A new affordable ATSC 3.0 adapter will be launched for Android and Fire TV, although I wish it were compatible with LG OLED TVs.
Available only for Android devices, Google, and Fire TV.
The annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) will begin tomorrow, April 5, 2025, in Las Vegas, and one of the first news items related to the event comes from electronics manufacturer ADTH. The company has launched the NextGen TV USB adapter, a digital ATSC 3.0 tuner, which is offered at an affordable price of $69.99. This device allows any TV operating on Android, Google, or Fire TV systems to be upgraded to receive broadcast channels in the NextGen TV ATSC 3.0 format, which provides advantages such as high dynamic range support and Dolby Atmos audio.
Although some of the best TVs from brands like Samsung, Sony, Hisense, TCL, and Panasonic include integrated ATSC 3.0 tuners, this feature has not yet been implemented universally. This situation has created a specific market for external tuners, many of which cost over $200, making compatibility with ATSC 3.0 a considerable investment. Now, with an external adapter that sells for under $70, the idea of upgrading a TV to be ATSC 3.0 compatible becomes more appealing to a larger number of viewers.
ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV, is projected to soon reach 80% of viewers in the U.S., according to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). In addition to high-definition picture and Dolby Atmos surround sound, this new format offers interactive features such as personalized programming guides and games. Although it also supports 4K broadcasting, this feature has not yet been effectively implemented.
While many TV manufacturers now include ATSC 3.0 tuners, this feature is often reserved for high-end models. For example, Samsung's 2025 mini-LED 8K TVs, such as the QN990F model, come with ATSC 3.0 support, while some of their 4K models still use the ATSC 1.0 tuner. LG had previously included ATSC 3.0 tuners in their G series OLEDs, but starting in 2024, the company stopped offering this functionality across all its models, making the use of an external tuner necessary to access ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.
Clearly, LG's popular OLED TVs would be an ideal match for a device like the ADTH NextGen TV USB, which connects to a USB port on the TV and pairs with one of the best indoor TV antennas. However, it is important to note that LG and Samsung use proprietary smart interfaces for their devices, which means the ADTH USB receiver is only compatible with Android TV, Google TV, and Fire TV systems.
Although support for ATSC 3.0 is increasing, as evidenced by Hisense including ATSC 3.0 tuners across its entire 2025 TV line, until this becomes more common, many users will have to resort to more expensive external solutions.