As the deadline of the Digital TV (DTV) is coming today, many people still have question about Indoor Digital TV Antennas and reception and converter boxes. According to Nielsen, about 2.8 million homes are completely unready for the transition, despite an onslaught of TV ads about the impending change. Another 9.5 million homes are partly unready, meaning that they may have upgraded some of their TV sets, but not all of them.
FCC explains what consumers need to know about Digital TV Antennas, reception and what needs to be done with Digital TV Converters.
Broadcast TV stations in the U.S. are currently switching from analog to digital transmissions. This Fact Sheet provides information on TV antennas and tips for obtaining good quality reception of digital broadcasts.
What Kind of Antenna Do I Need to Receive Digital TV Signals?
To receive digital TV signals from all stations, it is important that your antenna be able to receive both VHF channels (channels 2-13) and UHF channels (channels 14-51). Some antennas only provide good reception of VHF or UHF channels, but not both. For example, indoor “rabbit ears” usually need to be augmented with an additional “wire loop” or “bowtie” antenna (see pictures below) in order to pick up signals on UHF channels.
Consumers should be aware that even if they use a digital-to-analog converter box, they will still need to use an antenna to receive DTV signals. Many of the antennas currently being sold as “HDTV Antennas,” perform best at receiving UHF signals; some of these models state that they provide reception of signals on channels 7-13 but actually perform less well receiving those channels.
If you obtain one of these antennas, be sure it provides good reception of all the VHF channels as well as the UHF channels. The reception capabilities of TV antennas also vary considerably, so be sure to talk to retail consultants and look at information on the packaging and/or the Internet to make sure that any new antenna you may choose provides good reception of both VHF and UHF channels. In addition, if you use an indoor antenna and receive signals on VHF channels, you may need to use an antenna with amplification.
To check for the DTV signals that are available at your location, use the DTV Reception Maps available at www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps.
You can check the signal strength of your local stations at www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/. This website will help you find out whether you are in the coverage area of your local stations once they start broadcasting in digital. In addition, for consumers who may wish to purchase outdoor antennas, information on the appropriate type of outdoor antenna for your location can be obtained at www.antennaweb.org. Note that the type of antenna needed at a specific location may vary depending on geographic location, the height at which the antenna is used, the presence of nearby structures and other local factors.
Try Using Your Existing Antenna First
If your television currently receives good quality reception on analog channels 2-51 with a broadcast antenna, it should be able to receive digital television (DTV) signals, including high definition television (HDTV) signals, with the same antenna. You do not need to purchase a "DTV antenna" or an “HDTV antenna” to receive DTV or HDTV signals; however, your antenna must be able to receive both VHF and UHF signals as indicated above.
Before making any changes to your current antenna or antenna system, you should check, using your digital-to-analog converter box or digital TV, to see if your antenna will receive the digital signals being broadcast in your area. Once you have connected your digital-to-analog converter box to your analog TV and to your antenna, you should perform a “channel scan.” You should also perform a channel scan if your antenna is connected to a digital TV.
Digital-to-analog converter boxes and digital TVs have a button, usually on the remote control, that is labeled “set-up” or “menu” or some similar term. Press that button to access the set-up menu. Using the directional arrow buttons on your remote, scroll to the option that allows you to search for digital broadcast channels that are available in your area. Consult the owner’s manual of your digital-to-analog converter box or digital TV for detailed instructions on how to perform a channel scan for your device. You should perform a channel scan periodically to check whether additional digital channels have become available. In many cases, this is all you will need to do to watch digital television broadcasts.
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