Anyone else having difficulty accessing over-air Ch. 4?

I stream subscriptions [[firestick) and watch air channels [[cut the cable years ago) and strangely my tubed tv [[yes I still have one) can pull channels 4, 4.1, 4.2 etc thru a basic converter and passive antenna.

But my modern flat screen will not pull any channels between 2 and 7 from built-in converter any more. We can get all air channels beyond 7. But no ch. 4. Have tried varied antennas. Rescans. Nothing... no signal...

Anyone else having problems catching the channel 4 range here in Detroit?

I've had a problem with channel 4 that started this summer. It's suddenly much harder to get. I really have to have my antenna in the exact perfect location in order to get it. I'm located downtown

Greed wins .... again.




https://www.fcc.gov/TVrescan


"Some local TV stations in cities across the U.S. will be changing their over-the-air broadcast frequencies between now and July 2020.



What's Happening

Many over-the-air TV channels across the U.S. will be changing frequencies to help open up airwaves for new high-speed wireless services. The actual channel number on your TV will not change. After the TV is rescanned, it will be the same as before."

But you say you've already re-scanned, so ....

When did you get the flatscreen? LED, LCD manufacturers have had to update their operating systems to keep up with channels like Disney+. You can still use them with Firestick, Chrome thingy, etc, but some programing won't play on older OpSys, so they upgraded. I think it started in 2016. Not saying this is the issue but it could be

Right, I've re-scanned many times, and we can get the channel 4, 4.1, 4.2 etc on a tubed tv same home. A room away. Not on my Samsung flat screen. Nothing. It started about six months ago I'm thinking.

Maybe it's the short comings of the Samsung flatscreen TV's internal converter. Maybe I will use an external scanner on as I have with the tubed TV.

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Originally Posted by Meddle

But you say you've already re-scanned, so ....

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I've had my basic flat-screen maybe five+ years. It's not a smart TV. Just a basic Samsung and it used to pick up all the AIR Channels I watch. I got the notice to rescan a few months back, then noticed that ch. 4 was gone!

We changed antennas last week and now have a few more air channels coming in clearer but still no signal for 4...

Have streamed with a firestick from having used ROKU, but that's the streaming side of things, separate from when I choose over-the air channels.

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Originally Posted by jcole

When did you get the flatscreen? LED, LCD manufacturers have had to update their operating systems to keep up with channels like Disney+....

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^^^ Would a plug-in antenna do better than a passive [[non-electrical outlet powered) one?

Apparently, according to comments, this method with a Samsung is different:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SeGNwrDIrw

^^^ Yes thanks, my older Samsung has the auto-scan feature similar to that video and I get quite a few channels, but no longer 4, 4.1 etc.

I'm guessing some where in there they changed power levels. Check here and see what it reports:

https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

Yeah, I'm having a heck of a time. Wonder if living in Henderson, NV., has anything to do with it????? :cool:

^^^ Cool site, thanks. According to my zip WDIV-Ch 4 is strong. Oh well. We'll just use the old-trusty tubed-tv with the external scanner when we wanna watch the 4-series channel line up.

Put your zip into that site Meddle provided... but mine shows strong signal but I still have no go on my flatscreen.

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

Yeah, I'm having a heck of a time. Wonder if living in Henderson, NV., has anything to do with it????? :cool:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

Yeah, I'm having a heck of a time. Wonder if living in Henderson, NV., has anything to do with it????? :cool:

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Ray, have you tried holding your rabbit ears in your left hand, over your head, and your right arm straight out, while standing on one leg? [[try one leg then the other) I saw the Three Stooges do that in a film once, and it worked.

^^^ Hey wait! I've tried ALL that and no channel 4 yet!

Maybe I need to attached some aluminum foil to the rabbit ears!

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Hey wait! I've tried ALL that and no channel 4 yet!

Maybe I need to attached some aluminum foil to the rabbit ears!

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Make sure you only use Reynolds brand. The dollar store bargain foil won't give you the same detail!

^^^ Ain't that the truth! ---:p---

Panasonic Visio or Vizio and yes, channel 4 has been such a problem that we have had to give-up watching Lester Holt.

^^^ Yeah G. wasn't COZI TV one of those on that line up 4.3 or so. I remember it. Gone now.

I have been re-scanning my Emerson TV for a few months also trying to get Ch.4. Finally last night I got it, but a weak signal with lots of pixeling on 4.1. 4.2 and 4.3 and 4.4 have no signal. Also miss WHNE when they moved to VHF low. You need large antenna elements for VHF low. This repacking really sucks.

I have been getting Channel 4 nearly perfectly ever since they moved to RF32 [[which was previously occupied by TVO, which is now on Channel 19).

I may try an bigger antenna - non-passive style that you plug into an outlet but I did not want one-more thing plugged in. Sigh...

WDIV pretty much went to hell for me as soon as they changed to their new frequency back in March. For a few weeks I couldn't find it via a scan at ALL, and then eventually it showed up but its so bad that it's completely unwatchable.

According to some posts I found on another forum they are on a temporary transmitter with an antenna that's something like 200' lower than the original one, so it's no wonder reception sucks. Fortunately aside from SNL I really haven't been missing any of their programming.

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Yeah G. wasn't COZI TV one of those on that line up 4.3 or so. I remember it. Gone now.

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True, my friend.

On YouTube "Antenna Man" explains a lot about all the changes on OTA and the problems people are having.

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Hey wait! I've tried ALL that and no channel 4 yet!

Maybe I need to attached some aluminum foil to the rabbit ears!

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No, you have to get someone to stand next to the antenna, hold it, and put their arms in the air. Just like 1955.

We get no OTA channels at all here. Pesky mountain in the way.

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Originally Posted by jiminnm

No, you have to get someone to stand next to the antenna, hold it, and put their arms in the air. Just like 1955.

We get no OTA channels at all here. Pesky mountain in the way.

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I bet all you get is a lot of snow...

Yes! I haven't been able to get Dick Westerkamp for some time now. Sigh.

Buy a powered HD Antenna [[$14.99 on Amazon) and your issues are over. If $15 is stopping you, just quit channel 4. Done & done.

^^^ Oh yeah, I get that. I mentioned that option early on. Thanks.

To date I've used passive antenna not plugged in - just didn't want to plug in another thing on that particular power strip.

I have one TV hooked up to a plug in antenna made by Phillips for those times when Comcast goes out, my Channel 4 is coming in okay, gets pixelated a little from time to time. Channel 7 comes in the best for me.

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Originally Posted by Meddle

Greed wins .... again.

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Consolidating and re-using unused spectrum is greedy? Uh, OK. If you're bored go check out the FCC frequency allotment chart and check out how much unused bandwidth the US government is sitting on and not doing anything with. They're still sitting on big chunks of analog satellite communications bands that haven't been used in 30 years.

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Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Oh yeah, I get that. I mentioned that option early on. Thanks.

To date I've used passive antenna not plugged in - just didn't want to plug in another thing on that particular power strip.

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Then I guess channel 4 isn't for you. Enjoy 2, 7, 62, and all the others.

^^^ You're just the reflexively rude type I am gathering.

no cable at home. for my bedroom TV, getting the WDIV-4 affiliated stations gets odd, depending on how the antenna is positioned. Very sensitive.