Receiving Digital Television Tips (1)

You all should know that the current system of analog TV broadcasts until February 17, 2009. From midnight of that day - unless you already watch your local channels via cable or satellite subscription - you will need to receive digital TV off the air. In other words, the TV will no longer display anything except black.
This can be achieved by buying a new digital TV set (check first if yours is not already digital capable, the majority of games purchased in the last couple of years), or you can adapt your analog TV to digital reception by a single DTV converter box to "translate" the digital signal into something your analog set can digest.

These converter boxes are available now at most electronics retailers starting at $ 50, and you can receive up to two $ 40 coupons to cover the price (more on this at the end).
Because many of the channels is in our area and are sending their signals in digital form, there is no need to wait. However, some viewers are frustrated after making the digital connection.
"We have purchased a digital converter box earlier this year and that hooks, we could not get on KLRT-TV," writes one reader. "The man said to Radio Shack for KLRT the signal was weak in our area."
"I just installed my new digital to analog converter box and can no longer receive the signal Karker," says another reader. "It was my strongest analog signal, but now my DTV converter registers no signal at all from Karker.
After more than 50 years of analog television, we have all grown accustomed to the variety in the arrangements for the reception. There can be ghosts and snow, and sometimes you just get used to it. It seems that for all the shortcomings that will be difficult to let go.

Digital TV is just different.
Even if you have received an acceptable analogue picture at your location, unless your digital signal level is above a certain level, you can view any picture at all - or will be "block" and could be Unwatched.

Another factor in this composition reception problem: many of its stations broadcast digital signals in a different channel of the analog signal so despite its reception may be fine; you can see the wrong channel.
If you are currently using a "rabbit ear" antenna and you're having digital reception problems, try to extend the cable that connects to your TV (or your DTV converter box) and move the antenna to a higher location in the room. Several readers have pointed out that even something as simple as moving the antenna on a shelf near your TV noticeably improved receipt.
You may need an extra length of cable to obtain the necessary positional flexibility. Use a simple coaxial "barrel" connector (available at electronics and big-box) to connect the two wires, but be careful. You should not use an extension that is longer than necessary; every foot of cable diminishes the signal strength.
You can also try placing the antenna at or near a window that has the best view in the direction you are local transmitters. Antennaweb.org can help with this information.
Also be sure to extend the rods of an indoor antenna fully for best chance to get all the signals.

See also : Directional Tv Antenna