Local channels typically refer to those channels that are transmitted over the air within a specific geographic area, and users need a receiver antenna to catch those signals.
Now if your Hisense TV won’t show local channels, then the primary culprits are:
- Antenna itself.
- Cables or the TV connection port.
- Wrong TV configuration.
Before you do anything complicated, check the basics!
Simply unplug the TV from the power outlet, wait for 5 minutes, and then plug the TV back in. After the TV has booted back on, head over to the settings and run the ‘auto-tuning’ feature again.
Make sure you have selected the “Antenna” or “Air” (not “Cable“) as your tuner mode.
Your TV will search for available channels in your area and update the channel list. This process may take a few minutes, so please be patient.
I did all those things, but still no fix
Okay, then there are also a couple of other troubleshooting steps I will walk you through you can try!
First, let’s take a look at the Antenna
- Connection: Make sure your antenna is securely connected to the “ANT IN” or “RF IN” port on the back of the TV.
- Type: If you’re using an indoor antenna, you need a stronger antenna or better placement (near a window, higher up) to catch local signals. Outdoor antennas offer a much stronger reception.
- Direction: If you have a directional antenna, experiment with pointing it in different directions to find the best signal.
That should solve the issue.
However, if the issue is the same, and your Hisense TV still not picking up any channel, then maybe your antenna and its cable are faulty or maybe there are temporary broadcast outages that are affecting your area.
Should I change my antenna?
That depends on the type and quality of your antenna, as well as the distance and direction of the broadcast towers in your area.
You can use this website to find the best antenna recommendations by zip code.
Generally, if you go all yellow and orange channels, you’ll need an outdoor antenna.
But having an indoor antenna, you may want to upgrade to a more powerful one or use an amplifier to boost the signal.
However, before purchasing a new antenna, you may want to research the type of antenna that is recommended for your location and the distance from broadcast towers.
Different types of antennas have different ranges and reception qualities, so you need to choose one that suits your needs and budget.
Abdul Kader, a handy guy and experienced founder of a TV repair shop in Gulshan, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is mainly an expert in understanding and repairing different types of issues with Smart TVs and providing helpful insights on how to keep them in good working order. Read his Full Story.