• How to get digital television through a regular antenna. How to set up digital television on a digital TV? How to set up digital terrestrial television

    So, if you are interested in the topic of digital terrestrial television, then most likely you want to know what channels you will get if you connect it to yourself. Am I right? Then read on) maybe you don’t need it?

    What are digital TV multiplexes?

    Today in Russia 20 channels broadcast in DVB T2 format. They are divided into two packages, these are the so-called multiplexes. Both packages are free to view and there are no subscription fees. It is enough just to have a TV that receives a DVB T2 signal and.

    This is what “digital” says in Russia

    The first ten channels (First multiplex)

    The first package, or the first multiplex, is general information, news and development channels (boring). Here is a list of digital television channels of the first multiplex:

    • Channel One
    • Russia 1
    • Russia 2 Match TV - channel with sports broadcasts
    • Channel 5
    • Russia "Culture"
    • Russia 24
    • Carousel – children's channel, cartoons, programs for children
    • OTR – Public Television of Russia

    The first multiplex works wherever there is digital television.

    It was not in vain that I wrote the time of publication of the article. The fact is that sometimes the composition of channels changes based on a competition held by the state every year. So in 2016 everything may change.

    Just recently, a change took place in the second multiplex and “Sport+” was replaced by the entertainment channel “Friday”... Also, the channel “Russia - 2” in the first multiplex was replaced by Match TV.

    Third channel package (Third multiplex)

    And yet, they promise a third multiplex, only it will have a subscription fee. So I don't think it will be wildly popular. Since, as soon as digital broadcasting becomes paid, it will be easier to install a cable with 40+ channels for 120 rubles. per month.

    And here is what they write about the project about this:

    It is still too early to talk about the exact start date of broadcasting of the third (regional) multiplex. To begin with, the principles of forming a regional multiplex must be determined at the government level, after which competitions will be organized to determine the participating channels of the third multiplex. Only after the composition of the third digital package becomes known will RTRS be able to begin broadcasting it. Let us note that this fall the Government Commission for the Development of Television and Radio Broadcasting postponed consideration of the issue of the principles for the formation of the third multiplex until 2018.

    Users of our Internet provider have the opportunity to connect digital television without a set-top box and thus save on purchasing or renting a receiver. At the same time, the signal quality obtained with a direct connection is identical to that received by users connected via the TV-2 module.

    To gain access to the full variety of TV channels available to viewers, you will need:

    • TV with built-in Smart TV or Internet TV functions;
    • broadband high-speed Internet access and a modern router that distributes Wi-Fi without reducing speed;
    • if the small diagonal does not bother you, your tablet PC or smartphone running the iOS or Android operating systems can be an alternative;
    • register after downloading the Wifire TV application and select the channel package that interests you most.

    To start using digital TV without a set-top box, you need to download the Wifire TV application for Smart TV, iOS or Android. Registration of a new user is as simple as possible, taking into account the requirements for ensuring authorized access and secure storage of your personal information. Access to viewing channels is provided in packages supplied at various prices, with the ability to expand basic channels with additional ones. This allows each user to customize the required number of programs with their preferred content without unnecessary expenses.

    Advantages of connecting digital television without a set-top box

    The main advantage of the connection method we propose is that there is no need for a set-top box. Thus, you save about 2 thousand rubles one-time or reduce the monthly fee by the cost of renting the device.

    Other important advantages of connecting television without a set-top box:

    • a simple, intuitive interface with the ability to record broadcasts, stop and rewind them;
    • flexible configuration of available channels with the ability to expand the standard offer with thematic packs;
    • Convenient viewing control using a single remote control.

    The application is available for most modern LG and Samsung TVs. By using wireless Internet technology, the clutter of wires in your apartment is reduced.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What Internet speed does digital television without a set-top box require?
    To correctly answer this question, it is necessary to take into account a number of additional factors:

    • number of users and devices connected to one access point;
    • the severity of the drop in access speed for any connected device;
    • features of the router used.

    The more devices there are and the more critical the speed drop is for each, the faster the Internet will be needed. For a small family using Wifire TV on a TV, the minimum recommended tariff is Wifire 100 with an appropriate speed.

    What diagonal of the device display is required for comfortable viewing?
    It depends on your personal preferences. In our opinion, to enjoy watching TV channels using Wifire TV, you need a device with a diagonal of 7-7.5 inches or larger. However, no one is stopping you from launching it from smaller smartphones and enjoying quality content while watching your favorite channels.

    Is there a situation when connecting via a set-top box is preferable?
    If your TV does not support Smart TV technology, connecting via a set-top box is the only option that currently exists. We recommend that you carefully study the capabilities of televisions before purchasing them, first of all paying attention to the availability of technologies recognized as the most promising.


    Tariffs and services of Net By Net Holding LLC may be changed by the operator. Full current information about tariffs and services is in the “tariffs” section or by calling the phone number listed on the website.

    Connection of digital television in Russia is in full swing. Like the transition from black and white TV to color, the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is another step on the path to progress. Now it is becoming a standard, not a luxury for the elite.

    The 20 digital channels, available free of charge today, bring viewers the best picture quality, clearest sound and unparalleled experience. But, first, in order to watch “digital” on their TV, many residents of our country will have to buy additional equipment. Let's delve into the nuances.

    General information

    In practice, the question “how to connect digital television?” comes down to a one-time purchase and installation of special equipment that will allow you to demonstrate modern HD signal quality.

    CETV channels are broadcast in packages - so-called multiplexes. Currently, the process of introducing digital TV in Russia includes the broadcast of two multiplexes, each with 10 channels. All 20 broadcast programs can be viewed for free.

    What is digital television

    Today there is hardly a family where they have not heard about what digital television is. And certainly many people can’t wait to connect it.

    Digital television is another television technology, a new way of transmitting television signals that not only provides higher quality picture and sound, but also offers a greater selection of programs and functions (for example, analog TV does not have the ability to receive HD programs).

    The idea of ​​digital broadcasting is quite simple: image and sound are transmitted over radio waves in the form of a digital audio-video stream, similar to what comes to our computer from the Internet when we watch a video on YouTube.

    In addition, thanks to the digital algorithm, it becomes possible to send more than ten times more television and radio programs than with traditional analogue TV. Additional services are also available for digital viewing, such as electronic program navigation on the TV screen, as well as video on demand or interactive TV.

    The main advantages of digital television are: high quality sound and image, the ability to watch HD programs. Digital television allows you to select different language versions of the same program, subtitles, and also block selected channels (so-called parental control).

    What distinguishes digital from the current standard, known as standard definition TV, is its higher resolution: the image on the TV screen is represented by dots (the so-called pixels) - the more of them, the more detailed and better the screen image. The number of such points is called resolution.

    What is needed to connect digital television

    In order to connect to digital TV and take full advantage of its benefits, you need to invest in several necessary devices and accessories. If you don’t have a newly purchased TV at home with a built-in digital tuner and you don’t live near a TV tower, then most likely you will have to buy a tuner or a new antenna, or possibly both. For all this to work in one chain, you need various kinds of cables, thanks to which you connect the equipment.

    How to approach this issue correctly? If you live in a high-rise building and have a shared antenna, then you should find out: is the house connected to digital television? Ask your neighbors, perhaps they are already receiving digital reception, so your collective antenna is quite suitable for digital reception. All you have to do is buy a receiver and set up your home TV network.

    Antenna

    If you live not far from the transmitter, then a small indoor decimeter antenna or the antenna that you already have will be enough to receive T2 television. If your locality is located far from the tower, then it is better to change the wave receiver by choosing a simple directional model. In addition, DVB-T2 reception requires proper antenna placement.

    Amplifier

    When choosing an antenna, you will be faced with the question of the need to amplify the signal. If you have a weak analog signal and you use an antenna with an amplifier, then you will most likely need it to receive digital signals. With significant losses in reception quality, a good amplifier is worth its weight in gold, especially if the distance from the transmitter is quite large.

    Antennas with powerful broadband amplifiers can enhance the reception of not only the T2 band, but also all radio waves with similar frequencies, which can prevent decoding of the desired signal. Do not use the amplifier unnecessarily. In many cases it can do more harm than good.

    Currently, amplifiers with a 12 V power supply are often used. However, according to the new DVB-T2 standard, new models of digital receivers provide a voltage of 5 V for the antenna amplifier. Therefore, in active-type antennas designed for T2, the amplifiers operate from a voltage of 5 V directly from the tuner. This is a convenient and cost-effective solution because it eliminates the need for an additional power source. The amplifier is powered only when the tuner is turned on.

    Receiver

    A digital receiver is a decoding device that allows you to use the digital television service. Receivers or decoders are usually easy to use and designed with user convenience in mind. The receiver is controlled using a remote control, but has basic buttons on the front panel of the case.

    The receiver is compatible with most TVs. The TV must be equipped with a Euro or Video IN connector. However, in order to receive digital signal quality, the TV receiver must be adapted to support HD modes and equipped with an HDMI or component connection. Otherwise, programs that are broadcast in high definition will appear in analog quality.

    Cables

    A digital set-top box can be connected to almost any TV: older TVs have a typical Scart socket for this, and later, flat TVs use an HDMI connector. Accordingly, you will need cables with the necessary connectors.

    To get a screen picture in HD quality, the TV must be connected to a digital set-top box via an HDMI cable. When connected via a Euro connector (Scart), the resulting image will have analog quality. The HDMI cable may not be included in the set-top box; the client must purchase it independently.

    The antenna is connected to the DVB-T2 receiver with a coaxial (coaxial) cable, which you will find in any radio store, through the RF-In or RF input or RFIN connector. At the end of this antenna cable there should be a well-secured antenna plug.

    How to connect digital terrestrial television to your TV

    In the case of older television receivers, in order to connect digital television to the television, a special receiver is needed. In the latest TVs, it is an integral part of the device, which will allow you to receive “digital” without a set-top box. When purchasing a TV with a built-in decoder, it is important to check whether it works in the MPEG-4 standard, which is in force in Russia.

    Methods for receiving a digital signal

    Digital channels can be received in several ways. The first way is to connect digital television through a common antenna installed in your house or entrance. Also, residents of residential areas can receive programs in digital quality via cable TV. This service is provided by regional providers.

    Private homeowners can connect digital TV through a regular antenna, the model of which corresponds to decimeter reception.

    What channels are available for viewing?

    As already mentioned, the T2 broadcast includes 20 free channels. Cable providers that provide digital may offer you more as part of the package you choose. But these will be paid digital television channels.

    The question of a third multiplex is up in the air, because... The existing digital broadcasting infrastructure in the Russian Federation is designed for only two multiplexes: there are not enough frequencies, and the volume of analogue broadcasting is still large. It is expected that the current year 2018 will be decisive in the situation with the reduction of analogue broadcasting and the integration of the third package of digital channels.

    Antenna selection and installation

    Having decided to connect to digital television yourself, you will come close to choosing an antenna. Already at the very beginning, you should understand that there is no single universal model capable of catching a signal in any, even the most difficult conditions. It all depends on your location.

    Using an indoor antenna is attractive, but, unfortunately, in many cases its power is not enough. This is due to interference that will inevitably appear in a situation when you walk around your apartment or when cars often pass near your house. Even with a very strong built-in amplifier, “clean” reception of channels will be problematic, because any obstacle dampens the waves. A room wave receiver is only "shown" at a short distance from the transmitter or in an ideal location (for example, windows pointing directly at the repeater).

    An external signal receiver is a better option than an indoor one, because UHF waves do not penetrate walls without loss of quality. An external antenna provides sufficient signal strength. But is it active or passive?

    The answer to this question is the distance between the TV and the DVB-T2 wave receiver. In most cases, a passive model that does not have additional amplification is sufficient, since the cable length is often short. In this case, the amplifier is an extra expense. The amplifier is already built into the active antenna at the factory.

    How to locate a TV tower

    You can find the TV tower closest to your locality using. By placing the name of your locality in the search bar, you can estimate the distance and direction to the nearest transmitter, and the main parameters of its broadcasting.

    Reliable reception area

    Reliable reception from a transmitter is when the quality of its broadcast remains at a high level, regardless of:

    • depending on weather conditions
    • from sun activity
    • time of year and day
    • air temperature and humidity, etc.

    The reliable reception area is the coverage within the line of sight distance from the broadcasting antenna to the place where the receiving antenna is installed. The interactive digital TV connection map reflects the broadcast area of ​​each television tower, under construction or in operation, for each of the two multiplexes.

    Area remote from the TV tower

    The problem with long-range reception of a digital television signal is its low level due to the significant distance between the transmitter and receiver due to the fact that outside the zone of reliable reception, radio waves fall into the shadow of the earth's surface, the so-called penumbra zone. Officially, permissible distances between towers have been adopted to solve this problem. However, digital reception at the edge of the transmitter's coverage area will be subject to interference due to weather conditions, which may appear as image fading on the screen.

    Long-distance reception of digital channels is characterized by antennas that are large in size and have a complicated design. The task of remote subscribers (which is often solved only experimentally): to select an antenna design with a high gain and, at the same time, with the minimum possible dimensions. Directional models are usually the solution.

    Antenna and TV setup

    To start watching DVB-T2, you need to connect all the necessary cables, and only after that should you connect the equipment to the power supply. The antenna should be installed towards the nearest TV tower.

    Connection process

    Installing the decoder is as simple as its operation, taking about half an hour and following the instructions that come with the device or are displayed on the screen. When you turn on the device for the first time, the initial installation assistant window appears - “Autoinstall”, in which you can easily navigate to the most important settings. Labeled keys on the remote control will guide you through the installation instructions step by step.

    Settings

    After you install the antenna in the desired position and make sure that all cables are connected correctly, you can connect the TV and set-top box to the network and begin setting up. Using the special button on the receiver's remote control, call up “Menu” and select “Settings”.

    Auto search

    Select the Auto Search option and wait until the scan finishes. If you were unable to tune channels using automatic search, this means that the set-top box is not receiving a signal from the antenna. Reposition the antenna and run Auto Scan again. Check different antenna positions and search the channel until the TV shows the channels of the desired multiplex.

    Manual mode

    In some cases, it becomes necessary to manually search for channels. In the set-top box menu, select “manual search” (this option may also be called “manual scanning”). A list will appear on the screen where you need to manually enter the broadcast data of the nearest transmitter and confirm the search. The correct result is 20 free Russian channels in HD quality.

    Even as a child, living in the village, I always tried to tune the TV to good reception of a large number of channels. The only option that I understood for myself from these attempts is that the higher the antenna is, the better the quality of the channels and the greater their number. But there is a limit to the height of the antenna mast. Therefore, some channels were always shown well, some were shown not so well, and some were not shown at all. Now, living in the city, you don’t experience any problems with the quantity and quality of the TV channels provided, but when visiting a village, sometimes you want to turn on the TV and change channels, choosing an interesting program. But in the countryside, time flows more slowly and modern technologies arrive there late, and sometimes do not arrive at all.

    In this regard, I set out to set up as many television channels in the village as possible. To begin with, I propose to consider what options are available today for obtaining a high-quality signal and picture on the TV:

    1Cable television- television, in which the signal is distributed through a television cable that is directly connected to each television

    Pros: high-quality TV.

    Cons: Subscription fee, available only in large cities.

    2 Satellite TV. Satellite television broadcasts using a satellite suspended in low-Earth orbit. The signal is received by TV viewers on an individual dish antenna.

    Pros: high-quality TV.

    Cons: Cost of equipment, subscription fee.

    3 Terrestrial television. Terrestrial television distributes the signal using terrestrial repeater stations; in order to receive this signal, you must use an antenna.

    Pros: minimum costs.

    Cons: signal level is often low; the display and quality of channels depends on the weather, distance from the tower, mast height, etc.

    You can also say that TV channels can be watched via the Internet, but in this article I would like to talk about watching channels without using a computer/laptop, and especially the Internet.

    Of all the methods described, the only one that suited me was using satellite TV, but I really didn’t want to spend money on buying equipment and then paying a subscription fee. After scouring the Internet, I found an alternative way - terrestrial digital television. The essence of digital television is the following: the transmission of television images and sound occurs using digital encoding of the video signal and sound signal using digital channels. Digital encoding, unlike analogue, ensures signal delivery with minimal losses, since the picture and sound are not influenced by external factors (interference). Of the nuances of using digital television, I will note the following - a television channel in digital television has two situations, it will either work in good quality, or it will not work at all. Unlike analog TV, there is no borderline state and interference, the only exception is if the channel has very poor communication quality, it can slow down, turn off and turn on again, to avoid this you need to use another antenna, raise the existing one higher or turn towards the TV tower .

    What you need to watch digital television:

    TV antenna;

    TV or set top box (Set Top Box) with tuner DVB-T2(namely DVB-T2, the outdated DVB-T will not work), support for the MPEG4 video compression standard and the Multiple PLP mode.

    You do not need to buy an additional antenna, just use an antenna for an analog signal. But the antenna itself is not enough, to watch digital TV you need a set-top box with a DVB-T2 tuner (some modern TVs do not need such a set-top box, since it is built into the TV, this information can be obtained from the documentation for the TV or on the manufacturer’s website, which discusses a similar case ). Set-top boxes are not expensive, on average from 1500 to 2000 rubles. In fact, you don’t need to buy anything other than this set-top box. Another plus is that you don’t need to pay a subscription fee for terrestrial digital television.

    It is important to note that digital TV allows you to view a limited number of channels; at the time of writing there were 20 (possibly less depending on the region of residence).

    Digital television is not configured according to the principle - the higher you raise it, the more you catch. You can only tune these 20 channels, plus you can add more analog channels that your antenna will pick up (if your DVB-T2 set-top box or your TV has such a function). To learn more about the number of channels and the possibility of using digital television in your region, you can call the RTRS hotline: 8-800-220-20-02 (calls within Russia are free) or on the website: www.rtrs.rf.

    So, I propose to move from theory to practice. In my case, I used a regular television antenna, which was very popular about 15 years ago. With this antenna I managed to catch about 3 analogue channels in good quality, 2 in satisfactory quality, and a couple more channels appeared in poor quality in good weather.

    I purchased a DVB-T2 set-top box. Regarding the choice of consoles, I didn’t rack my brains, since technically they are all as similar as two peas in a pod. Most of them have two outputs - tulip (some SCART) and HDMI, there is a USB connector for viewing the contents of USB media. I got the impression that they are all made at the same Chinese factory, only they are equipped with different boxes and labels. When purchasing, pay attention to the control panel of the set-top box, since you will use it constantly (switch channels, turn the volume lower, higher, etc.).

    I connected the antenna to the DVB-T2 set-top box, and connected it to the TV using a tulip (it usually comes with the set-top box).

    Tulip RCA connectors for video and stereo audio. Yellow is for video, white is for monaural or left channel of stereo two-channel audio, red is for right channel of stereo two-channel audio.

    I’ll make a reservation right away that I connected the set-top box to an obsolete CRT TV, so I chose a tulip cable. If you have an LCD or plasma TV with an HDMI output, then you should connect it with a proper HDMI cable (it must be purchased separately), since the image quality will be much higher.

    I switched the TV to AV mode and got to the DVB-T2 set-top box interface. Setting up the set-top box requires minimal effort; all default settings will satisfy most users. The main thing you need to do is set up the channels. To do this, I went to the channel search menu and selected Auto search.

    A few minutes later, the DVB-T2 set-top box found those same 20 channels + 3 radio stations. But a few days later, channels 11 to 20 disappeared, on the website rtrs.ru I saw that the towers to which I connected did not support 2 multiplexes (from 11 to 20 channels), and the fact that they worked for a couple of days was most likely tests. As a result, I purchased a high-quality, “strong” antenna to watch all 20 channels. Test video below.

    Antenna test video ANT-T2-MAX

    In order to understand the capabilities and settings of this set-top box, I offer a photo of each menu item (please excuse the low quality of the photo).

    A digital set-top box, as I wrote earlier, can play files from a USB flash drive. To do this, insert the USB device into the set-top box, go to the menu, select "USB" - "Multimedia", select the playable format (music, pictures, video).

    In addition, digital set-top boxes have the ability to record images from the TV to a flash drive. To do this, just press the “Rec” button on the control panel of the DVB-T2 set-top box, after which the recording will begin on a USB device.

    To summarize, I am very pleased with the quality and quantity of digital TV channels (of course, more channels are possible, but not all at once). In my opinion, for remote places, dachas, villages, towns, where people are not ready to spend 10,000 rubles on purchasing satellite TV + pay a subscription fee, I consider this option the most suitable.

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