How to set up the antenna on the TV: step-by-step instructions, tips

The most obvious benefit of having a television antenna is the freedom from monthly cable TV charges. Despite the fact that cable TV provides many interesting channels, but still limits the choice of the user. The presence of its own antenna allows you to view more free broadcast channels - news, music, educational, children's and sports. A television antenna broadcasts your favorite channels, even if the satellite signal or cable is weak or unavailable.

Such antennas are especially useful in disadvantaged climatic regions where, for example, satellite and cable signals can be easily lost in cloudy weather, and you can enjoy your favorite shows with a digital television antenna, no matter what. The only obstacle to use is the complexity of installation and configuration. Therefore, before setting up the antenna on the TV, the user needs to get acquainted with all the "pitfalls" of the technology.

Parameters of high-quality signal transmission

A digital television signal arrives at a device with a finite amount of energy. In order to standardize and measure this indicator, the term "noise margin" is used, expressed in decibels (dB), it represents the amount of noise at which the signal will no longer be received. The ideal space does not exist today, the signal always encounters an obstacle on the way from the tower. Any interference between it and the receiving antenna is the noise subtracted from the power headroom. That is, it affects the quality of the "picture". The indicator must be taken into account before setting up the antenna on the TV.

If the noise margin is greater than 0, it can be adopted by the tuner to display the channel on the TV. At the same time, the line between the antenna and the TV tuner has its own noise, which is caused by the coaxial cable, signal splitters and the tuner that receives the signal. Any component between the antenna and the receiver can generate noise.

If the noise is too loud, this can lead to a negative performance and lack of reception. Before setting up the antenna on the TV, you need to decide how to position it correctly, which will require two important information. First, which channels have a positive noise margin in the location. secondly, in what direction the tower generates a signal.

Using the signal analysis tool from TVFool.com will help establish the noise margin (NM) and direction in degrees (“Magn” in azimuth) to fine tune the antenna.

Internal reception of television antennas

There is a pie chart that shows the direction of movement of the television towers. You need to familiarize yourself with it before setting up the antenna on the TV. Many smartphones have a free application installed or available to determine it. If all the channels of interest are in the same direction, then you can install a directional antenna. A directional antenna receives signals from one direction, unlike an omnidirectional antenna, which can receive signals from several directions.

The advantage of directional is a higher "gain" of the television antenna than omnidirectional. This gain, also defined in dB, is added to the noise margin, counteracting some of its loss. Essentially, the larger the directional antenna, the higher the television gain.

An obvious disadvantage of a directional antenna is the need to reassign the antenna when switching the channel to the tower in the other direction. If after the antenna receives the signal, there is sufficient noise margin, examine the line to the TV. This signal loss occurs due to splitters, coaxial cord and TV tuner and others. The standard RG-6 coaxial cable has a loss of 5.65 dB per 100 feet of cable.

Television amplifier

There is a loss of noise margin associated with the amplifier. Since these losses are less than the losses generated by the TV tuner, in many cases it makes sense to use an amplifier before setting up the TV on a digital antenna.

For example, a TV tuner with a loss of 8 dB and a two-way splitter can result in a loss of 11 dB (8 + 3 dB for a splitter). If you add a 2.9 dB loss for the proposed 50-foot coaxial cable, and then another 1 dB loss due to the connection at the end of the reception, the total loss is up to 14 dB.

If a 15 dB amplifier is added to the line immediately after the antenna, then the loss will be 0.0 dB. The amplifier also carries noise, for example, 3 dB will bring the total noise loss in the line to 2.0 dB.

If you add a 20 dB gain amplifier with the same noise level, it will only guarantee an unhindered signal level from the antenna to the TV, in other words, the pre-amplifier will not help the television antenna pick up a signal that is already outside the interference. This circumstance must be taken into account. Only then do they learn how to tune the TV to a digital antenna.

There are situations when an amplifier is not needed or even harmful. If all the stations that need to be received fall on an antenna with a noise margin of less than 30 dB and only 3 dB is lost in the line, gain is not required. In addition, if the signal is excessively amplified, this may lead to the tuner not detecting the radio station at all.

Receiving device selection

In order to determine which digital antenna provides the best television signal reception, it is important to know the location, since the distance from the nearest transmitter will determine the type of antenna that you need.

There are three choices:

1. Internal antennas if the viewer lives within a radius of 15 km from the nearest transmitter. An antenna of this type is easier to install, since no additional metal structures are needed. Before buying, check the specifications to clarify the reach of each internal antenna, since there are antennas with different range. State-of-the-art internal digital antennas provide the best possible reception thanks to their innovative technology, even in places with a weak signal.
2. Outdoor antennas. If the viewer lives within a radius of 15-30 km from the nearest transmitter, then you should use an outdoor antenna for crystal clear reception. The most common Yagi models that are easy to recognize thanks to their traditional design. Modern outdoor devices are designed to work in the most severe weather conditions, which must be considered before setting up the TV through the antenna. Otherwise, you can make a mistake with the choice.
3. Loft antennas are becoming increasingly popular, especially in new buildings, as most households do not want the antenna cluttering up a new modern home. Placing the antenna in the attic looks like a logical option, it does not interfere with the interior, but it is important to make sure that the antenna is located correctly and at the required height.

4G / LTE mobile phone networks partly use the same bandwidth as DVB-T, and therefore can interfere with signal clarity. One For All antennas have a built-in LTE / 4G filter to eliminate this interference, providing crystal clear reception. It is recommended that you check the specifications beforehand to see if the antenna has a built-in 4G / LTE filter.

Preparing to Connect

Before connecting, determine the type of antenna connector on the TV, which is usually located at the rear or side. There are two main versions of this input:

1. Standard for most modern devices, a coaxial RF threaded cylinder with a hole in the center.
2. Connection for old IEC televisions.

Before setting up the TV antenna on the TV, find out the location of the nearest radio station. There are special signal analysis sites such as AntennaWeb.org and TVFool.com. They can tell you exactly how strong a antenna is needed to perceive available signals based on a residential address. It is recommended that you select an HDTV antenna that is powerful enough to receive all signals. An overly powerful television antenna can suppress a digital tuner if the user is in a high signal area.

Basic settings for an external antenna

If you are using an antenna with a two-wire cable of 300 Ohms, you must use a 300-75 Ohm adapter to adapt the cable to a connection compatible with the antenna input of the TV.

Setup Algorithm:

1. Before setting up the antenna on the Philips TV, connect a 75 ohm coaxial cable from the device to the ANT / CABLE input on the TV.
2. Make sure the TV is plugged in and the power button is turned on.
3. On the main screen, select the TV antenna icon.
4. Learn simple on-screen instructions and select “Start Setup”.
5. When prompted, select the time zone. This will only need to be done if the TV cannot determine the time zone from the Internet connection.
6. When prompted, choose whether to add analog channels 3 and 4 so that you can connect old consoles, VCRs, or game consoles.
7. They wait while the TV scans the broadcast antennas of the TV station.
8. When the channel scan is completed, the TV will show the number of channels added.

Before setting up the antenna on the Samsung TV, from time to time they repeat the channel scan to make sure that everything is received. Broadcasters add and remove channels, move them to different parts of the spectrum, and periodically change power levels.

You will need to repeat the channel scan if the TV is reset to the factory settings. In order to repeat the channel scan at any time, choose “Settings”> “TV inputs”> “TV antenna”> scan the channels again. Antenna reception and image quality depend on the position of the antenna and its location relative to the broadcast antennas in the area.

DVB Digital Converter

Installing a DTV converter is done before setting up a Samsung TV through an antenna for analog reception. TVs that cannot receive digital DVB signals will not receive most channels without it

Setup Algorithm:

1. First you need to determine if the TV can use a digital converter. If the TV has an HDTV or a TV with the inscription "SDTV" on the front panel, then it does not need it.
2. Turn off the TV.
3. Disconnect the TV antenna. To do this, disconnect the coaxial antenna cable from the back of the TV and connect to the box of the digital converter. This step also applies if an external antenna is used. For example, a device located on the roof.
4. How to set up a TV through an antenna? Firstly, you need to purchase a device, for example, "rabbit ears" before using a digital converter. Place a box of digital converter next to the TV. The front of the digital converter, i.e. the front side, should be pointing in the same direction as the TV.
5. Connect the antenna to the digital converter using the antenna coaxial cable to the “IN” port on the rear panel of the digital converter unit.
6. Connect the digital converter to the TV.
7. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the “OUT” port on the rear panel of the digital converter unit, then connect the other end of the cable to “IN”.
8. Red, white, and yellow cables connect RCA cables to the same color ports on the back of the digital converter unit.
9. Connect the digital converter to the network and turn it on.
10. Connect the TV.
11. Most digital converters will scan digital channels when switching to channel 3 or channel 4, if this does not work, refer to the manual of the digital converter to determine which channel should be used.
12. Complete the setup on the screen.

Samsung autosave function

To configure both digital and analogue channels, you can use the TV auto-save function. Before setting up a digital antenna on a Samsung TV, they search for and save the available digital channels:

1. Press the MENU button on the remote control.
2. Use the up arrow buttons to navigate.
3. Scroll down to autosave and press the ENTER button.
4. Choose the type of antenna - air or cable, press the ENTER button.
5. Select a channel source and press the ENTER button.
6. Select Digital, press the ENTER button.
7. Select Search, press the ENTER button.
8. This starts the process of scanning available analogue channels.

Sony Auto Program

To change the tuning range, press the HOME button >> Settings >> Digital tuning >> Auto tuning range >> Normal.

Where:

• normal - search for available channels in the region;
• full - search for available channels regardless of region.

Before setting up the Sony TV’s antenna, you can start the digital search again. For example, after moving to a new place of residence, changing service providers or searching for new channels. Sony has an automatic setup program that scans and stores available channels through your service provider. Updating this list is useful when moving or starting new channels. TV also helps simplify the search for specific channels by adding your favorite channels to the list for quick access.

Setup Algorithm:

1. Press the “HOME” button and then select “Settings” using the buttons.
2. Select “Digital Tuning” using the buttons and then press the button.
3. Select “Digital Auto Tuning” using the buttons.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to tune all available digital channels and save the settings to the TV.
5. To return to the last viewed source, press the HOME button twice.
6. Press the “Auto Program” button, then “+” to open the dialog box, and then “+” to select “OK” on the screen. She will begin to search for digital channels.
7. Displays the channel you want to add to your favorites list.
8. Press the Home button on the remote control to view the device parameters.
9. Press the arrow button to go to the "Heart" symbol, and then press the + button to confirm.
10. The displayed channel is added to the list on the screen.

Advanced Tips

You need to be frank: in order to get the best quality “picture” of the TV, you will need to experiment a lot with the placement of the antenna. Since there may be a big difference in the number of channels depending on the orientation of the device, location, height and brand of TV. In order not to “reinvent the wheel”, it is better to use the advice of specialists. This will help to configure the antenna on the TV LG, Samsung, Sony and others.

Recommendations of specialists:

1. Most of the antennas currently on the market are bidirectional, that is, they can receive signals regardless of which side they are installed on. However, some receive signals from only one or two directions.
2. When choosing, you need to keep in mind the direction in which the nearby broadcasting towers are located, and choose the antennas for the best reception.
3. It is important to pay attention to the reception range. Most antennas are likely to receive channels if the user lives in a metro or city area, but the further he lives from the signal towers, the less confidence there will be.
4. The term “reinforced” can be misleading. In fact, the amplifiers built into the antennas amplify weak signals, so the TV tuner will accurately recognize them. However, amplifiers do not improve reception quality. In fact, it is not recommended to use an amplifier, it is better to try to configure the antenna on an LG TV or another. Maybe an additional device will not be necessary.
5. Outdoor antennas are generally larger and more durable than their internal counterparts, and when mounted on the roof, they can receive better reception than the most amplified model in the room.
6. One must strive to capture a direct signal, and not reflected from the neighbor’s house.
7. For private homes, you need to raise the antenna, which means buying a mast and a long coaxial cable.
8. Most TVs allow you to add or remove channels from the list manually, dropping those that are not needed.
9. The TV tuner setting scans the active channels and adds them to the broadcast list.Before setting up a digital antenna on an LG TV or other, the tuner performs the function of scanning the input signals for channels with a good signal and adds them to the list. At the same time, skipping dead channels and those with a very weak signal.
10. If the antenna is not installed correctly, it is best to contact qualified personnel to fix the problem. Then the quality of the "picture" will be excellent.
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Digital television has become one of the most important services in the modern era, but it will not be worth it without a fully functional digital television antenna. Such a reception system gives viewers a wide selection of popular channels and provides the best reception quality.