Support: TV Tuner Troubleshooting

TV Tuner Troubleshooting

The reception of TV channels in the WinTV application is dependent upon two things:

  • you need to have a strong enough TV signal for the Hauppauge TV tuner to achieve 'signal lock'. Once a TV channel has a signal strong enough to 'lock', it will appear in the Channel List during the channel scan. This often means that your antenna needs to be in the "line of sight" from the transmitter. If there is a building blocking the TV signal coming from the transmitter, you might not be able to achieve 'signal lock'.
  • once the TV channel appears in the Channel List, it also needs a signal strong enough so that the WinTV application can display a clear TV picture. We sometimes hear that there are channels which appear in the TV channel list but cannot be watched (frozen image, black screen or an image with lots of defects). This is due to the TV channel having just enough 'strength' to achieve signal lock, but not strong enough for a good TV image to be displayed.

Good reception - roof and window

Good reception - roof and window

Good reception roof, bad reception window

Good reception roof, bad reception window

Bad reception roof and window

Bad reception roof and window

The signal strength is related to the size (and quality) of the antenna, and the 'line of sight' to the transmitter. If you have a large antenna but it is not pointed toward the TV transmitter, the TV signal will be weak and may not be received.

In addition, please check the antenna connections to the Hauppauge TV tuner. If the connector is not securely plugged in, then signal loss will occur and you will not get an optimal TV picture.

When TV channels cannot be received or if the TV quality is poor, here are a couple of things you can try:

Using the Hauppauge 'stick' antenna

The Hauppauge stick antenna will work up to roughly 10 miles from the transmitter, and needs an unobstructed line of sight to the transmitter. Otherwise a larger antenna will provide better results.

Symptoms of needing a larger (better quality) antenna include scanning for channels in WinTV works, but when trying to watch a channel, they may achieve tuning 'lock' but the TV signal breaks up heavily.

If you cannot use an outdoor antenna, you might need an indoor antenna with a booster.

Receiving TV in an apartment

You can use either 'stick' antennas or flat antennas when you are in an apartment. In general, you will get good reception as long as your antenna is 'pointing' toward the TV transmitter.

  • place your antenna in a window, as high from the floor as possible
  • if possible, place the antenna facing the direction of the broadcast towers. Over-the-air TV is most effective when it achieves "line of sight" to the transmitters. TV reception will still work without line-of-sight, but then you are dependant upon the TV signal bouncing off of a building or other structure
  • a TV signal booster can sometimes help bring in some of the weaker TV channels.

We recommend the purchase of a portable amplified antenna for indoor or outdoor use to be connected to the WinTV product to ensure correct reception of the TV channels.

Receiving TV at a home

When you are using a Hauppauge TV tuner to watch TV at home, most times you are further from the TV transmitter and a larger TV antenna is needed.

  • outdoor antennas will perform better than indoor antennas.
  • if possible, use an outside antenna located as high from the ground as possible
  • if using an indoor antenna place it near a window or wall facing the direction of the broadcast towers.
  • a TV signal booster can sometimes help bring in some of the weaker TV channels.

If you are in the US, there is a website where you can enter your ZIP code and see from which direction a channel’s signal is coming and what type of antenna is needed to receive that signal.