ATSC 3.0 (Advanced Television Systems Committee) is a digital terrestrial broadcasting standard that has been substantially enhanced compared with the ATSC A/53 predecessor standard. ATSC 3.0 is designed to allow network operators more flexibility, greater robustness and more efficient operation. It employs state-of-the-art encoding and modulation technologies, enabling a significantly more effective use of the limited spectrum resources. In this way, capacity is created to transfer UHD video contents and immersive audio contents to the end user via terrestrial channels with minimal resources. The consistent focus on IP technology in the baseband makes it possible to merge cost-effective terrestrial broadcasting with other IP-based services.
ATSC 3.0 is the first ATSC standard to employ coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (COFDM). This modulation method uses a large number of orthogonal carriers, resulting in a signal that is robust against jamming. COFDM technology also makes it possible to set up spectrum-efficient ATSC 3.0 single-frequency networks (SFN).
Use of the latest low density parity check (LDPC) codes in combination with Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codes allows the usable channel capacity to approach the theoretical Shannon limit, as does the use of non-uniform constellations (NUC) for modulation. ATSC 3.0 employs multiple physical layer pipe (multiple PLP) technology, enabling a flexible use of the channel. With the latest technologies such as Layer Division Multiplexing (LDM), an effective simultaneous crossover can be realized both for mobile reception and for stationary reception.