How to Improve the TV Reception From Your Antenna
By Matt Whitlock | + Share
If you rely on an antenna for receiving over-the-air television signals, you're no doubt familiar with the challenges of getting adequate television reception. Fuzzy pictures, lots of interference, ghosting, and static should all be familiar since you probably deal with one or all of these every time you watch TV. All of these problems are related to reception issues.
Reception is how well you receive a television broadcast. If you were standing next to the television transmitter with a portable TV, your reception would be perfect. Nothing would have interfered with the signal on its way to your antenna. However, the further from the source of the broadcast you are, the more likely the signal will get distorted. Bouncing off of a building, distance from the tower, and other facotrs can all interfere with how well you receive a broadcast. However, there are some things you can try to improve reception from your antenna.
Check Your Wires
If you've been using the same antenna and wires for many years, you may want to check the wires for loose connectors. They can fall off over time if they were not attached very well. Also check for corrosion on the pins of the cable. Cutting them off and putting on a new connector could take care of a few problems.Try A New Splitter
If you use a splitter to split your antenna signal, a new high-quality splitter could make a world of difference.Change Antenna Location & Orientation
One of the next things to consider when trying to improve reception is the antenna's location and orientation. Try moving the antenna to a different location, or adjusting the antenna's orientation to improve results. When using a rooftop antenna, you could try adding a motorized rotator unit to adjust orientation without having to climb up to the roof. If using an outdoor antenna in the attic, moving it to the roof could also yield improved results.Install a Signal Booster
Signal boosters are another great way to improve reception. These boxes go inline, which means the signal goes through it before reaching it's destination, with the antenna feed and boost the strength with a signal amplifier. Be careful not to boost the signal too much because over amplifying could make the image worse. If you're using a set-top antenna with a built in amplifier, do not add a second amp.Upgrade Your Antenna
Examine the kind of antenna you use. You could be using a set-top antenna, an indoor antenna, an attic antenna, or a rooftop antenna. Once you've determined that, figure out how far away you live from the television transmitters you're trying to receive. If you live 60 miles from the transmitter and are using a set-top antenna, there's no good reason to do anything but upgrade to a better antenna. Indoor style antennas rarely perform well at great distances from the tower, so look at upgrading to a full-size attic or rooftop antenna if you use one.Switch to a DTV Receiver
If you've done everything you can and are not getting an improvement, there is one last step to consider. If digital TV transmissions are available in your area, you may want to consider purchasing an ATSC Digital TV receiver. Even if you don't own a digital TV, these boxes can receive digital broadcasts, which are not susceptible to static, snow, and interference, and convert the signal to play on an analog TV. Digital broadcasts are easier to get because you don't need to have great reception to receive them perfectly.