Electronics

[Mz iMac]

For those of you who already have an antenna or are contemplating getting one........

FCC Spectrum Repack: Change is Coming to Antenna TV. What is the change?

By law, many local TV stations are moving to new frequencies. If you watch TV for free using an antenna, you must rescan your TV to keep your channels. Any time after a station moves, rescan your TV or convertor box to find all the available channels in your area. Because stations must move at different times, you may need to rescan your TV more than once. No new devices, equipment, or services are needed to rescan.

What is happening?

By law, many TV stations must move frequencies to make room for wireless services. TV stations will be moving at different times through the summer of 2020.

If you watch TV for free with an antenna, rescan your TV or converter box after stations move frequencies to continue receiving your local stations. You do not need to purchase new equipment or services to rescan.

By rescanning your TV or converter box, your TV will find all the TV channels available in your area. If you haven't rescanned your TV recently, you may discover TV channels you didn't know you were missing.

If you pay a monthly fee to subscribe to a television service – such as cable or satellite – you do not need to take action.

This move is happening behind the scenes, so once your rescan is complete you will still find your favorite stations on the same channel numbers as before.

Why are stations moving?

Congress authorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – the agency that governs the public airwaves – to hold an auction to provide more channels for wireless broadband services.

Now that the auction is complete, the FCC is requiring many TV stations to change frequencies.

What should I do?

If you are one of the 72 million Americans who rely on an antenna to watch free, over-the-air television, you'll need to rescan your television set or converter box any time after your local stations move frequencies. Rescanning is when your TV finds all the available channels in your area. You do not need to purchase new equipment or services to rescan. If you are a cable or satellite subscriber, you do not need to take action. Your service provider will do it for you. Because stations are required to move at different times, you may need to rescan more than once. If you haven't rescanned your TV recently, you may discover TV channels that you didn't know you were missing.

How to Rescan Your Antenna TV

• 1. Select Scan or Autotune from your TV or converter box control menu to start the scanning process.
• 2. Your TV will do the rest. This process usually takes a few minutes to complete.

Once your rescan is complete you will still find your favorite stations on the same channel number as before. If you have rescanning difficulties, you can usually find instructions by selecting the Set-Up or Menu button on your television or converter box remote control.

copy/paste link---> antennaweb.org/repack

[Kachina624]

You can get a daily newsletter on the latest antenna news.  However, they about drove me nuts with mail that usually said nothing so I had to cut it off.

[ValuSkr]

Thank you for the update.  I frequently rescan anyway, when stations aren't coming in or reception is poor.  WPVI (6abc Philadelphia) wasn't coming in this morning.

[Bird mama]

Thanks for the heads up @Mz iMac   

[JYWilliams]

My area did this two months ago and we had to rescan.

[Mz iMac]

I thought the article was rather interesting as I plan on cutting the cord (sort of) November of 2020.  That is when my triple play bundle 2 yr contract w/Verizon FIOS ends.

I was researching the 2020 updated HD antenna +130 stations no weather disruptions.  Not sure if I am going the antenna route or reduce my cable "tv" to the custom package which is far cheaper than what I currently have.  I am definetely keeping internet & phone which is FREE.  Never a phone bill as I have a landline.

By using the links mentioned in the article I tested what stations I can get w/the antenna I researched.  Because I live in a high rise & a tri-state, I will be able to get over 130 stations across 3 states.

Lucky for me I can continue my research for the next several months.  I already have a fire stick 2nd gen which is still in its box.  So I am half way there at least.

[deeva]

Thanks for the info. I went to the website and my location isn't affected by the repack.

[Snoopp]

I just rescanned a few months ago when I noticed a channel was missing.  I had to do 3 TVs and they are all different but I managed to figure them out.  Got a few new channels.

[Nuttmeg]

@Mz iMac IMO 

I would recommend looking at the Roku and Apple TV products.

[Moonlady]

The national repack has been going on since November of 2018. We always rescan frequently, and, though we lost some channels, we also gained a few which had nothing to do with the repack when new OTA channels launched.

Most of our changes occurred in phase 4. Phase 10, the last, goes through July of this year. After which we'll continue to rescan often, anyway lol. That's worked best for us.