Digital TV coverage map
In Russia, the official RTRS website publishes coverage maps and transmitter details. They show which transmitter is closest and which way your antenna should face.
TV antenna (in Russian)
Tools
Tools
You don't need a case full of instruments to set up reception. All it takes is a couple of reference sources, the menus already built into your TV and a few everyday odds and ends. Keep them in one place, and any retuning goes faster and with less stress.
The signal quality bar on your set-top box is the most honest advisor you have: it doesn't argue or try to sell you anything, it just shows whether things got better or worse.
How this section works: we describe kinds of helpers, not specific devices or apps. Menu names differ between manufacturers, but the features themselves are found on almost any modern TV or set-top box.
What comes in handy
A small kit that covers most setups at home.
Your TV's manual
The printed or digital manual explains where to find the auto scan, how to switch inputs and whether the set supports DVB-T2. Keep it somewhere easy to find.
Signal strength and quality menu
Set-top boxes and many TVs have a screen with two bars. Strength tells you how powerful the signal is, quality tells you how clean it is. Pay attention to quality first.
Cable of the right length
A cable that's too long loses some of the signal, and one that's too short ends up pulled taut. Leave a little slack, without extra coils behind the TV stand.
Cable labels
Colored tags or strips of electrical tape marked at both ends of each cable save you from guessing what's plugged in where after cleaning or a move.
Flashlight
It's almost always dark behind the TV. A small flashlight helps you read the jack labels and see whether a plug is seated firmly, without moving heavy furniture.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Glossary
Key terms in plain English: multiplex, UHF band, coverage area, LNB, receiver, auto scan, and signal strength versus signal quality.
- Safety
The real risks around TV reception: working at height, outdoor antennas in a thunderstorm, cables underfoot, an overheating box and pushy "mandatory upgrades."
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.