How to Retune Your TV in Brisbane (and What to Do When Channels Are Still Missing)

Missing channels? Before you call anyone, try a retune. It’s free, takes a few minutes and fixes a surprising number of reception problems. If it doesn’t, the steps below will help you work out what’s actually wrong.

When you should retune your TV

• After a power outage or a storm.
• When a channel disappears or shows “No Signal”.
• After moving the TV to another room or connecting a new TV.
• When broadcasters change frequencies or add channels.

How to retune your TV

The menu names differ between brands, but the steps are similar on most TVs sold in Australia:

• Open the menu: press Menu, Home or Settings on your remote.
• Find the channel settings: look for Channels, Broadcasting, Tuning or Setup.
• Choose auto tune: it may be called Auto Tune, Auto Scan, Channel Search or Auto Program.
• Select antenna or air: if asked, choose Antenna, Air or Terrestrial, not Cable or Satellite.
• Set the country to Australia: an incorrect country setting can stop channels being found.
• Start the scan: wait until it finishes. It can take a few minutes.

If you have a set-top box or recorder, retune that too, as it has its own channel list.

When retuning won’t fix it

If channels are still missing or breaking up after a retune, the problem is usually in the signal reaching your TV. Common causes include:

• A misaligned or damaged antenna: wind and storms can knock it off target.
• Water in a cable or connector: common after heavy rain.
• A faulty splitter or amplifier: these can weaken the signal to every TV.
• The wrong antenna for your area: some Brisbane and Ipswich suburbs need a higher-gain antenna.

Our guides on missing digital TV channels and why your TV is losing channels go into more detail.

A quick test you can do

Retune a second TV in another room. If both TVs are missing the same channels, the problem is almost certainly the antenna or the main cabling. If only one TV is affected, check its lead, wall plate and settings.

When to call a technician

Book a check if:

• channels are still missing after retuning every TV
• the picture breaks up in wind or rain
• you can see damage to the antenna from the ground
• the problem started after a storm.

A technician will test the signal at the antenna and at each TV point, find where it drops, and fix it before retuning everything for you.

Frequently asked questions

Will retuning delete my favourite channels?

It may reset your channel list and favourites on some TVs. Note them first so you can set them again.

Why do I get some channels but not others?

Different channels can be broadcast on different frequencies. A weak or poorly aimed antenna may pick up some and miss others.

How often should I retune?

Only when you notice a problem or hear about a broadcast change. There’s no need to do it on a schedule.

Retuned and still missing channels? Book a TV antenna technician in Brisbane and we’ll find the fault.