How do I receive Digital Television over the air?

Question

Hello. I just purchased a Sony Bravia as my first flat-screen digital television. I have never owned a digital television before, just ancient CRT types.

I do not have cable and receive my programming via set top rabbit ears. When I turned on the television it scanned for channels, and it mainly found analog channels. The only digital channel was My TV. I like the superior sound and picture quality of digital broadcasts, but I would really like to know know to pick up the major networks in digital.

I live in Sarasota Florida, by the way, so if anyone knows what the channel numbers for the major stations in digital are, that would be very helpful. the one digital station I found was 46.1

Thank you very much!

Answer 1

40 miles @   31 deg (magnetic)

ABC     28.1     (real channel 29)

FOX     13.1      (real channel 12)

NBC      8.1       (real channel 7)

CW      44.1      (real channel 59)

--------------------------------------...

60 miles   @    132 (magnetic)

NBC    20.1       (real channel 15)

-----      41.6       (real channel 45)

ABC    21.6       (real 41)

Fox     36.1        (real 35)

------------------------------------

61 miles  @     343 deg (magnetic)

CBS    10.1      (real 24)

Unlike analog TV channels, digital channel numbers are like names and do not correspond to the actual frequencies used. If a DTV doesn't find a channel by scanning, you have to try adding "real" channel numbers. Once the DTV locks on to a station, it should remember the digital designation.

40-60 miles is pretty far for a indoor antenna. What kind of antenna would you need to get good analog reception?

Digital and analog broadcasts use the same antennas, but digital reception can be fussy about signal quality.

Answer 2

You may also want to look at antennaweb.org

You input your address and it tells you the broadcasters in your area and also what type of antenna you will need.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.asp...