Antenna - TV Setup

How to Set Up Your Antenna

Hooking up an indoor antenna like the AmazonBasics or the Mohu Leaf antenna to your TV is pretty easy. Simply screw the antenna's coax cable into the "ANTENNA/CABLE IN" plug at the back of your TV, as shown here:

If you have a powered antenna, you'll have to plug it into the wall for power. Now that you have the antenna hooked up to your TV, it's time to start scanning for the channels. 

Scanning for Channels on Your TV 

Now it's time to turn your TV on and go into the settings menu. 

Find the option where you can select between cable and antenna input and select "antenna". Here is an example on my Emerson TV:

Once you have found and clicked on the option, your TV will start scanning for available channels. The TV may say that it can take up to an hour to complete the scan but it is usually a lot less. My complete scan for Free Channels took no more than 15 minutes. The newer the TV, the faster the processor works.

Once your TV has completed the scan, you are ready to watch FREE Cable TV. Congratulations, you have Officially Trashed Your Cable.

Tweaking Your Antenna For Better Reception

Once you hook up your antenna, it will require a little bit of moving around to get the best reception out of your antenna. There can be a big difference in the number of channels you get depending on antennas location, height, strength and whether it is indoors or outdoors. Changing the antenna angle by a few degrees or even move it in a completely different area could change reception drastically for a particular channel.

If you are using an indoor antenna, I suggest placing it near a window, then start scanning for channels. Make sure you write down the channels you get, move your antenna, and scan again to see if there is any additional channels that was missed in the last scan.

If you are not getting ten or twenty channels, you probably live too far from the transmitters or there is something blocking the signals, like  trees or a mountain. Go to the Antenna Section to find out more about stronger antennas. If you don't have access to your roof (i.e., you live in an apartment), I would suggest using the AmazonBasics Ultra-Thin Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna - 50 Mile Range. It can easily be placed on a window and does not require any screws or nails.