Article Summury
Have you finally cut the cord? Good.
Now your next venture is to explore the wonderful world of free TV. It’s more vast than you think. You can already watch your favorite shows in HD today and it’s going to get better with the new over-the-air TV standard that will support 4K.
All for free! You just need a decent antenna and you’re good to go.
How do you perform an antenna installation again? Does the cable go into this slot and where do you put the bunny ears? Do antennas still have bunny ears?
Don’t worry, we’re here to guide you through every step of the installation process. Let’s begin.
1. Examine Your TV
Does it have a digital tuner? Gone are the days of analog, most over-the-air broadcasts are now digital.
If you bought your TV after March 2007, there’s a good chance that it already has a built-in tuner. Check the owner’s manual or look up the TV model on the internet. You can also see if your TV has labels that say HDTV, ATSC, or Digital Receiver.
What if your TV isn’t digital ready? If that’s the case, you’ll have to buy a digital converter box or a DVR with a digital tuner.
2. Shop for a TV Antenna
Before buying an antenna, go to a website such as antennaweb.org to find the broadcast stations near your location. This will determine if you need an indoor or outdoor type for your digital antenna installation.
Do you live in an area with a strong signal? An indoor antenna should be enough. These are your good old rabbit ears or the more modern “flat” antennas.
If the broadcast transmitter is far away, an outdoor antenna is probably necessary. For your safety, don’t attempt the installation if you’re not comfortable working on top of your roof. It might be better to call a professional; you can browse this website for more information.
3. Hooking up an Antenna to Your TV or Digital Tuner
First, make sure to turn off and unplug your TV. You don’t want any source of electricity to cause damage to parts during antenna hook up.
Find a good location for your antenna. A good rule is to make sure that the receiver (your antenna) has a good line of sight to the transmitter (the broadcast station). This is why the best place is usually the one with the highest vantage point.
The next step is to hook up the antenna cable to your TV or digital tuner. The coaxial cable can go directly into the jack of digital-ready TVs.
If your TV doesn’t have a built-in tuner, attach the antenna cable into the digital box first. Then connect the box output to the TV input with an appropriate cable (HDMI, A/V, etc).
4. Finishing Your Antenna Installation
You can now start scanning for channels. This step will vary depending on the model of your TV or digital tuner device.
It’s usually under menu>setup. You can then select either ‘auto tune’ or ‘channel scan’. Your TV will now automatically scan through all the available signals.
Once your TV has finished scanning, it’s time to sit back and enjoy flipping through all the free channels!
Connect to the New School of Television
Previously considered ancient and long-forgotten technology, over-the-air TV and antennas are back. Complete your antenna installation and ride the wave of the future of digital TV.
For more technology news and updates, feel free to browse this site.
Hi. Ron Permann from Kenosha WI. I’ve tried before to hook up an indoor hd tv antenna to get away from high cable prices but have had no success. I live in a senoir apt complex off the beaten path in a heavily wooded area. Is their any hope that a indoor antenna would work for me. I’m on a very low fixed income and would appreciate any help or advice. Thanks. Ron from Kenosha WI.