Today’s question comes from Reece who says, “While researching TV antenna troubleshooting, I’ve seen recommendations for LTE filters. Will adding an LTE filter to my TV antenna before it connects to my Tablo really improve my reception?”
If you’re dealing with over-the-air TV reception problems, you’ve probably seen LTE/5G filters recommended as a potential fix. While these affordable devices can help when cellular interference is the cause, they’re not a magic bullet for all antenna TV signal issues.
What LTE/5G Filters Actually Do
Nearby cell towers can create interference that will disrupt antenna TV.
Just like screens on your windows allow fresh air to pass through but block mosquitoes, LTE and 5G filters work to block the unwanted frequency range of cellular signals while allowing the adjacent TV broadcast signals to reach your television or Tablo’s tuner.
Filtering out the undesirable frequencies can improve reception.
What Filters Won’t Do
Before you hit ‘add to cart’ on a filter, it’s important to understand they only address one specific type of interference.
Filters won’t help with:
- Weak signals due to distance from broadcast towers
- Multipath interference caused by buildings or aircraft
- Other interference sources like power lines or microwaves
- Poor antenna positioning
- Weather-related reception variations
If your reception problems stem from any of these causes, an LTE filter will be a waste of money. In fact, the small amount of signal loss caused by adding an antenna accessory could make your problems worse.
Signs Cellular Interference Is Affecting Your TV Antenna Setup
An LTE/5G filter is most likely to help if you’re experiencing:
- Intermittent pixelation across multiple channels despite a strong signal strength during a recent channel scan
- Reception quality that varies throughout the day
- Problems that coincided with new cell towers in your area
But even with these symptoms, cellular interference isn’t guaranteed to be the culprit.
Before buying a filter, make sure your symptoms suggest cellular interference. If your antenna TV signals are consistently weak, or issues happen only when a plane passes overhead or a car drives by, other antenna setup improvements are likely a better solution.
Shopping for an LTE/5G Filter
A variety of LTE/5G filter options are available from major online retailers for as little as $15-30.
Look for filters that specify a 5-608 MHz or 5-695 MHz pass band to ensure they don’t block legitimate TV signals. Higher quality, name brand filters typically provide lower signal loss, better shielding to prevent external interference and sharper filtering especially at the edges of the frequency bands when compared to budget options.
Installation and Testing
Installing an LTE/5G filter is straightforward. Simply connect one end to your TV antenna’s coaxial cable and the other end to your Tablo’s coaxial port. If you don’t notice better reception within a day or two of installation, your issue likely isn’t cellular interference.
Have a question about watching TV that you’d like answered? Send us a note and you may see your question on the Tablo blog and in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, Stay Tuned!
