Over-the-air, satellite or internet
How the three ways of getting TV differ, and which one makes more sense for a city apartment, a weekend cabin or a house out in the country.
TV on reception: a guide to over-the-air, satellite and antennas
Mirsts: how home TV reception works
Your TV can only show what actually reaches it: a signal from a ground-based transmitter, a signal from a satellite or a stream over your home internet. When the picture suddenly goes away, the cause is almost always somewhere along that path, in the antenna, a cable, the set-top box or the settings. This guide helps you work through each link in order, calmly and without spending money you don't need to.
Before you replace anything, check the cable and the input selected on your TV: plenty of "breakdowns" go away in a couple of minutes.
Where to start
Antenna (in Russian)
Indoor or outdoor, which way to point it, and why a good location matters more than size or looks.
Receivers and set-top boxes (in Russian)
What a separate receiver does, when you need one, and when the tuner already built into your TV is enough.
When the signal drops
A calm checklist that runs from the quickest, simplest fixes to the point where it's worth calling in a pro.
Guide sections
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: scanning for digital channels, finding a spot for the antenna, hooking up a set-top box and taming the cables. Plus our article catalogue.
- Tools
What to keep handy: a digital TV coverage map, your TV's manual, the signal menu on your set-top box, the right cable, labels and a flashlight.
- Comparisons
Over-the-air vs. satellite vs. internet, indoor vs. outdoor antennas, and set-top box vs. satellite receiver vs. built-in tuner, side by side in tables.
- No signal
What to do when there's no signal, the picture breaks into blocks, channels disappear, there's no sound, the remote won't respond or nothing works after a storm.
- Safety
The real risks around TV reception: working at height, outdoor antennas in a thunderstorm, cables underfoot, an overheating box and pushy "mandatory upgrades."
- Glossary
Key terms in plain English: multiplex, UHF band, coverage area, LNB, receiver, auto scan, and signal strength versus signal quality.
- Questions
Answers to common questions about over-the-air digital TV, satellite reception and home equipment: what your TV needs to show channels.
TV at the cabin: five steps
Find out whether there's coverage
In Russia, open the digital TV coverage map on the official RTRS website and look up your village. The map shows where the nearest transmitter is and whether you can count on steady reception.
Check your TV
Look in the manual or the settings menu to see whether your TV supports the DVB-T2 standard. If it doesn't, you'll need a separate set-top box that connects to the older screen.
Pick an antenna
Close to a transmitter, an indoor antenna by the window is often enough. Farther away, in a low spot or behind woods, an outdoor antenna mounted up high usually does the trick.
Find the right position and run a scan
Point the antenna toward the transmitter, start the automatic channel scan and watch the signal quality bar. Moving the antenna just a little can make a bigger difference than you'd expect.
Write down what's plugged in where
Jot down which jack the antenna cable goes into and which input is selected on the TV. Next time you come up, that note will save you time and frustration.
The short version
Do you sell or install antennas?
No. Mirsts is a reference guide. We don't sell anything, make house calls, take orders or represent any company. All you'll find here are explanations of how TV reception works.
How many channels can I watch for free?
In Russia, 20 mandatory free-to-air channels are available on digital over-the-air TV. To watch them, you need an antenna and a TV that supports DVB-T2, or a set-top box for it.
Can I put an antenna on the roof myself?
Better not. Working at height and on a roof is dangerous and takes skill, fall protection and the right gear. Leave outdoor mounting to a professional and handle the setup yourself, down in the room.
Do I need internet for over-the-air digital TV?
No. The broadcast signal travels through the air from the transmitter straight to your antenna. You only need internet if you watch TV over the network, and that's a different way of getting TV altogether.
About the project
This domain used to host a site that sold TV equipment. Its content wasn't preserved and isn't reproduced here, and this reference has no connection to it. We simply inherited the name along with the domain.
We write about the everyday side of reception: how to pick a method, where to point the antenna, how to hook up a set-top box and what to check when the screen goes dark. You won't find specific companies, brands or prices here, just principles that apply to any equipment.
Read next
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: scanning for digital channels, finding a spot for the antenna, hooking up a set-top box and taming the cables. Plus our article catalogue.
- Tools
What to keep handy: a digital TV coverage map, your TV's manual, the signal menu on your set-top box, the right cable, labels and a flashlight.
- Comparisons
Over-the-air vs. satellite vs. internet, indoor vs. outdoor antennas, and set-top box vs. satellite receiver vs. built-in tuner, side by side in tables.
- No signal
What to do when there's no signal, the picture breaks into blocks, channels disappear, there's no sound, the remote won't respond or nothing works after a storm.
- Glossary
Key terms in plain English: multiplex, UHF band, coverage area, LNB, receiver, auto scan, and signal strength versus signal quality.
Sources
- RTRS (Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network): official information on digital terrestrial TV
- TV and set-top box user manuals (general provisions)
- Mirsts editorial materials
This information is given in general terms as of the date it was prepared. Channel lineups, TV menus and contract terms change over time, so when in doubt, go by your device's manual and the official information from your broadcast network.