I'm mainly concerned about PCI tuners for building PVRs and if such models come with remote controls and easy switching between desktop and incoming channel like my 130s. Most likely the first generation hardware from those still in the game, like Hauppage, will be dual purpose 3.0 and 2.0 tuners.

[Link: tvnewscheck.com]

The scheme would require stations in each market to collaborate. Working together, they would begin offering multiple 3.0 signals on a small scale by sharing a single designated "lighthouse" station.

Over time, they would increase the number of 3.0 stations and channels, while decreasing the number of 1.0 stations and channels. Eventually, 1.0 would be reduced to multiple signals on a single "night light" station.

"This concept of a ‘night light’ station would provide some ATSC 1.0 service, thus not stranding any consumers who don’t have ATSC 3.0 receivers," the guide says.

In the above post the article mentioned, "Eventually, 1.0 would be reduced to multiple signals on a single "night light" station.

I'm speculating that since Sinclair broadcasting is involved in this transition scheme, RF channel 49 in Buffalo would be the 1.0 night lite station for this market since it is above the clearing frequency threshold RF 36. That's bad news for viewers who can't get this channel.

Each channel still operating in 1.0 after a certain time would have their virtual channel listed as 49-x.

Its sporadic at my location, depends on the cloud cover.

I goofed  in my above post of October 16.

The FCC cleared 144 MHz (divided by 6 MHz) equals 19 stations, which takes us down to channel 32, minus 1 for channel 37 taking us to channel 31, being the highest channel available after the transition, not channel 36.

Sorry for the mis info...

"The FCC’s TV spectrum repack plan — which it laid out in a Sept. 30 public notice and was the subject of a three-hour webinar from FCC headquarters Oct. 17 — is receiving a lukewarm response from industry players."

"Among the concerns are the lengthy process of obtaining FAA permission to modify tower height; time needed to acquire land-use permission, building permits, zoning waivers and other local permissions to modify towers; resource availability; weather delays; and TV viewer education about the consequences of the repack."

"With TV broadcasters moving to lower frequencies as part of the repack, the new antennas they will use will be taller than existing ones."

"Coupled with the fact that most antennas in the United States are top-mounted, the increase in tower height could mean that 800 requests may be filed for relatively time-consuming FAA obstruction evaluations."

TVNewsCheck, October 20, 2016 10:05 AM EDT  ► Link

Link to the FCC's webinar is in this article and the FCC homepage.

ATSC 3.0, the new transmission standard now pending FCC approval, was broadcasting Game 2 of the World Series last night on an experimental licence (channel 31) obtained by the NAB and WJW Cleveland, the local Fox affiliate.

[Link: tvnewscheck.com]

"Sinclair and One Media anticipate the technology and data gathering methodologies they are working on will be able to capture information relating to the consumer's actual viewing and consumption behaviors."

Transitioning Stations in a Market to ATSC 3.0   (page 56)

     Unlike the transition from analog to digital that the industry experienced between 1996 and
2009, the transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 will not be supported by the use of a second
channel for each station. A solution to this problem lies in a fundamental aspect of the spectrum
repack, with the option for stations to enter a channel sharing agreement (CSA) and share the
same spectrum. This option, combined with a future transition to ATSC 3.0, can lead to a
number of interesting scenarios that will benefit all participants.

     A group of industry leaders and experts have put together a concept of temporary channel
sharing that supports the creation of an initial ATSC 3.0 station known as the “Lighthouse
Station” that will seed the market with 3.0 services coming from multiple stations in that market.

     This of course requires a business collaborative between partner stations involved in creating this “Lighthouse Station.” An ideal theoretical model would be collaboration among the five primary network stations in a single market. The Lighthouse Station will have its ATSC 1.0 signal carried by the other partners in the business collaborative.

     It should be noted that the current ATSC 1.0 PSIP system can support this channel sharing by preserving the stations’ branding and recognition of the virtual channel. It will, however, require that consumers rescan their receiving devices when a station shares its ATSC 1.0 stream for the first time.

     Over time, as ATSC 3.0 consumer receiving devices are widely deployed, additional stations
within the lighthouse collaborative will convert their transmissions to ATSC 3.0, while the
remaining stations carry some of the services from the converted stations in ATSC1.0. As more
stations are converted to ATSC 3.0, the available payload capacity will allow the converted
stations to carry many of the services outlined in this Guide.

     When consumer adoption of ATSC 3.0 is sufficiently high, all stations in the market may want to convert to ATSC 3.0. One possible option is for the last station in the market to remain on ATSC 1.0 for a period of time while carrying services from each of the converted stations. This concept of a “Night Light Station” would provide some ATSC 1.0 service, thus not stranding any consumers who don’t have ATSC 3.0 receivers.

     It is most likely that WNYO-49 will be Buffalo's Nite Lite Station, the last station providing an ATSC 1.0 signal to the Buffalo area.  WUTV-29 would probably be Buffalo's  Lighthouse Station.  (The Lighthouse Station would be able to broadcast all of the area's stations on a signal frequency but each station will be distributed on different channels.
     Sample channel lineups:
     49-1 WNYO
     49-2 WUTV
     49-3 WIVB
     49-4 WGRZ
     49-5 WKBW
     49-6 WNED