What to do if digital TV channels are not shown 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 the money. Sometimes the problem is solved without specialists.

What are the problems that affect the display of digital channels

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

• automatic search did not find any channel;
• not everything that is broadcast in your region was found;
• channels have doubles;
• 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 the setup starts, the message “No signal” appears;
• there is no signal, and none of the programs is shown;
• autosearch did not find anything, on the screen the message: “No services”;
• the image freezes in one frame, falls apart into cubes, the sound “stutters”;
• the picture is not clear, the sound quality is poor, or not;
• a black and white image on a color TV screen.

Why aren’t digital channels showing?

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

In your search for a reason, go from simple to complex. Failure is sometimes easily detected and does not take much time and knowledge to fix. 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 malfunction

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

Problems with cables and connections

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

• the wrong socket is used to connect the plug;
• external set-top box is incorrectly connected;
• the equipment is not connected to the network, and the power indicators on the set-top box or TV are off.

Hardware problems

An antenna and an external or built-in tuner are required for digital reception. Typical failures of all equipment are possible:

• malfunction of the console ;
• poor-quality receiver firmware , outdated version of the software for signal decoding, the firmware was carried out incorrectly or incomplete;
• problems with signal reception , – inaccurate direction of the antenna to the repeater tower, interference in the signal path (buildings, tree crowns, terrain hills);
• factory reset, outdated hardware firmware (found on LG TVs);
• repair work, emergency or planned  cessation of broadcasting by digital television operators to carry out restoration or planned work.

Receiving problems

The decimeter frequency range in which digital broadcasting is carried out is demanding on the direction of the antenna’s 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, thunderstorm, snowfall, fog create background and interfere with the signal broadcast from the tower.
• Physical obstacles (interference) in the direction of the signal.
• Receiving a signal from two or more repeater towers located nearby .

Digital channels are not shown, 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 damage cannot be repaired on your own. Contact the specialists when all attempts to cope on your own have not been successful.

Checking hardware, settings and connections

Make sure one of the simplest errors hasn’t occurred:

1. The set-top box or TV is not plugged in . When turned on, the green indicator should be on. Check if the appliances are plugged in.
2. The cable from the antenna is connected to the output plug . The cable is connected to the input. It is signed with the Latin letters INPUT or IN.
3. On some TV models, the colors of the RCA cable plugs differ from the colors of the jacks on the set-top box . Instead of a yellow connector, a green one is used, surrounded by a yellow outline. Older TVs do not have a connector for a red cable, which means that it reproduces mono sound. Its connection is not required, but the rest should connect correctly.
4. If the antenna does not receive the decimeter signal, replace it to check .
5. Switch the TV source . Press the “SOURCE” button on the TV remote control. On some models, this is a video input button – a circle with an arrow pointing inward 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 broadcast standard . Button “Menu” on the STB, then “Installation” or “Setup” depending on the STB model and its manufacturer. In Russia, they broadcast in DVB-T2 format. In case the standard is different, switch it over.
8. Reflash the equipment by connecting it to a PC and first downloading the new firmware version on the equipment manufacturers website. In case of difficulties, this service is provided by service centers.
9. Purchase equipment that meets the broadcast standard .

Checking the quality of reception and the presence of a signal of broadcast channels

Not only the image quality on the TV, but also the initial channel setup depends on the availability of broadcasting and the conditions for its reception. Finding a problem is crucial for further action. Do the following:

1. Check the received signal strength . Press the “INFO” button on the console (2-3 times, depending on the console model) to enter the signal information menu. It differs on brands of TVs from different manufacturers, but it necessarily has a level scale. You can see the same picture by running “Manual search”.
2. Check the information on the broadcasting mode of the broadcasting operators on the Interactive Broadcasting Map . If broadcasting is temporarily stopped, move the tuning and channel search for the period of stable operation.
3. Adjust the antenna in the direction of the repeater tower . An increased signal strength scale is an indication of correct tuning. If the tuning did not help, you need to change the installation site of the antenna or add an amplifier.
4. Conduct a manual channel search based on the parameters of broadcasting from towers in your region . The data can be obtained by selecting your region on the Interactive TV Map.
5. Visually inspect the cable coming from the antenna for kinks, damage . Measure the insulation resistance with an ohmmeter. Between the center core and the braid, the value is close to infinity, on the center core and the braid at both ends, it is close to zero, if such a measurement is available.
6. Change the cable from the antenna to a new one . The resistance of a suitable cable is 75 ohms.

Digital TV channels, no signal, and the picture crumbles – reasons and their elimination: https://youtu.be/4fRdee5g6xs

Auto tuning

Tuning of digital television channels is carried out automatically. The sequence of actions on different equipment is slightly different in the names of the menu items, or there is only an English version. To start an automatic search:

1. Press the “Menu” or “Menu” button on the STB remote control.
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 by pressing the “OK” button.
4. Wait until the end of the setup, 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). The broadcast is provided by two operators. If you have more channels as a result of tuning, it means that a signal from 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 is temporarily stopped. Set up later.

Setting up on TVs with built-in tuners is performed in the same way if the equipment is designed to receive digital television of the DVB-T2 standard. Follow these steps to configure:

1. Press the “Menu” or “Menu” button.
2. Select “Channels” using the arrows on the remote control, then “Auto tuning” or “Auto search”.
3. In the window that appears, select “Cable” to select a 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 the search data. They are filled in using the keys on the remote control. Transfer rate – 6875 kS / s, modulation – 256 QAM.
7. Use the “Ok” button to activate “Start” or “Search”.
8. Wait until the end of the channel search until one of the broadcast channels starts.

Manual search

Search in this mode is necessary if the channels in autosearch were duplicated. Tuning should only be done for the repeater station in your area when the strongest and most stable signal is received.
For repeaters in your area, use the
Interactive Digital TV Map , find a 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. Then activate “Manual search”.
4. Fill in or select from the proposed list the data for your region, obtained from the card.
5. Use the arrows to navigate to the “Search” item, start the process.
6. Wait for completion.

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