Digital TV converter box reception problems

March 3, 10:24 PMNews You Can Use ExaminerMary Schwager

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Are you having problems getting reception after you hooked up your digital converter box?

Most television stations across the country are broadcasting using both analog and digital signals. So if you hooked up your rabbit ear or rooftop antenna TV to a new digital converter box, you can actually tell now before the big switch on June 12, 2009, what kind of reception you are going to get.                                                         

Many viewers are having problems and getting hit with the bad news: they may have dish out more cash to buy a more powerful antenna. Factors like where you live, what kind of terrain surrounds your house and even what your house is made of can cause reception problems. With digital TV signals, it's all or nothing! There's no snowy or grainy picture, where you can kind of see and hear what's on a certain channel.  If the reception stinks, there's no picture at all.                               

The Department of Commerce's website, DTV.gov which deals with DTV problems offers some simple suggestions to get your set up and running:

Small adjustments to your antenna can make a big difference in the number of digital channels you can receive. If you have an indoor antenna, try elevating it and moving it closer to an exterior wall of your home. After adjusting your antenna, perform another channel scan to see if your reception is improved.

While adjusting your antenna, it may be helpful to access the “signal strength meter” on your digital-to-analog converter box or digital television to determine whether your adjustments are improving the signals’ strength. The signal strength meter is usually accessed through the menu feature on your remote control. Refer to the owner’s manual of your device for detailed instructions on how to access its signal strength meter. Remember to do another channel scan after you have adjusted your antenna.

Television stations broadcasting in digital use both the VHF band (channels 2-13) and UHF band (channels 14-51). Many indoor antennas use “rabbit ears” for the VHF band and a “loop” or “bow-tie” antenna for the UHF band. Make sure you are using an antenna that covers both the VHF and UHF bands and have connected it properly.

But if the simple fixes don't do it, you may need to do some more tinkering and possibly spend more money to get reception. This troubleshooting website helps guide you through what to do.

For more information on the ongoing digital delay getting converter box coupons, click here.