Do digital tvs need an aerial or digital antenna?

Does a digital TV need an aerial? Digital technology has taken over our television sets. Moving us away from analog, it provides crisper, cleaner TV viewing. Many people have also turned to satellite, internet or cable options in order to get content and enjoy the myriad options digital TV provides.

Often, however, services are expensive, and you end up paying for a large amount of channels you may never use. For those who don’t really care about premium cable or streaming subscriptions and want to cut costs, it’s possible to return to simpler times and have a digital TV that only shows the free local channels.

Analog TV vs digital TV: What’s the difference?

Around 2009, all major broadcast stations switched from analog to digital. Digital signals provide clearer pictures than their analog counterparts and better sound as well. The switch enabled the use of “multicasting”, which allows stations to broadcast multiple channels simultaneously. The result is more local channels for consumers. Even consumers that own a digital TV and pay for satellite or cable continue to receive local channels.

Broadcasters of digital TV typically use two types of signals: Very High Frequency (VHF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF).

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Do digital TVs still need an antenna?

You may be asking yourself, “Do digital TVs need an antenna?”. If you already receive local channels via a cable or satellite service, you do not need to add an digital TV antenna. However, digital TV owners can benefit from having a digital antenna. If you choose not to have cable or satellite services, you can still get your local stations with the help of an installed antenna. A digital antenna is useful as it will help boost the signal, allowing the station’s signals to more clearly broadcast on your TV, especially if you are at the edges of the station’s range.

The main reason to update your digital TV antenna

One of the main reasons why you might need to change your antenna or TV aerial is that it doesn’t receive the right channel frequency. For example, analog signal is usually sent in the VHF band range, while digital signal is sent in the UHF band range. If your television antenna was designed to receive VHF signals, then you probably need to replace the antenna. Note that this is not about the actual type of signal, however, but in fact the frequency. Most antennae are built to receive a broad range of frequencies, which allows them to pick up signals across both bands.

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The shape of your digital TV antenna matters

Different digital antenna shapes are optimised for picking up specific frequency bands, such as HF, VHF and UHF. This is why some antennae are called “digital”. Even though there’s really no difference between digital and analog aerials, a particular antenna may be optimised for the frequencies that digital TV is broadcast on. The shape may also determine the direction from which the digital antenna can detect signals.

Digital TVs mean I only need internet to watch, right?

You can watch TV via the internet in a variety of ways. The internet has paid cable alternatives as well as free streaming content. If you do not have the internet, you can also watch local TV if you have or install an antenna to pick up the local signals. When streaming internet content via your digital TV, ensure your speeds are fast enough so the quality of the content is maintained.

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Unsure what digital antenna you need? Ask the experts

If you’re unsure whether the antenna you have is suitable for digital TV for whatever reason, ask for help. Contact a digital TV specialist or an antenna installation specialist and ask for their advice. Largely they should be friendly and able to help you understand if your current antenna is suitable or not. If your case is particularly tricky, they may need to come and take a look at your situation.

Always read labels properly on anything you order and get a professional to carry out the antenna installation. There’s nothing worse than installing it incorrectly and having to do it multiple times.