Are you tired of paying for the internet just to watch TV programs on your smart TV? We’ve got a solution where you can watch free TV programs using an antenna. With the antenna, you don’t need to connect your TV to the internet to capture the free local channels. Stay tuned to find out how to connect your antenna to Samsung TV.
Local TV channels broadcast their programs and shows via radio signals over the air (OTA). It would be best if you got an antenna (get a decent antenna of any brand – it will work with any TV) to scan the channels on your Samsung TV.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Connecting your Antenna to Your Samsung TV is the easy part. Installing your antenna, especially if it’s an outdoor antenna is probably the hardest part.
If you’re looking to buy an antenna, going for an outdoor antenna is your best option (in terms of reception). However, not all outdoor antennas are equally good. When buying a TV antenna, pay attention to the frequencies they support (VHF, UHF, or both) and general build quality.
Quality cables are just as important as quality antennas. If possible, go for an RG6 coax cable.
If possible, avoid using splitters. If you have to split your signal to multiple TVs, use powered antenna distribution amplifiers.
To connect your antenna to your Samsung TV, you need to run the coax cable from the antenna all the way to your TV. On the TV, there should be a coax cable input (usually labeled CABLE). You need to install an F-connector on your coax cable and connect it to the coax input on the TV.
To scan for channels, after connecting the antenna to your Samsung TV, select the right source first. On newer Samsung TVs, select Samsung TV Plus (or just TV on older models). Go to Settings > Broadcasting > Auto Program > Start > Air.
About Your Antenna
Coax Cable
Most antennas would come with a coax cable to connect to your TV. Please also check the back of your Samsung TV to see if it has the port to attach the coaxial cable connector (called the F connector).
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Antennas Direct ClearStream 4V
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Channel Master Advantage 100 (CM-3020)
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Antenna Wiring
With a single coax cable, you’re on with the connection to your Samsung TV. But, if you need to connect to multiple TVs, you’re going to get a splitter where you can attach separate wires to it and channel to numerous TVs.
The importance of Using the Right Coax Cable Type (RG59 Vs. RG6)
However, have in mind that each splitter degrades the signal. Using too many will cause poor reception or no reception at all. If you’re looking to connect multiple TVs to the same TV antenna, the best option would be to use a distribution amplifier. They are more complicated to install than regular splitters and require a power source (the splitters are not powered), but they won’t degrade your signal.
Channel Master CM-3412 – TV Antenna Distribution Amplifier
Important Things to Know About Coax Splitters
Where to Place the Antenna
Positioning the antenna in the right place is as important as connecting it to the TV. Naturally, you need to place it close to the TV if the cable is short. Put an indoor antenna in an open space, preferably near the window, for even better reception.
On the other hand, an outdoor antenna is best placed on the rooftop to capture the signal more efficiently.
Installing an Outdoor Antenna for Best OTA Reception – Pro Tips
Follow these steps to get your antenna working:
- Get the coax cable if your antenna doesn’t come with one.
- Plug in the power cord to the antenna and the wall power source.
- Plug in the coax cable to the antenna and connect the other end to your Samsung TV. Make sure you plug into the correct slot (look for ANT IN port or One Connect Box for some models)
- Just like that, your antenna is now ready to use.
Connecting an Antenna to a TV
Using the Antenna to Scan for Free Local Channels
After attaching your antenna to your Samsung smart TV, you will get access to many local channels for free. However, you won’t get them on your TV automatically, though. Your TV needs to scan for the channels with the following procedure:
- Change your TV input by pressing the Source button on your Samsung TV remote. Move the cursor up and press the TV source. Alternatively, hit the Home button in the middle of your TV remote. This time, move the cursor to the far left and select the TV source.
- Next, select the TV’s All Settings option.
- Select Broadcasting when you see one.
- Next, choose an Auto Program to scan and detect channels automatically.
- Press Start to begin scanning for channels.
- The scanning won’t start before you select one of the three scanning types – Air, Cable, or Both.
- Choose Air since we are using the antenna to search for Over the Air channels (OTA).
- Now your TV will start scanning for channels. Don’t forget to click OK when finished.
- Go back to the TV source to watch your favorite shows, movies, news, and entertainment programs available on several free local channels saved on your TV.
How to Scan for OTA Channels on a Samsung TV
Troubleshooting Weak or No Signal
It seems that watching free local TV channels using a relatively cheap antenna is way too easy. However, not everything in the garden is rosy. Sometimes, your antenna would scan nothing at all, or it will barely detect channels.
Improving Your OTA Reception – 10 Pro Tips
If that happens, follow these guides to fix the problems and improve your reception:
- The antenna is turned off – you might have forgotten to plug the antenna into the power source. Or, there might be an On/Off switch on it. Turn it on and see if it works.
- Cable connections – check all the connections and look for loose or broken parts. Replace the cords if they are defective and restart the connection process.
- The TV source is not on – you might have missed the first part of the guide that requires you to change the source to TV. Otherwise, the Broadcasting option is off, and you cannot scan for channels.
- If the antenna doesn’t work at all, you can try connecting another antenna if you have a spare one. If the second antenna works, then your first antenna must be faulty. If the optional antenna also doesn’t work, your TV might be having issues. Before contacting the Samsung TV support service, try to check if the TV software has the latest update. If it’s not, update the TV software first before repeating the antenna connection process.
For advice on how to improve your reception, watch the videos below:
Improving Indoor Antenna Reception
Frequently Asked Question
Question: What are the steps for my Samsung TV to detect my antenna?
Answer: Follow these methods:
- Select the right source.
- Direct the cursor to Settings.
- Choose Broadcasting from the menu and then Auto Program.
- Next, select Air so that your TV can start scanning for OTA channels.
Question: I have hooked up the antenna to my TV, but it cannot pick up any OTA channels. Why is that so?
Answer: There could be various reasons why your antenna cannot pick up channels. But, the most common reason is that the signals lack strength. Your location might not be good enough to pick up the signal due to its distance. In addition, there could be something that blocks the signal. Moreover, the signals can get weak due to frequency distortion or interruption. Finally, you may need to buy a more suitable antenna for your area.
Question: What should I do if my Samsung TV has no signal?
Answer: First of all, is the source set to TV Input? If not, change the input source to TV. Secondly, it could be due to a faulty antenna setup. Check the setting again and repeat the process if necessary.
Conclusion
Without an internet connection, you can still enjoy watching TV programs on local channels via an antenna. In this post, we have a guide on how to connect an antenna to Samsung TV. Sometimes, it may not work, but we’ve got you covered. This guide includes the methods to troubleshoot your antenna if your TV can’t detect any channels.
Once you fix the problem, you can watch free local channels that broadcast over the air (OTA). The best thing is those channels are absolutely free; you don’t even have to connect to the internet to watch your favorite programs and shows.
