In the days before cable and satellite television, we used antennas to tune in, just like with a radio. In fact, many of us still use antennas. This transmission method was falling out of favor until recent years, when local stations began broadcasting digital signals. Some of these signals were "high-definition," meaning that they could take up a lot of screen space with a sharp, colorful image. If you had a high-definition television (HDTV), you could take full advantage of HD signals.
A Little Background
Analog broadcasts were discontinued in June 2009. This transition was controversial, since people with analog TVs needed to purchase a converter box to see digital broadcasts (unless they had cable or satellite TV, in which case the transition was seamless). As a result, the federal government produced millions of vouchers that could be used for substantial discounts on digital broadcast converters.
UHF and VHF
For the most part, digital TV is broadcast at a higher frequency than analog TV. It uses more of the UHF band, while analog TV uses more of the VHF band. If your current antenna can receive both UHF and VHF signals, you are probably fine. Either way, if you have an analog TV, you will plug your antenna into the converter box, instead of your TV.
Receiving Digital Signals
While digital broadcast TV can offer a much sharper image (sometimes even with surround sound), it has a tendency to either work flawlessly or not work at all. There isn't a smooth gradient of quality like you get with analog, where the picture just gets fuzzier and fuzzier until the signal is lost.
It's much more important with a digital signal for the antenna to be within sight of a broadcast tower. While an analog transmission can be received through a hill, a digital antenna would have to be on top of the hill to "see" the broadcast tower on the other side.
Discovering Your Digital Broadcast Spectrum
For an idea of which channels you should be able to receive and what power antenna you require, see Resources.for the link to antennaweb.org. You'll be asked to enter your ZIP code, Click the "Submit" button near the bottom, and you will be taken to an overhead map of your neighborhood. You can click around on this map until you reach your home, then click the "Continue" button to get a list of digital channels you should be able to receive.
Scanning for New Channels
Be sure to scan periodically for additional channels. Refer to your TV or converter box documentation for details on that procedure. Unlike analog TV, new digital channels will not be available to you until you scan for them.
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