Some Troubleshooting Tips for a TV Antenna That Isn't Working Properly
Having the fanciest, most expensive TV on the market will do you no good if you don't have a good TV antenna, properly installed, to go along with it. Some televisions will have a built-in antenna to pick up some signals, but not all. This means you need a strong antenna and you need to have it positioned properly in order to receive the most amount of television signals available; in turn, you'll get the clearest picture. Note a few troubleshooting tips you'll want to consider if you have a TV antenna but still aren't getting a clear, crisp picture on your TV set.
1. Older antennas
TV antennas are designed to pick up signals or frequencies and then convert them to the images you see on your screen. Many of today's TV programs are broadcast in a digital frequency, which is different than older, analog frequencies. Hence, old TV antennas may not be able to pick up those digital signals. Channels may have been reassigned and even programs you once enjoyed may now have a different frequency than they once did. If you've got a very old antenna or one that is even just a few years out of date, getting a new antenna that can pick up digital frequencies may easily solve your problems.
2. Height
Very often the height of a TV antenna can affect its overall performance, as a short antenna may not be reaching signals around various obstacles, including trees, buildings, a local airport, and the like. Note the height of your TV antenna and if it's level with nearby roofs or visible hills. If so, this may be why you're not getting strong signals; consider raising it by several feet or meters and see if this fixes the problem.
3. Home wiring
Once a TV antenna receives signals, it sends them to a converter box and then the television set. It does this over your home's electrical wiring. If the wiring is old, it may not be able to handle all these signals and, in turn, you get a patchy or snowy picture. If you have an updated TV antenna and know that it's high enough to receive strong signals, but are still getting a poor picture, consider the age of your home's wiring. An electrician can tell you if it needs some updating and replacing in order to easily handle the TV signals it receives and deliver a quality picture.