Repairing antenna connectors on TVs (2023)

Introduction

tvrepairinfo.com
This is a how to video on replacing broken TV antenna connectors.
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If your a professional looking for more understanding on how repair LCD TVs or an electronics hobbyist here are some great resources.
Troubleshooting & Repairing LCD TVs by John Preher at
davestv.jptv97501lcd.click2sell.eu
For someone new to electronics the first few pages of this book may be a bit challenging but the majority of this book is easy reading with lots of pictures,diagrams and useful troubleshooting techniques. Johns book gives you a good idea about the main test points you should look for and their approximate voltages.
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How to troubleshoot and repair Switch Mode Power supplies by Jestine Yong at davestv.jestinemichellepow.click2sell.eu This book is a bit spendy but I'm still glad I purchased it. In my opinion it's a must read. Jestine is good at getting right to the main points you need to understand about troubleshooting this kind of power supply and its associated feedback circuits.
Since a majority of the problems I have seen on LCD TVs are related to bad power supplies I figured it will pay for itself many times over. Most of the book was easy reading with plenty of pictures and diagrams.
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Testing electronic components and finding unknown resistor values by Jestine Yong. 5d8388ioop4nfm862d1b0u7sbj.hop.clickbank.net/
I have not yet read Jestines book on Testing electronic components but I was told it's a good one for a person just starting out in electronic troubleshooting.
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How to repair LCD Computer Monitors by Jestine Yong at
davestv.jestinewilliamlcd.click2sell.eu
Even though this book was about computer monitor repair I found most of the troubleshooting techniques he demonstrates also applied to LCD TV repair so I was glad to have read it. Much like the book on Switch Mode Power Supplies it was easy to read and similar to Johns Prehers book on LCD repair but in Jestines own style. It had lots of pictures and good troubleshooting techniques.
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Mikes TV case histories The latest paperback edition has 1300 case histories on LCD, CRT, Plasma and Projection TVs. at www.mikestvtips.com/ 1-410-272-4984
When I first started in the TV repair business and my troubleshooting skills were not that great often times Mike's case histories told me exactly which parts I needed to replace and it often saved me from having to purchase a great many schematics. I have been using his case histories since 1995 and I would not be with out them. If you call him please be considerate of his time zone and call between 11:00 AM TO 8:PM Eastern time only.
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John Prehers LCD TV case histories at
davestv.jptv97501lcd1.click2sell.eu
This ebook has 56 case histories on nothing but LCD TVs
and which parts he replaced to get them going. I found this ebook was helpful in better understanding the connection between certain symptoms and their causes. Right now it's only 10 dollars.
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Getting Started In Electronics by Forest Mims available at some Radio Shacks or through this link.
www.Forrestmims.com
If you know nothing at all about electronics and want to start with the basics this is a fantastic book to start with. This book is packed with pictures.
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brought to you by Dave's TV in Grants Pass Oregon
541 479-3915

Content

Another one of my favorite repairs are these antenna.

Connectors customers are always ripping them off.

They moved the TV set or the yank on the cord, and it gives yank these things right off.

And here I've got one that's been yanked up right here, I'm going to go ahead and fix it for the customer.

First thing I had to do was unsolder his tuner it's, a little section right here.

I'll show you how I go about that first thing I have to do is unsolder the backside of the tuner and I apologize for the poor quality video here.

And just sitting here alone in my shop doing what I do most of the time.

Anyway, this stuff called wire wick.

If you don't know about wire wick, you really got to learn about this stuff.

You can buy it at RadioShack it's.

It actually drinks up the solder when you hold your iron.

For example, when I want to take the solder off these different terminals here on the backside of the tuner I simply push the wire wick up against the terminal I.

Wanna do solder and I don't think the camera is able to pick it up, but it's it pulls it right off.

You move on to the next terminal touch, the iron to the back side of the wire wick again it.

And it literally soaks up the solder I actually did this tuner ahead of time.

So I don't need to go through the process, but I'm just showing you.

You can see all the solder that got sucked up onto the wire wick.

And now that I've got it.

All unsoldered I can simply pop my tuner modulate there, a lot of times customers bring these in and they're in pretty bad shape.

Sometimes I have to repair the circuit boards too.

And anyway, the way these work you you can see I just pulled off the side there I did that or rather abruptly I, usually like to take a marking pen and Mark how everything goes, because you want to put these back the way they came out, but you can see the side comes off here.

And on the other side, you've got a same thing.

Now you've got the circuit board exposed and you're going to want to find where you saw it on the new connector.

Now I buy I buy quantity quantities of these at a time because this is so common I've had as many as three people bring these things in in a week, winning antenna.

Connectors, put on and it's good business.

Anyway, it simply fits right in here.

And then you have to pull the back side here and solder it into the circuit board.

Now one thing that I generally do is I walk over to my grinder.

And I actually grind the sides of these of this connector before I solder it because the solder sticks a lot better.

I mean, let me show you exactly what I do here.

I just take this little brand new connector and I, and I rough, I kind of turn it.

I get precise with it kind of cleaned up this see now now solder will adhere to the sides of it real well.

And I also like to generally taper the edge of this down a little bit.

Sometimes these won't fit in the circuit board.

Here we go now I can just solder that baby on I have generally have to use my soldering gun.

Because of the fact that it's uh requires a lot of heat, and you don't want to overheat these things if you overheat them, you melt the inside of it I had a friend that he always likes to put a connector on it before he slaughters it to help stabilize the inside of it.

Okay.

Now that I set the antenna connector in place.

I can I, actually, go ahead and solder it.

Now, these kind of want to fall over here.

So the first thing I like to do is I, take my soldering gun and I, hold the trigger get a good and hot before I try to solder it and I'll just try to tack tack it down on the edges.

And because because I pre sanded, the ground ground, the side of the thing, the solder sticks to it real.

Well.

So I put a little there, a little here, a little bit more to get it to flow better and that's going pretty good.

Unfortunately, got a little bit of a space there I'd, rather not have, but that's.

Alright, long as I don't short out that Center terminal I'm good.

Now, this is a little trick.

A friend taught me, it's, probably not a bad idea.

He generally likes to take some sort of an antenna connector and pop it on here as he's soldering it.

The reason he likes to do that is he sometimes the plastic inside here starts to get molten and soft.

And you get pushed to the side because you're getting this thing so hot to solder it, but that's, probably not a bad idea.

I'll, go ahead and do it this time just for the show and get this baby soldered on here.

Just about got it solder is flowing on there.

Real nice, I bet you this thing's, a whole lot stronger that was when it was first made I've never had a customer bring one back for a second repair after I got done repairing him.

So I think we're good.

All I got to do is pop the tuner back in and I'm all set.

Well, I almost forgot I have to head to resolder the back the back wire coming off.

The connector goes right here.

So I had to resolder that too that's, good and I generally, like when I'm done with these things I generally like to take my magnifying glass out and really look things over because a lot of times let's see if I can hold it in front of my camera and get it to work a lot of times.

You can saw our connection.

And if you're not careful you'll you'll have a little spot solder bridge going to somewhere else.

You don't want it or you'll lund saw it or something you shouldn't because you're, not being careful enough and you're causing more problems than you start with.

So you got to be careful, especially with the surface, mounted components, sometimes you can unintentionally unsolder one of them.

So just be steady with your iron.

And you should be fine anyway, I'd like to look over the board for cracks and stuff.

Sometimes you'll see little cracks by the way.

This is a 10 powered magnifying glass.

You can buy one similar to this called Jewelers loops.

If I didn't have this thing I'd be completely lost I, don't know, anybody that has I strong enough to see what you can see with a magnifying glass.

This enables me to find baddest bad solder connections and all kinds of things I wouldn't.

Normally be able to find.

So an absolute must in this business is a jeweler's loupe or just a magnifying glass.

I suppose, if you can find one that's, 10 power, so that's, pretty much ready to go I'm just going to slide it back together, I noticed a lot of times when I get done soldering.

These sometimes the case doesn't want to squeeze all together because of the solder around the edges.

So if you can do it carefully, it doesn't hurt to just put it in a vise and squeeze the squeeze of ice a little bit to make this thing going the wrong way there to make it fit a little tighter and I, remember one time a customer brought a TV back and the case had actually fallen off the tuner.

So I, really like to make sure that everything is on there, good and snug.

So that's, pretty much ready to go.

You can see that's rock so that's, not going anywhere now, I'll, go ahead and solder back in so I'm, just going to go solder the rest of these terminals in here, very carefully and put the back on and get paid I was thinking they're, probably so many people out there that have the same problem.

If there was some way I could just do these eight hours a day, I'd, get wealthy, I mean, it's so it's.

So common it.

It goes fairly quick as you can see I'm done everything's, pretty well soldered in there I'll double check just to make sure if it looks like a better all soldered in so yeah, we're.

Good.

One little thing I could say here about soldering iron.

So maybe I'll make a special video about that.

But getting a good soldering iron is a must - I'll explain that in a different video as you can see, it's all back and better than new.

So let's, all take care of.

FAQs

How do I fix my TV antenna signal? ›

10 ways to improve OTA antenna reception
  1. Adjust The Position. ...
  2. Switch To An Outdoor Or Attic Antenna. ...
  3. Keep The Cable Away From Power Cords. ...
  4. Upgrade Your Cable Splitters. ...
  5. Install An Antenna Rotator.

How do I connect my antenna to my TV with a broken coaxial input? ›

In order to use an antenna with a TV that does not have a f-type coaxial cable connector for the antenna, you can purchase a digital converter box online or at any retailer with an electronics department.

What connector type is on a TV antenna? ›

The most common antenna plugs used in both TV and FM radios are the traditional coaxial IEC connectors in male and female connectors. F-connectors are mainly used for the antenna installation itself when connecting antenna amplifiers, splitter, etc., as well as for satellite/satellite installations.

Why does my TV say no signal when antenna is plugged in? ›

What does No TV Signal from aerial mean? Generally, a 'no signal' message signifies an issue with reception; the TV is not receiving anything from the cables or the antenna. In a nutshell, this simply means that your service (satellite or cable) is not able to display movies and shows.

Why does my TV say no signal when everything is plugged in? ›

This is often a result of either the TV box being powered off, not being properly connected to the TV, or the TV being set to the wrong input. In some cases, if you are not receiving a signal on your TV, it could be a result of a service outage.

Can you connect TV without antenna? ›

Smart TVs do not have built-in antennas, so to be able to view free over-the-air channels, an antenna is required.

Will coaxial cable work without connector? ›

A coaxial cable (coax) brings TV and internet signals into homes and other buildings. These cables need connectors on the end to hook up to appliances like TVs and transmit signal.

What to do if my coax cable is not working? ›

If your devices aren't working, check the cable wall outlet you recently connected to the coax splitter. Use a flat-head screwdriver to remove the coax wall plate and verify the coax cable going to the back of the wall outlet is fully connected. Use a 7/16” wrench to tighten the connector.

Are all TV antenna cables the same? ›

While all coaxial cables are used to transmit signals, they are not all the same. Coaxial cables vary in size, material, and shielding. Each type of coax cable works best with specific applications.

What is a TV antenna port called? ›

Antenna plugs and sockets are devices that connect the TV set to the TV antenna (aerial). Antenna plugs are male antenna connectors that fit into female antenna sockets.

Do TVs have male or female coax? ›

A television coax connection, for example, uses an F-type connector as the industry standard. Not every connector can be used with every type of coax cable, but all types of coax cables do support multiple types of RF connectors. Every connector comes in two versions, male and female.

Why is my antenna not connecting? ›

Verify all connections are secure and are on the correct ports. If the antenna is mounted outdoors, make sure there is no water in the connectors on the coaxial cable. Visually inspect the antenna, coaxial cable and the balun/matching transformer (the device that connects the antenna to the coaxial cable).

Why do I suddenly have no TV signal? ›

Disconnect the HDMI cable from your source device and the TV and then reconnect making sure the connection is secure. If the issue continues, try using a different HDMI cable. Connect your source device to a different HDMI port on your TV, and then change the TV input to match the port used.

What input should my TV be on? ›

HDMI, or “High-Definition Media Input,” is the go-to port for all your modern devices. HDMI ports in your TV are used for both video and audio.

What causes TV antenna to lose signal? ›

According to our research, antenna channels may be lost for various reasons. The reasons include a faulty antenna, lack of digital conversion, coaxial cable signal loss, signal interference, LED light bulbs, TV settings, a faulty TV video card, electric pumps, and thermostat-controlled chlorinators.

Why is my Samsung TV not recognizing the antenna? ›

Antenna Not Detected

First, ensure that your antenna is connected properly and that your TV is set to the correct input. You can also try restarting your TV and re-scanning for channels. If you're still having trouble, consult your TV manual or contact Samsung customer support for assistance.

Why is my TV not picking up channels? ›

Your cables may be loose.

If you have loose cables, you'll most likely get no signal or a spotty signal. So make sure your connections are tight at your TV and your antenna. While you're checking your connections, also take a look at your cables to make sure they aren't bent, looped, or otherwise broken.

Why is my Samsung TV saying no signal antenna? ›

The “No Signal” error on your TV may be caused by connection problems through your transmitter or HDMI cable. You have to determine whether the location of your TV is a good spot to receive a signal from your transmitter. You should also check whether your antenna is properly connected to your TV.

Does a smart TV have a built in antenna? ›

While smart TVs typically come with built-in antennas, they are used for Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity — not for picking up free-to-air channels. You can always try using a less sophisticated analog antenna, but there's a good chance you'll experience signal problems.

Can you use a smart TV without cable or antenna? ›

Does a Smart TV need cable? No, Smart TV works without cable or an antenna box! You can connect your Smart TV to a WiFi connection and stream whatever you want to watch.

Do you have to have a smart TV for an antenna to work? ›

Older or non-Smart TVs made by Vizio, LG, Sony or Samsung work with a digital TV antenna. There is one easy way to check. Take a peek behind your television, and look for the port to plug in a TV antenna. It's the same port used to connect a cable box to your TV.

What are two types of connectors for coaxial cable? ›

There are two distinct connector styles; male and female. Male connectors have a protruding metal pin in the center, whereas female connectors have a receptacle to receive that pin. Depending on the connector size and frequency, some may be sexless and mounted flush instead of mating.

What is a coax connector called? ›

Coaxial connectors, also known as barrel or tip connectors, are used to top and tail the cables and connect devices to external power supplies, or to connect cables to each other, while maintaining the outer interference shielding.

Can I use normal wire instead of coaxial cable? ›

The dimension of the center conductor is set according to the RG6 standard, and it's not likely to change. Therefore, it is possible to take the steel wire and then copper-plate it. It works just as well and is frequently used to make cable television installations.

How do I know if my coax port is bad? ›

You can test your coax outlet's signal by taking your cable modem from cable outlet to cable outlet manually, and plugging it in to each coax outlet to verify a signal and connectivity. If your internet modem connects like normal, that means a signal was detected. If it doesn't connect, then you have no signal.

What is the most common coaxial cable fault? ›

Damage from rough or improper handling and accidents is the most common type of damage. Coax has a wide minimum bend radius and the distance between inner conductor and shield should be kept as even as possible along the entire length.

How do I know if my coaxial cable is bad? ›

You could measure how much resistance the circuit has with an ohmmeter. Connect the ohmmeter to the cable. If it's working, there should be a low-to-moderate resistance reading of 75-100ohms. If the reading is outside of this range, it may be time to replace your cables.

What is the difference between male and female antenna connectors? ›

Male (plug) connectors have a pin inside, and female (jack) connectors have a hole inside. Male connectors have threads on the inside of the barrel, while female connectors have threads on the outside of the barrel.

What is the difference between antenna cable and coaxial cable? ›

Coaxial cable, also known as coax cable, is the cable type used in antenna cable assemblies. This cable is uniquely structured to provide efficient transmission of radio frequency signals due to its high level of shielding that protects transmitted signals from external electromagnetic interference.

What is the best antenna cable for HDTV? ›

The best coaxial cable for HDTV isRG-11. This type of cable offers a higher gauge than others, which provides more space for signals to transfer. This makes RG-11 cable adept at transferring strong HD signals at speed.

What is the difference between antenna and antenna port? ›

The term "antenna port" is related to physical layer. It is the logical concept and not the physical one like RF antenna. Each antenna port represents specific and unique channel model. Dedicated reference signals are assigned for all the antenna ports individually, which helps in channel estimation and equalization.

What are TV connectors called? ›

HDMI cables are the most commonly used cable for HDTVs. They carry video signals of at least 1080p or more. HDMI cables have one 19-pin connector on each end.

What are three 3 types of coaxial cable connectors? ›

There are three different types of coaxial cable connectors and they are the F-Series, the N-Series and the BNC coaxial connectors. When choosing your coaxial cable connectors make sure to also take into account the width of the coax cabling that you will be using so that they fit!

What is antenna socket? ›

Antenna wall outlets are typically used to finish an antenna installation. Wall outlets are available in several varieties for different antenna signals like radio signals, satellite and cable TV.

How do I check my TV antenna connection? ›

The simplest and most convenient way to check whether it is the aerial socket or TV that is causing problems is to check if everything is working with another TV. If you have a second TV in your home, connect it to the aerial point that you find problematic. After that, wait for the TV to scan for the channels.

How do I test my antenna connection? ›

How to Test for a Defective CB Antenna
  1. Using your multimeter, touch one of the probes to the metallic end of the antenna. ...
  2. Touch the other probe to the metallic threads at the end of the antenna. ...
  3. As you maintain contact with both probes, measure the circuit's resistance.

How long do TV antennas last? ›

Assuming that the aerial has been professionally installed, I would say 10-20 years. This isn't to say that they can't last any longer than that. I still see people using 30 year old aerials with no problem.

Why is my antenna suddenly not picking up channels? ›

If hills, trees, buildings, or other geographic features are in between the broadcast towers and the antenna, the signals might not be able to reach your antenna. Elevating the antenna, either by placing it in a higher location or using a taller mast, will increase the signal reception.

Why is my TV not picking up free to air channels? ›

Ensure that your TV antenna is connected correctly to your set top box. Ensure cables are plugged in securely and undamaged. Attempt to view a Free to Air channel.

Can a TV antenna go bad? ›

Your antennas performance can become degraded over time if elements, or the interconnections between the elements become damaged, but total failure is not common.

How do I test my antenna output? ›

The general approach to antenna tests is to position a known transmitter and antenna at a known distance away from the tested antenna. The tested antenna is connected to a known receiver. The magnitude of the transmitter output is known, as is the loss of any cabling.

Why is my antenna not working? ›

One of the main reasons why your antenna is not working is that the antenna cables are not well connected. This mostly happens when someone has interfered with the connection. If you have pets in your house, then they can touch the antenna cable when running around the house, causing it to break loose from the decoder.

What does it mean when TV says channel not available? ›

The screen displays a message CHANNEL NOT AVAILABLE. The message will appear when there is no incoming signal to the television's antenna input or when no transmission is received from the broadcaster. If you experience this on some channels: Not all the analog and digital channels are transmitted by the cable provider ...

Why are no channels found after scanning? ›

First, check the obvious. Make sure you are plugging the cable into the correct antenna socket on the SKIPPA (the one marked IN). Also make sure that the other end of the cable is plugged into an antenna wall socket and not your TV.

Can you improve antenna signal strength? ›

Improve reception by removing obstacles, checking antenna connections, running a channel scan, or using a signal amplifier. Consider trying a new antenna. Switching from an indoor one to an outdoor one can improve TV reception, for example.

References

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