Bad TV reception causing you to sigh from regret? If you’re not having a great viewing experience at all while trying to watch your favourite game or show, then there must be something wrong with your antenna.
There are many possible causes as to why you’re having problems with reception and you may need to hire professionals for efficient and expertly done digital TV antenna repair. So to stay updated on your favourite shows again, you need to get your signal problem fixed ASAP!
Here are some solutions to the most common issues on TV reception:
1. Adjust
See if you need to adjust your antenna or move it to a different spot in your entertainment area, and try to realign it left, right, up and down. Moving your antenna a few feet can decrease any interference caused by other electronic equipment. If adjusting still doesn’t work or solve your bad reception, try relocating your antenna.
2. Relocate
Buildings, trees or other geographical features can block the signals from broadcast towers which is why you may not be getting optimum signals; hence, you don’t have a clear TV reception at all. If there are large trees around your property, make sure you have garden maintenance work done to prune them regularly.
However, if pruning the trees and bushes still didn’t solve the problem, you may need to transfer your antenna.
- Outdoor Antenna – Elevate your antenna by either using a taller mast or placing it on a higher location to increase signal reception. The goal here is to attain the most unhindered line of sight to the broadcast towers.
- Indoor Antenna – Place your antenna as close as possible to the outdoors. Move it near your window so it can get an unobstructed signal. Just make sure that you’re pointing your antenna at a window that faces the broadcast towers to increase your chances of getting a good signal.
3. Amplify
Using a splitter can also weaken your signal strength. Try to disconnect your splitter and run your cable directly into the converter box or TV, then run a “channel scan”. If you notice that your reception has improved, a distribution amplifier is probably the solution to your problem.
To get the key benefits of amplification, you need to be capable of getting a TV signal. If your antenna isn’t picking up any signal, then amplification isn’t an option. It’s not guaranteed that amplification can fix every poor TV signal problem, but it is an option you can try.
4. Double-rescan
Double-rescanning erases and reprograms your channels in the digital TV’s memory or in the converter box. To do a double-rescan, follow these steps:
- First, disconnect your antenna from the digital TV or converter box.
- Disconnect your digital TV power supply and converter from the wall socket.
- Wait for a minute before plugging them in again while your antenna remains disconnected.
- With your antenna disconnected, run a channel scan function on your digital TV or converter box.
- Once the scan completes, you should be able to remove any channel data that your digital TV or converter box has in its memory.
- Reconnect your antenna back to the digital TV or converter box and run the channel scan again.
If the double-rescan still won’t give you the clear reception you want, you may need to hire the expertise of an aerial specialist.
5. Get a new TV tuner
Televisions are not built the same, and there are some which have better quality tuners. If you’re experiencing bad reception, you may have to get a new TV tuner to supplement your current tuner. When buying a television, it’s recommended to stay with superior brands that have a built-in tuner with premium quality. Some projectors also have built-in TV tuners, so you might need to have your projector replaced if that is the case.
If you want to opt for a USB tuner, the following are the six best USB TV tuners you can buy this 2018 according to lifewire.com.
- Hauppauge 1191 WinTV-HVR-955Q
- AVerMedia Volar Hybrid Q USB TV Tuner
- Hauppauge WinTV-DualHD Dual USB 2.0 HD TV Tuner
- Hauppauge Digital TV Tuner for Xbox One
- AllAboutAdapters USB Digital ATSC Clear QAM TV Tuner
- Tablo TUNER – Dual-Tuner Antenna USB Adapter
It can be quite frustrating when you’re watching your favourite show on a bad reception. Since you rely on your antenna to provide you with the best signal, it’s important that you get it fixed ASAP. If the problem is beyond your expertise, you can always call an aerial specialist to solve the issue for you.
Nothing can compare to the entertainment brought by a high-quality antenna. After all, it’s the best way to make the most out of free television and relish a good viewing experience.
