The FCC had TV networks pull the plug on analog TV transmission but it seems that not everyone is prepared to make the switch. The office took in 700,000 calls from people who weren’t prepared for the switch including those inquiring about the $40 coupon to get one of those converter boxes.
If you’re with the ones who turned on the tube and see nothing but static, then that means you weren’t prepared. Digital TV (DTV) signals aren’t transmitted to those old rabbit ear antennae of analog TV. Here’s a quick guide to have your boob tube receive the new signal.
- Buy a digital TV converter box. These can be had online or through stores with on-the-average prices at $50 (meaning you have to still shell out a few bucks to get one if you have the coupon).
- With the kit, you get a converter box, a coaxial cable (with both ends with connectors similar to the connector of your antenna that plugs in to your TV), and a new remote to operate the converter box. Still, nothing replaces reading the manual if you want more details on a particular converter box.
- Make sure your TV and converter box are unplugged from electrical sockets. It’s dangerous to poke around equipment (especially your TV) with them plugged in.
- Don’t throw away your TV’s antenna since you still need this. First, connect your existing antenna to the back of your converter box. There’s a label so just look for it.
- Next, connect the coaxial cable from back the converter box (usually says “TV OUT”) to the back of your TV (that usually says “TV IN” or that socket where you used to connect the antenna.)
- Plug in both the TV and converter box and power them on.
- Hit either channel 3 or channel 4 on your TV. You should see the converter box interface.
- Access menu from the converter box remote and look for a scan option. Enabling scan will have the box automatically scan and program for the existing channels that it can receive.
- If you have garbled signals, you might have to tweak your antenna or buy a more expensive amplified antenna to boost the signals.
