TV on this list for just about everyone.

Read more
Amazon deals: TVs, laptops, headphones and more
amazon boxes on doorstep

Amazon is one of the most popular retail outlets on the planet. It has almost everything you could want among its shelves, and that includes a plenty of deals worth taking a look at. All of the best Amazon deals are scattered across departments, with some great TV deals, laptop deals, and tablet deals leading the charge. There are even some really great coffee maker deals and MacBook deals worth taking a look at. We’ve pieced together what we consider to be some of the best Amazon deals to toss in the shopping cart today, so read onward for all of the details. You can also check out what the competition is up to with the current Best Buy deals and Walmart deals.
TCL 43-inch S4 4K Google TV — $210 $280 25% off

Value is front and center with the TCL 50-inch Class S4 4K LED Smart TV, as it’s a nice balance of affordability and features. It delivers stunning 4K picture quality with four times the resolution of Full HD, as well as endless entertainment with easy access to your favorite streaming services. Google Chromecast is built right into the TV, allowing you to easily stream movies, shows and photos from your Android or iOS device. It also has 3 HDMI inputs, which makes it great for gamers who want to connect several consoles, or for anybody looking to set up a home theater arrangement.

Read more
Best Beats headphone deals: Studio Pro, Studio Buds, Powerbeats
Beats Studio Pro sitting on travel case.

You haven’t fully shopped the best headphone deals until you’ve had a look at everything Beats has to offer. It’s one of the most popular headphone brands on the planet, but unlike Bose headphone deals and even Sony headphone deals, Beats headphone deals often turn out some significant price drops. Whether you’re looking for an in-ear option or a set of the best wireless headphones Beats has you covered, and we’ve got you covered when it comes to the check-out line. Below you’ll find all of the best Beats headphone deals. They include some substantial discounts on the Beats Studio 3 and Powerbeats Pro headphones, but if you’d like to consider some other options be sure to check out what’s going on among today's best AirPods deals, best AirPods Pro deals, and best AirPods Max deals.

Best Beats earbuds deals

Read more