How to Connect Terrestrial TV to Your HDTV
If you have a new HDTV and want to watch terrestrial TV, then there are a few things that you need to know. Firstly, you need to connect your television to a tuner card. There are a variety of different types of tuners, so you need to make sure that you get one that is compatible with your television.
CableTV
The most common way to watch a television program is through cable television, which uses coaxial cables to transmit signals from the satellite to the viewer’s home. Other services, such as internet television, telephone services and FM radio programming, may also be provided via these cables.
Alternatively, you can use the TV’s built-in aerial to receive an over-the-air signal. However, this is more difficult to set up than using a cable box, and the result can be disappointing.
Screen mirroring
A TV with screen mirroring capability lets you view a picture from your computer on the television screen, and it is becoming increasingly popular. Most new televisions come with this feature, but it’s important to check whether your model supports it before buying.
HDMI
HDMI cables are the most convenient digital option for connecting a TV, since they transmit video and audio through one cable. You can also buy adapters to convert an existing analog cable or set-top box into an HDMI output.
Antenna
If you live in a rural area, or your local broadcast stations have dropped their over-the-air channel signals, then you may need to connect an antenna to the tuner card on your HDTV. Antennas come in a variety of forms, from the simple rabbit-ear type to a small dish that attaches to the back of your TV. You can also purchase a directional antenna that focuses the signal on your specific location.
You should always make sure to test the signal before you start watching, as this can help prevent unexpected problems. You can do this by performing a channel scan on your TV, which will search for over-the-air channels.
Adjust settings to optimise picture and sound quality
You can optimise the picture and sound quality of your TV by setting the correct image format, the resolution and the display mode. You can do this in the menu on your TV or by using the controls on the remote control.
Change the input to DVI or VGA
If your TV doesn’t have a built-in DVI or VGA connection, then you can easily install this using a converter. You can find these at a hardware store or online.
Detect and select the right display options
If you have a PC laptop, you should be able to cycle through the available display settings by using a special function key in conjunction with the [Fn] button on your keyboard. You can also choose to have the computer and TV display mirror each other by ticking the “Mirror Displays” box in System Preferences.
If you have a Mac, you can do the same thing by selecting the “Display” menu and clicking the button that reads ‘Detect Displays’. Alternatively, you can set the display in System Preferences to automatically detect your TV and switch it into display mode.