Anyone know what a physical NEXTGEN TV is when compared to a typical TV today?
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Apparently it's the next generation of broadcast TV standard, previously known as ATSC 3.0; an upgrade in most respects from the (circa 2009, I think?) subsidized switch to digital broadcast with HD capability (which was ATSC 1.0; they skipped 2).
The new generation can support 4K, HDR, Ultra-HD, better signal quality (apparently less so if you're too close to the tower), and - because there is a planned feature of a "return data path" - targeted advertising. Also, possibly some interactive features.
Unlike the previous switch, it's less expensive for the broadcasters to implement because everything is digital already; and it's optional, so they don't have to switch. It's not backward-compatible with old TVs that supported ATSC or old receiver boxes, but it sounds like most of the previous antenna generation should work, and relatively new TVs (some 2022, more 2023, presumably) may have support for it already. Also, providers are required to keep broadcasting the previous version for at least five years after implementing.
Between that and the fact that the possible improvements to the content won't really be a thing until the content supports them (for example, does it matter if the signal could be 4K if the program is still only in 1080p and the previous standard can handle that?), some of the first places I tracked down information about it suggest that there's no rush to buy new equipment for it - especially since it's likely that by the time that five year period is running out, the tuner box market will have more options at lower prices; plus, if one ends up getting a new TV in the meantime, it presumably becomes more and more likely that it will have support built in anyhow.
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