Part 2 of 4
I travel a strip of historic US40 almost daily. Long ago, the interstate highway system drove the old highway off the road map as an obscure alternate route. Remnants of its past still lie in the trees and brush at the side of the old road — the foundation of a gas station, a bent rusty motel sign, and a worn and dated bridge.
It’s an age-old story. US40 shelved the old Lincoln Highway. The Lincoln Highway ended the Union Pacific’s near-monopoly of an east-west US trade route. The railroad ended east-west ship-by-sea via Cape Horn’s dominance of commerce. It was also a welcome alternative to travel by horse-drawn wagon.
Each new channel of distribution stunted the economic clout of the existing primary channel. Each created a new profitable opportunity. And 5G cellular networks and NextGenTV are primed to do much the same as they accelerate cable and satellite cord-cutting.
5G Networks
5G is a new and improved 5th generation cellular network. It is also a nationwide Internet hotspot that enhances wireless Internet access. 5G broadcasts via three radio bands — mmWave, Mid-band Sub6, and low-band. Each has a distance, speed, or signal obstruction advantage.
mmWave 24GHz to 90GHz
mmWave provides tremendous data speeds. But mmWave is short on range and has trouble penetrating windows and walls.
Mid-band Sub6 3GHz to 4GHz
Mid-band Sub6 lies between 4G-LTE and WiFi. It has fewer solid obstacle issues but still boosts data speeds. Plus, it provides coverage in densely populated areas.
Low-band 700MHz
Low-band forms the backbone of 5G. It offers reliable coverage via existing 4G-LTE sites. Low-band data speeds are marginally better than 4G-LTE but more than sufficient for most needs.
5G’s mobile “Wi-Fi hotspots” offer more convenience than being anchored to home-based WiFi. 5G offers more security than public WiFi. Plus, 5G’s multiple bands allow users and providers to individually manage bandwidth and coverage needs.
NextGenTV
Internet protocol-based over-the-air NextGenTV has launched in many US markets. NextGen provides two sources of UltraHD HDR video — local broadcast channels, and Intenet streaming access. It is poised to become a cord-cutter’s primary source of UltraHD HDR video.
NextGenTV broadcasts cover greater distances and extend deeper into buildings than HDTV. Local NextGen UHD broadcasts are free. Cable and satellite cord-cutting savings should more than cover the cost of streaming services, antennas, and installation. It may also connect to mobile devices — cell phones, tablets, laptops — with included tuners.
TV manufacturers can integrate a NextGen tuner or offer a set-top box. The tuners include an off-air RG-6 antenna jack, plus WiFi and a hard-wire RJ-45 jack that provide connection and distribution to home router networks.
Rooftop Antennas
A TV picture is only as good as its input signal — garbage in garbage out. The antenna is the NextGenTV portal. A quality rooftop antenna produces RF signal gain.
Targeted RF gain improves the signal-to-noise ratio. A high signal-to-noise ratio produces a clean picture.
Rooftop antenna pricing ranges from about $80.00 to $300.00. Add the cost of a mast, mounting hardware, and quad shield RG-6 coax. You may also need a preamplifier, distribution amp, antenna rotator, splitter, combiner, filter, additional antenna, plus installation, which adds up to a profitable opportunity.
If you’re new to the antenna category, then get kick-started with the following websites.
The FCC website offers broadcast data based on specific channels.
- Distance from your location to broadcast tower.
- Signal strength
- Repack status of VHF channel numbers to a UHF frequency
Consumer Electronics Association Antenna Selection
The CEA partnered with Channel Master to assist antenna selection.
Continue to part #3 “UltraHDTV HDR”
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