What to do if digital television channels do not show and why this happens

The quality and convenience of broadcasting digital channels can be spoiled by equipment failure. Do not rush to call the master and give money. Sometimes the problem is solved without specialists.

What are the problems that affect the display of digital channels

The list of emerging problems includes frequently occurring failures that every second user encounters. Digital broadcasting and reception equipment is designed for a wide audience, so atypical breakdowns are excluded. But, there are times when:

• search in automatic mode did not find a single channel;
• not everything that is broadcast in your region was found;
• channels have duplicates;
• the set- top box is connected, but the menu does not appear on the screen after pressing the corresponding key on the remote control;
• the set-top box menu is on the screen, but when you start the setup, the message “No signal” appears;
• there is no signal, and none of the programs shows;
• autosearch did not find anything, the message on the screen: “No services”;
• the image freezes on one frame, falls apart into cubes, the sound “stutters”;
• fuzzy picture, poor sound quality, or none;
• black and white image on a color TV screen.

Why don’t they show digital channels?

Failure, when the equipment does not receive and does not decode a digital signal, has several causes. There are certain indications that a repair, replacement of equipment, or verification of correct connection and adjustment is required.

In search of the cause, go from simple to complex. Failure is sometimes detected easily, and it does not require much time and knowledge to eliminate it. If you have lost the image, or the channels are not being tuned, first of all, ask if your neighbors, relatives or acquaintances living in your region have a broadcast.

Antenna failure

Antenna failure
is rare. The reasons for this are mechanical damage, the impact of climatic conditions (lightning, moisture, strong wind), if it is external. Or failure of the signal amplifier, if any.

Problems with cables and connection

If the equipment is connected incorrectly, the following errors are typical:

• the wrong socket was used to connect the plug;
• the external set-top box is not connected correctly;
• The equipment is not connected to the mains, and the power indicators on the set-top box or TV do not light up.

Hardware problems

To receive a digital signal, an antenna and an external or built-in tuner are required. Typical failures of all equipment are possible:

• console malfunction ;
• low-quality receiver firmware , outdated version of signal decoding software, firmware was not completed correctly or not completed;
• problems with signal reception , – inaccurate direction of the antenna to the repeater tower, interference in the signal path (buildings, tree crowns, hills);
• resetting settings, outdated hardware firmware (found on LG TVs);
• repair work, emergency or planned  termination of broadcasting by digital television operators for restoration or scheduled work.

Problems with signal reception

The decimeter frequency range on which digital broadcasting is carried out is demanding on the direction of antenna reception to the repeater tower. Any interference in its path causes a loss in the quality of the received signal. These include the following:

• Bad weather . Rain, thunder, snowfall, fog create a background and interfere with the signal broadcast from the tower.
• Physical barriers (interference) in the direction of the signal.
• Reception of a signal from two or more adjacent repeater towers .

Digital channels do not show, due to the fact that there is no DVB T2 signal – what to do: https://youtu.be/iZn_YUFZTtw

What to do if there are no channels for one reason or another

Before contacting the service, make sure that the breakdown cannot be fixed on your own. Contact the experts when all attempts to cope on their own have failed.

Checking equipment, settings and connections

Make sure that one of the simplest errors has not occurred:

1. The set-top box or TV is not included in the power supply . When turned on, the green indicator should be lit. Check if appliances are plugged in.
2. The connection of the cable from the antenna is made to the output plug . The cable is connected to the input. It is signed in Latin letters INPUT or IN.
3. On some TV models, the colors of the RCA cable plugs differ from the colors of the jacks in the set-top box . Instead of a yellow connector, a green one is used, surrounded by a yellow canvas. Old TVs do not have a red cable connector, which means that it plays mono sound. Its connection is not required, but the rest must be connected correctly.
4. If the antenna does not receive the UHF signal, replace it to check .
5. Switch the signal source on the TV . Press the “SOURCE” button on the TV remote control. On some models, this is the video input button – a circle with an arrow inside or one of the options: “AV”, “AV / TV”, “INPUT”. Different TV models from different manufacturers may have multiple video sources. Select them one by one until the digital tuner menu table appears.
6. Turn on the PAL or SECAM color system .
7. Make sure the firmware complies with the broadcasting standard . Button “Menu” on the set-top box, then “Installation” or “Settings” depending on the model of the set-top box and its manufacturer. In Russia they broadcast in DVB-T2 format. In case the standard is different, switch it.
8. Reflash the equipment by connecting it to a PC and first downloading the new firmware version on the equipment manufacturers website. Service centers provide this service in case of difficulty.
9. Purchase equipment that conforms to the broadcast standard .

Checking the quality of reception and the presence of a signal of on-air broadcast channels

Not only the quality of the image on the TV, but also the initial channel setting depends on the presence of the broadcast and the conditions for its reception. The discovery of the problem is decisive for further action. Do the following:

1. Check the strength of the received signal . By pressing the “INFO” button on the remote control of the set-top box (2-3 times, depending on the model of the set-top box), exit to the signal information menu. It differs on TV brands from different manufacturers, but it always has a level scale. You can see the same picture by running “Manual Search”.
2. Check on the Map of interactive broadcasting information about the broadcasting mode of broadcasting operators . If broadcasting is temporarily stopped, transfer the tuning and channel search to the time of stable operation.
3. Adjust the antenna in the direction of the repeater tower . An indicator of the correct setting is the increased signal strength scale. If the setting did not help, you need to change the installation location of the antenna or to equip it with an amplifier.
4. Conduct a manual search for channels according to the broadcast parameters from the towers in your area . Data can be obtained by selecting your region on the Map of interactive television.
5. Inspect the cable coming from the antenna visually for creases, damage . Measure the insulation resistance with an ohmmeter. Between the center conductor and the braid, the value is close to infinity, on the center conductor and the braid at both ends it is close to zero, if such a measurement is available.
6. Change the cable coming from the antenna to a new one . The resistance of a suitable cable is 75 ohms.

Digital television channels, there is no signal, and the picture crumbles – causes and their elimination: https://youtu.be/4fRdee5g6xs

Autotune

Digital television channels are tuned automatically. The sequence of actions on different equipment is slightly different in the names of menu items, or there is only an English version of them. To start an automatic search:

1. Press the “Menu” or “Menu” button on the remote control of the set-top box.
2. In the list that appears on the screen, select the “Search for channels” item with the arrows on the remote control, press “OK”.
3. Start the “Auto channel search” function using the “OK” button.
4. Wait for the setup to finish when the program exits the channel search mode and starts broadcasting.

On the territory of Russia, 20 channels are available free of charge (in Moscow – 30). Broadcasting is provided by two operators. If you have more channels as a result of the setup, it means that a signal from the repeaters of the neighboring region is available in your region. There are duplicates in the list of broadcast programs.

If instead of 20, the set-top box found 10 channels, then the broadcast of one operator was temporarily stopped. You need to set up later.

Tuning on TVs with built-in tuners is similar if the equipment is designed to receive DVB-T2 digital television. To configure, follow these steps:

1. Press the “Menu” or “Menu” button.
2. Select “Channels” using the arrows on the remote, then “Auto Tuning” or “Auto Search”.
3. In the window that appears, select “Cable” to select the source.
4. In the next menu, select the signal type “Digital”.
5. Then the search type is “Full”.
6. Some models require you to fill in search data. They are filled using the keys on the remote control. Transfer rate – 6875 kS/s, modulation – 256 QAM.
7. Press the “OK” button to activate “Start” or “Search”.
8. Wait for the channel search to finish until one of the broadcast channels starts.

Manual search

Search in this mode is necessary if the channels in the auto search are duplicated. Tuning should only be done for the relay station in your area when the strongest and most stable signal is received.
For information about repeaters in your area, use the
Digital TV Interactive Map , find the service for your area. The following step-by-step setup is a typical example:

1. On the remote control of the tuner (digital set-top box), press the “Menu” or “Menu” button.
2. In the menu that opens, select “Search for channels”, press the “OK” button.
3. Next, activate “Manual Search”.
4. Fill in or select from the proposed list the data for your region obtained from the map.
5. Use the arrows to navigate to the “Search” item, start the process.
6. Wait for completion.

Digital television is a new generation of receiving and transmitting information. With the high quality of the resulting image and sound, malfunctions and equipment failures are rare. Often the problem lies in the little things, and it should be looked for on the surface, without delving into complex processes.