7 ways to improve Television Reception
Poor reception of the television causes bad image quality, when you are in an area with difficult reception (distance from the transmitter, trees, reliefs and other disturbances etc) it is possible that you may not get some channels. It will, therefore, be necessary to optimize the quality of the signal to receive all the channels of the DTT or TNT HD.
1. Choosing your antenna
The choice of the antenna is obviously a decisive element. Not all antennas are equal in reception quality; some models are more suitable for difficult environments. Difficult receptions will favor UHF antennas of high-gain quality. They are expressed in decibels (dB) on the antenna plugs or boxes. If it is an external antenna, it will be installed on the roof, at the end of a mast. We can also evoke the height of the antenna with respect to the roof according to the proximity of the obstacles. Although both DTT and satellite channels can be received using a parabola and a specific decoder, to get the best satellite TV experience, you will need to add a long metal tube to the base of the parabola to improve reception.
2. The coaxial cable
The quality and type of the coaxial cable that carries the signal from the antenna to the outlet of the house is also critical, particularly when the path to be covered is long or subject to disturbances. The quality of the cables is expressed in VATC, which indicates a level of signal loss. Use a 17 VATC cable with double or triple shielding to avoid possible interference.
3. Check the antenna cables of the devices
The antenna cables delivered automatically with the devices are not necessarily the best and may cause a loss of signal. A simple test by interchanging the cables of several devices can sometimes help to detect a weak cable. Some cables are equipped with anti-interference ferrites to reduce noise on the line. Similarly, extensions that are too long, male-female adapters are small losses that end-to-end reduce signal quality. The shorter and more direct the path, the better.
5. Use a matt amp or DVB-T preamplifier
You already have a high-gain antenna but the signal is still too weak? The solution to your problem may be found in setting up a “preamplifier” or “mat amplifier”. Not to be confused with a simple amplifier, the mat preamp comes closest to the antenna. It is usually powered by the coaxial cable.
6. Using a signal amplifier
Unlike the preamplifier, the simple TNT amplifier amplifies the reception of the current signal or at the end of the stroke. It will serve to compensate for loss due to signal distribution and cable length. On the other hand, if the quality of the signal is not good, an amplifier could also amplify the defects by degrading the signal. It amplifies the level of the signal and not its quality, unlike the mast amp.
7. Successful Antenna Pointing
Many DVB-T decoders, TV sets or equipment equipped with TNT tuners, have a function that allows you to check the quality and the level of the received signal. Ideally, it appears as a percentage for these two criteria, in the form of a graph or error rate. This makes it possible to guide the pointing of the antenna. In the menu of the device, you will have to look for the options generally accessible under the heading “Installation” then “Level or verification of the signal” or “Measure reception” etc. In addition to a horizontal pointing, a very slight vertical orientation could optimize reception in the event of a close obstacle.
