FAQ
We answer some of your most frequently asked questions
There is no such thing as a digital antenna. You just need an antenna that receives good quality reception for the required channels in your area.
Simply you need a TV with a Digital TV Tuner, whether it is a HD Digital set top box connected to an Analogue TV or a TV with a Digital Tuner built in that is connected to a good quality signal from your antenna system.
New High Definition (HD) TV stations have been introduced and your TV may require retuning to receive them. If you still don’t receive them after retuning, you may have poor TV reception or your TV is unable to decode the video signal of those particular channels. Different transmitters often transmit some channels in stronger or weaker strengths due to commercial agreements between the broadcasters.
A booster or signal amplifier increases the strength of your signal from your antenna to compensate for loss through cabling. The most common is a masthead amplifier which is located under the antenna. Amplifiers are common on the Central Coast as most of our reception comes from Gosford or Bouddi Transmitters. These towers broadcast at a weaker signal strength than Sydney or Newcastle Transmitters, so often a masthead amplifier is used. Older models of masthead amplifiers have problems with the mobile phone 4G/LTE network that can cause noise issues in the signal. However amplifiers should also be used with caution as too much signal can cause the same problems as not having enough and require being set to a specific strength. Your best bet is to contact us for an assessment!
Freeview is Australia’s Free Digital Television Service. It comprises all the channels from Australia’s Free To Air (FTA) Broadcasters, including ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, Prime7, WIN and Southern Cross. It has all your existing favourite TV channels plus more TV Channels and content for free! Free To Air (FTA) Television currently has 23 unique channels enabling more content than ever before, as well as High Definition Versions of some channels like 7HD and 9HD. The New Channels include ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS1, SBS2, SBS3, SBS HD, SEVEN, 7TWO, 7MATE, 4ME, 7FLIX, GO!, GEM, TEN, ELEVEN & ONE Sport. Community Channels like TVS can now also be accessed in Digital in their area of service.
You can find out more at http://www.freeview.com.au/
VAST stands for Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST). The VAST service is a satellite transmitted Digital TV service which covers all of Australia. Viewers who cannot receive Digital services from the terrestrial transmitters that serve their area will have access to a reliable free-to-air Satellite TV service that delivers a full range of Digital channels. There are spots on the Central Coast that suffer blackspot terrestrial reception, such as Pearl Beach.. The solution could be tapping into the VAST Satellite Service by installing a dish. Ask us about this or you can find out more at https://www.myvast.com.au/
Pixelation means the image on your screen looks grainy or blocky and is often accompanied by squeaky noises. Pixelation is a sign of poor reception and you probably need a technician to come out and diagnose the issue properly as this problem can be caused by a number of causes.
As TV reception starts to deteriorate, your picture can freeze or skip sometimes. This can happen intermittently, or it may be part of a bigger, ongoing issue that might get worse with bad weather. Contact Able Ant to pop out and diagnose what the exact cause is before it gets worse.
If you can only see a black screen with a large “no signal” warning sign floating in the centre, you may need to check you are on the right input on your TV in case the remote has been bumped. Have you just moved? You may need to retune or reprogram the TV to the local transmitters frequencies. A lot of homes also have power supplies or boosters needed to make the antenna system work, so make sure nothing has been switched off or unplugged accidentally.