Today’s question comes from Brandon, who asks, “I live 200 yards away from our local broadcast towers. I expected not to have any problems, but no matter what I’ve tried, I can’t get a reliable signal on any channel. What should I do?”
While it’s often easier to pick up free over-the-air (OTA) TV signals closer to your local broadcast towers, reception can be tricky if you live too close.
Television signals are broadcast in a narrow pattern to ensure the longest possible reach. If you live directly under the tower, those signals can pass right over your TV antenna.
Moving your TV antenna higher up – on the roof or even its own tower – could potentially help. But then you could face a different problem: a signal that is too strong.
Very strong over-the-air TV signals can overpower the tuners in your television or your Tablo, causing reception problems or even keep you from receiving some channels.
Folks who live less than 10 miles from their local towers should:
- Use a small indoor TV antenna when possible.
- Avoid any amplification of the OTA signal, whether from an external device or an antenna with a built-in amplifier.
- Disable Tablo’s in-line amplifier.
- Consider using a low-cost attenuator to further reduce incoming signal strength if needed.
If you’re struggling with TV reception issues, visit tablotv.com/reception for additional troubleshooting advice.
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!
