Digital television is a huge upgrade over the outdated analogue. It has been 60 years since the surface of coloured TV. As such, digital is the new frontier that everyone is joining the bandwagon on. Sadly, while the signal offers tons of benefits to both consumers and cable providers, reception problems are still existent. A lot of things can hamper ones reception and it pays to know what these are. The following are 10 tips which can help you improve your reception.
Antennas
- The antenna should be in a location where it can get adequate signals from the nearest broadcast tower. If your antenna seems a bit low, try to prop it up by using masts. There are tons of ways to install antennas outdoors. Try looking it up online or consulting with specialists.
- If the antenna is a bit old, try to have it replaced with a new one. There are tons of companies out there that have certified technicians who can assist you. These types of companies are highly recommended as they have tons of experience on the matter and also have lengthy warranties on their installation.
- For directional antennas, they need to be pointed to the nearest signal tower. Tools have been made available by the government to help you pinpoint this. Use the tool to double check that you’ve positioned your antenna correctly.
Cabling
- It is important that the cables are properly connected. If they are dislodged even just slightly, their efficiency is instantly affected. It is sometimes hard to detect this because the cables would still work despite the slight detachment. Regular inspection and vigilance is key to preventing this.
- Line efficiency is also reliant on cable quality. Make sure you are using coax cables that are of good quality. If you feel that the signal has degraded, try to see if this is the problem.
- In households where signal splitters are in use, isolative troubleshooting will need to be employed. If only select televisions are having issues with reception, it could be a cable or TV problem. If all are affected, however, you may need to review the setup. An easy way to pinpoint if the setup is causing problems is by removing everything and connecting a sole television to the root. If it has significantly improved, you may have distributed the signal too much or the signal splitters were not properly installed.
TV and Set-top Box
- If cable quality is alright and they are properly connected, try to see if the box is emitting excessive heat. It might not be ventilated well. When this happens, the heated mechanical parts would under-perform and decrease the efficiency. To alleviate this, keep the box free of any items below and behind it. Likewise, try to keep it out of enclosed spaces like see-thru cabinets. It would work better in the open.
- There are some households that have analogue TVs and use digital set-top boxes to convert the digital signal received to analogue. While this is a common setup, there’s a possibility that signals are lost in translation. For best results, combine the digital set-top box with a digital TV.
Signal Boosters
- Signal boosters are great and should be utilized if you feel that you aren’t getting decent reception. There are tons available online and in local stores.
- Conversely, these can also cause problems when not installed correctly. If you or a neighbour has an incorrectly installed one, the direct surroundings are instantly affected. Aside from not being able to perform its job, the faulty signal boosters can also mess with radio and mobile phone signals. Check with your neighbours if they are using one and advise them of the risks of faulty installation.
Australian Antennas is a renowned specialist when it comes to Digital Antenna installation in Melbourne. They have absolute trust in their skills and offer 10 year guarantees on all their installs. Best of all, you can get a feel for their pricing by getting a free quote. No hard feelings if you don’t proceed.