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Re-activateYesterday, as more than 400 of the nation's full-power TV stations converted to all-digital broadcasting, the Federal Communications Commission says many of the calls it received (Note: Link requires Microsoft Word or other compatible word processor) on its 1-888-CALLFCC (1-888-225-5322) help line involved the need to scan or rescan for channels after stations made the switch from analog to digital. The topic also came up a lot in blog comments on how DTV's big day went, on sites including The Consumerist.
Such rescanning should be among the first steps to getting over-the-air television signals through a new DTV converter box, or via a built-in tuner in the TV itself.
After connecting the antenna to the digital TV set or the DTV converter box (and the DTV box to your old analog TV), you need to scan for digital TV channels (usually in the converter box's setup menu) and see what comes in. If a specific station doesn't come in, reorient the antenna and run another channel scan, or enter the channel number (if the box allows that). Adjust the antenna in various directions or move it closer to a window, which might require a long cable. Use the signal-strength meter (many DTV boxes have one) to adjust the antenna to the optimal position. You might have to tweak the antenna each time you tune in a station with marginal signal strength.
Still no luck? Try an amplified antenna or a signal booster. Last resort: a rooftop antenna. In our tests, we use a standard residential rooftop antenna we've had for years, not a special "digital" or "HD" model. In general, the website AntennaWeb.org notes, bigger is better, higher is better, and closer (facing the transmitter) is better. The site recommends the type of antenna you'll need, based on distance from the transmitter and details you provide on obstructions and dwelling type.
For much more information on the digital television transition, including free DTV converter box Ratings and advice on buying a DTV box go to Consumer Reports' Guide to the Digital TV Transition.
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