Getting Started with the ADTH NextGen TV USB

Modified on Fri, 7 Aug at 6:56 AM

This page walks you through setting up the ADTH NextGen TV USB tuner on your TV or streaming device, and what to do if a step does not go the way you expect.

Before you begin: check your device

The ADTH NextGen TV USB works with Android TV, Google TV and Fire OS devices. How well it works depends heavily on that device, so please check two separate things before connecting anything.

Can your device decode NextGen TV video and audio?

Install the "NextGen TV Test" app from the Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore on the device you plan to use, and follow its instructions. This checks whether your device's hardware can decode and play ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 content. Compatibility depends on your device's hardware, not on the tuner. For more detail see Before You Start: Check Your Device Compatibility.

Can your device play NextGen TV audio?

NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) channels use the Dolby AC-4 audio format. Your TV or streaming device needs to support Dolby AC-4 to get sound from these channels. A device that cannot decode AC-4 may show a picture with no sound. If you are not sure whether yours supports it, check the device's specifications, or contact support and tell us the make and model.

Is your device on the tested list?

See the "Supported Devices Guide" for the devices we have confirmed, including which of them support ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0. If yours is not listed, that does not mean it will not work, only that we have not tested it.

Setting up the tuner

Connect your TV or streaming device to the internet, by Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Encrypted NextGen TV channels need an internet connection to play.
Search for and install the "ADTH TV" app from the Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore.
Connect the antenna to the RF Antenna port, screwed in tightly.
Insert the ADTH NextGen TV USB into a USB port. On many devices this prompts you to open the ADTH TV app automatically. Not every device does, and that does not mean anything is wrong.
Open the ADTH TV app. It asks for permissions so it can find and use the tuner. Please allow them.
Follow the on-screen instructions to scan for channels. When the scan finishes you should see a channel list and be able to select one and watch it.

If that did not work

Nothing happens when you plug in the tuner

On some devices, plugging the tuner in prompts you to open the app. Not every device does this. Open the ADTH TV app yourself from your home screen or app list. It should detect the tuner once open.

The app cannot find the tuner, or says no device found

Unplug the tuner, wait a few seconds, and plug it back in firmly.
If your device has more than one USB port, try a different one.
Restart your TV or streaming device with the tuner still plugged in.
Your device needs to support USB OTG (On-The-Go) and allow access to external USB devices for the tuner to be detected at all. Check the "Supported Devices Guide" to see whether your device is listed.

If it is still not detected, please contact support with your device's brand and model.

You declined a permission by mistake

Close the ADTH TV app fully and reopen it. Most devices ask again the next time the app needs it. If it does not, open your device's own settings, find the list of apps, find ADTH TV, and turn the permission on there. The exact wording differs between Android TV, Google TV and Fire OS.

The scan finds ATSC 1.0 channels but no NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) channels

Confirm the antenna cable is screwed in tightly at the RF Antenna port.
Run the scan again. See Scanning for channels for the Auto Scan and Manual Scan steps.
Channel information and channel authorisation come over the air from the broadcaster, not from ADTH, so it can take more than one scan for channels to appear.

If a rescan still finds nothing and you know your local stations broadcast NextGen TV, please contact support with the channels you expect and their RF channel numbers if you know them.

NextGen TV channels appear but say "content protected", or will not play

This is usually the Widevine security level described above.

If DRM Info shows L3 only, that is the reason, and it is a limitation of the host device rather than the tuner.
If it shows L1, also check that your device is connected to the internet and that its date and time are set to update automatically. Both are needed to play encrypted channels.

Still stuck?

Please contact support and include:

Your full serial number, both parts.
Your software version.
Your TV or streaming device's brand and model.
What the NextGen TV Test and DRM Info apps showed, including the Widevine security level.
Which part is not working, for example "tuner not detected" or "no ATSC 3.0 channels after scan".

Last reviewed: 7 August 2026.