Did you know you can get all your local channels on a smart TV without spending money on any monthly subscriptions? With over-the-air TV (OTA), you can catch all your favorite live shows, sports and events — for free! While smart TV manufacturers spend a lot of time showcasing their screen resolution, they often neglect to highlight the built-in features that make OTA reception a breeze. Show
If you’ve been wondering how to get local channels on a smart TV, you’ll either need to purchase a high-definition digital TV antenna or download a free app or two from your TV’s app store. Using an antenna only has a one-time cost and doesn’t even require an internet connection. While smart TVs typically come with built-in antennas, they are used for Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity — not for picking up free-to-air channels. You can always try using a less sophisticated analog antenna, but there’s a good chance you’ll experience signal problems. How To Get Local Channels On A Smart TV With Free AppsIf you have a strong internet connection and prefer watching TV that way these days, you might be surprised to know that there are apps that allow you to tune in to your local networks for free. Depending on what media market you live in, your local broadcasters will likely each offer dedicated apps for their station. Open your smart TV’s app store and run a search for the city where your local channels operate and you should get a list of apps from various channels that will allow you to watch their broadcast feed live online. If you’re only interested in catching the local news, you can also download the NewsOn app to watch live and recorded broadcasts from your local networks on your smart TV. How To Get Local Channels On A Smart TV With An OTA AntennaIf you’re interested in trying OTA TV as a way to get local channels on your smart TV, you’ll find that it’s pretty easy to get started. Use our handy tool to find out which type of antenna might grant you the best results. Getting started with watching free, over-the-air TV using an antenna is fairly simple. In most cases, you can take the antenna out of the box, connect the cable to your TV, run a channel scan, adjust the antenna for optimum reception and you’re good to go! But other times you might need to do a little more finagling with the antenna’s precise location to optimize its performance. To make sure you’re getting the most channels for free, it’s a good idea to run a rescan on your TV every three to four months. Here’s a look at some of the equipment that can help you get started with free OTA TV viewing, including ways to record the shows and watch them whenever you please. If you live in an urban area or nearby suburb:Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse Amplified TV Antenna $49.99 from Amazon This highly-rated indoor antenna is designed to receive frequencies 50+ miles away from broadcast towers. It easily grips smooth surfaces like walls or windows for optimal placement to pick up as many channels as possible. Recommended antenna if you live in a far suburb or rural area:Antennas Direct ClearStream 4V TV Antenna $130.20 from Amazon This powerful antenna has a range of 70+ miles and can be installed inside, outside or in the attic. It has UHF and VHF multi-directional elements designed to deliver reception in remote areas. Pair your antenna with an OTA DVR to record your favorite shows:You can record, pause, rewind and fast forward with an OTA DVR device. Here are the products we recommend:
If you have an external hard drive sitting at home collecting dust, consider these options as cheaper alternatives. Simply connect your antenna and portable hard drive to these Tablo DVR devices and you’re ready to go.
If you need to purchase a portable hard drive, we recommend USB-connected portable hard drives (USB 2.0 or 3.0, 1 TB to 8 TB in size). These are the ones we recommend: WD 1TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive and the WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive. Now that you know how to get local channels on a smart TV, are you interested in trying it for yourself? The monthly savings could really add up! Can you watch regular antenna TV on a smart TV?If you've been wondering how to get local channels on a smart TV, you'll either need to purchase a high-definition digital TV antenna or download a free app or two from your TV's app store. Using an antenna only has a one-time cost and doesn't even require an internet connection.
How do I connect my antenna to my Samsung Smart TV?Connecting An TV Antenna to your Samsung TV. Locate the F-type connector on your Samsung TV's backside.. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the connector.. Place your Antenna. Place it in an open area if it's an outdoor antenna. ... . Connect the other end of the cord to the antenna.. Why won t my Samsung TV pick up antenna channels?If your Samsung TV is not getting all channels you wil need to go to the source menu and select 'TV' > then connect your antenna to the RF connector on the back of the TV and select 'Chanel Scan' > select either 'Air, Cable, or Both' and scan for all available channels that have a reliable signal.
How do I scan for antenna channels on my smart TV?To start, on your TV remote, select “Menu” and then “Settings.” Next, select “Channel Setup” and select “Antenna” or “Air,” depending on your TV. Make sure you are not on “Cable.” Select “Channel Search” or “Channel Scan.” Keep in mind that steps to perform a channel scan may vary.
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