How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?

Since streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO have taken over, TV consumption has gone down quite a bit. 

Keeping my TV viewing habits in mind, I decided to cut my cable costs and shift to Antenna TV. 

However, I was not sure if I would be able to connect an antenna to my Samsung TV. 

I had so many questions in mind, so I decided to scour the internet to find answers. 

I was finally able to connect the antenna to my TV without any professional help it has been over 3 months, and I must say I’m more satisfied than I thought I’d be. 

I get various local, over-the-air, and out-of-market channels for free.

To connect an antenna to your Samsung TV, find the F-type connector and connect one end of the co-axial cord to it. Position your antenna in an open area and connect the other end of the cord to the antenna. Change the source of your TV to Air.

Connecting An TV Antenna to your Samsung TV

How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?
How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?

It is straightforward to connect an antenna to your Samsung TV.

Most Samsung TV models still support antenna connections using an F-type connector and a TSC tuner that picks up digital OTA signals. 

You could also connect the antenna with the digital cable box if it has an RF connector, acting as the F-type connector. 

To establish a connection between the antenna and your TV, you need to:

  1. Locate the F-type connector on your Samsung TV’s backside.
  2. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the connector. 
  3. Place your Antenna. 
    1. Place it in an open area if it’s an outdoor antenna.
    2. Place it near a window if it’s an indoor antenna
  4. Connect the other end of the cord to the antenna. 

To complete the connection, you’ll have to change the input on Samsung TV. To do this, use the source button and select the “Air” input from the menu. 

Once the connection is complete, you’ll have to tune OTA channels by completing a channel scan on your Samsung TV.

Tuning OTA Channels after connecting the TV Antenna

How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?
How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?
  1. Go to your TV Settings.
  2. Open the Source option from the menu.
  3. Select the Channel Scan option.
  4. If, at this point, you see a ‘No Signal’ prompt if your antenna wasn’t correctly connected to your Samsung TV. So you’ll have to connect it again using the steps mentioned above. If you do not see a ‘No Signal’ prompt, move on to the next step. 
  5. Choose Air in the source option. You can also choose Air and Cable if you wish to keep both of the connections.
  6. Scanning will start and will be complete in a few seconds.
  7. Switch between available channels and add them to your TV.

TV Stations you get after connecting an Antenna

How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?
How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?

There are numerous free-to-air TV stations or channels for you to watch, but the number of channels depends on the area you live in. 

You can get big networks like ABC, NBC, Fox, etc. A range of local channels is available for you to watch on an antenna connection.

Below you’ll find the number of free channels you can enjoy in some of the major cities in the US using your antenna connection on your TV: 

AreaNumber of available channelsLos Angeles150+Houston90+San Jose105+New York70+Dallas95+Phoenix75+Chicago65+

Why is Your Samsung TV Not Recognizing Antenna

If you’ve completed the antenna connection process and can still not get your Samsung TV to recognize the connection.

You’ll have to consider these factors before trying again to establish a connection:

Placement

Placement is the key to your antenna catching signals. Your TV antenna won’t work if there are obstacles covering its range.

You should always keep your Antenna near a window if it’s an indoor one. If it’s an outdoor one, you must keep it in open surroundings, preferably at a height.

Interference

If you’ve kept the antenna near to metal or electronic device, then you may face interference issues. 

To prevent that, place your TV antenna away from such devices and preferably in an open surrounding.

Connection

Connecting the coaxial cable in the right slots is important to establish a connection. 

If you’re TV is not recognizing the antenna, try to put the cable in the correct F-type connector port.

Physical Damage

If there’s physical damage, then it’s pretty obvious you won’t be able to get a proper or even any connection. 

In this case, you have no choice but to get your TV or antenna repaired or replaced before you can try again.

Like most of the general population, you won’t be an expert on antenna technology, so it’s best to go for the highly rated and most popular brands. 

The new generation TV antennas work amazingly with smart TVs, and you even get the option of getting content from an antenna and cable connection together.

Here are a few of the highly-rated antenna brands:

Mohu

Mohu TV Antenna is among the most popular TV antenna brands. Its Leaf TV antenna model range is always the highest rated.  

Mohu provides a 12ft coaxial cable, and the antenna has a range of up to 40-60 miles. It offers channels in HD, making it a choice for many people.

Winegard

Winegard TV Antenna has the most sought-after indoor TV antennas. It is best for people living in a congested city. 

Winegard antennas are light in weight and easy to install. Its antennas are a bit more expensive than others.

1byone

1byone TV Antenna is the go-to choice for customers looking for a budget TV antenna. Its antennas’ price range starts from as low as $20.

1byone has a range of up to 50 miles and comes with a 10ft coaxial cable.

Antop

Antop TV Antenna offers both indoor and outdoor antennas.

It offers a 4G Filter with an amplifier to increase the connectivity range. It has a multi-directional reception range.

Antop has a maximum range of 80 miles and offers moderately priced antennas.

Benefits of Connecting an Antenna to your Samsung TV

You might be thinking, why should you connect a TV antenna to your Samsung TV?

Well,  there are a few advantages to opting for it. Below you’ll understand why you need an antenna connection:

Cost Cutting

Cost cutting is the major reason people have started to opt for an antenna connection.

Living costs in the US are increasing daily, and people need to cut their expenses.

Getting an antenna connection does have an initial investment but using it is free.

Local Channels

Most local channels are free-to-air, meaning you can watch them on your TV for free using an antenna connection. 

Local channels are also rarely provided in your TV broadcaster’s plans. Thus you’re unable to watch them.

You could also get local channels on Samsung TV by installing a streaming application on your Smart TV. 

Out-of-Market Channels

Out-of-market channels are those which are not included in any of the national cable or streaming service provider plans.

These are independent channels and can’t pay the fees to the big players.

These are Over The Air channels (OTA) and can only be viewed using an antenna.

Modern Antennas

Modern antennas are so powerful that the outdoor ones can cover 150+ miles of area. Even indoor antennas can cover up to 50 miles of area. 

An increase in the coverage area increases the no. of channels available for you to watch for free. With a powerful outdoor antenna, you can get 100+ OTA channels.

Contact Support

How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?
How do I get my smart TV to work with antenna?

As stated above, if you’re facing physical damage issues, you can’t do much about it, and you’ll have to contact either Samsung customer support or the manufacturer of your TV antenna.

You can contact Samsung Support online or by calling their customer service number, which you can find in the Samsung TV manual.

Final Thoughts

Connecting an antenna to your Samsung TV has many advantages for you. Cost saving is the most prominent advantage during periods of inflation.

With the advancement of the antenna and Smart TV technology, you can now add two sources to your TV to keep both cable and antenna connections.

However, if you live in an area that’s considerably far from a big city, a normal antenna won’t be able to cover the connectivity range.

You don’t have to worry. You can combine multiple TV antennas using a coaxial splitter to increase the range, or you can invest in a long-range antenna.

What input should TV be on for antenna?

In general, though, setting your TV's input to "TV" and flipping through channels should do the trick. If you know your local channels' exact numbers, try navigating to one of them with your TV's input set to "TV".

Why won't my TV pick up channels with an antenna?

The signal could be lost in the coaxial cable distribution. If you are using a splitter, this could also weaken signal strength. Try disconnecting the splitter and running the cable directly into the TV/converter box and run a channel scan. If reception improves, a distribution amplifier is likely to be the solution.

How do I scan for antenna channels on my smart TV?

So, How do you run a channel scan? 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.”