Roku setup

[jagster66]

Just got my new Roku tv set up and am wondering if there is a way to remove free antenna channels that my tv picked up? I see how to remove off of the streaming side but it doesn't seem to work the same on the antenna side.

[AvsGunnar · Accepted solution]

To remove all antenna channels so you cant see any OTA (over the air channels), navigate to the Live TV tile/app, press *button, and select Remove Input.  To re-enable input, navigate to Settings..TV Inputs..Inputs not being used.

To remove individual antenna channels, navigate to Settings..TV Inputs..Live TV..Hide Antenna Channels

Then select which channels you wish to hide when viewing Antenna Live TV.

[jagster66]

Thank you for the reply. It did help but now that I have messed around a bit more with this tv, I am not AS excited about it as I was before. Reasons being:

1. We like to use a regular antenna for many of our local channels and I THOUGHT we were really getting a lot of free over air channels from the antenna. Plus the fact fact that the box says "Enhanced Digital Tuner" but when I have the internet turned off, we only get 3 to 5 local channels with each directional change. So that really has not helped us at all. We were getting 7 to 8 on old tv that went out last week.

2. I can not figure out how to turn the internet off so we can watch those 3-5 channels without turning my whole internet off, which will not work as I use my laptop almost constantly for school and work. Is there a way to just turn it on and off when we want, without turning my whole internet off? I have searched here for this and did find the one long thread about the person wanting to turn it off due to dangers. I don't want it off permanently but do need to be able to turn it off to watch the locals.

[AvsGunnar]

Well, when connected to internet using the Live TV input of the RokuTV, that is really only providing the Guide Info (the TV scheduling for the various channels).  If you are disconnected from internet, should not decrease the available channels acquired from your Antenna. (you just won't be provided any info from the guide as to what is playing on the channel or schedule info.)  You may just need to get a more powerful antenna to connect to the TV to receive more channels. 

If you do not mind having to enter your password each time you want to use the streaming capabilities of your RokuTV, you can just navigate to Settings..System..Advanced System Settings..Reset Network Connections..Network Reset.

This will reboot your TV and disconnect it from your network (and thus, internet).  You then just select the Live TV tile to watch your OTA channels but will most likely find this an undesirable way to watch as no program guide will be available and you will be limited to using the up and down arrows to switch channels (no guide=no quick scrolling through channels).   This will be same result no matter how you disable the internet to the TV.

Another way to disable internet to specified devices is to change some settings within router similar to Parental Controls or managing DHCP clients. (Use your RokuTV MAC address, not IP address which can change, when defining rules).  Of course you will have to login to your router admin each time to enable and disable access as required. (Unless you have a newer router that has an accompanying App to control connected devices such as a Pause or Block feature).

Are you needing to disable internet to save on streaming bandwidth?  I am sure any bandwidth used while watching OTA is minimal as, again, just used for guide info.

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[jagster66]

 We have unlimited internet and that's not an issue, the issue is that with the internet on, the local channels that we do like to watch, do not show up. And I can't just turn my internet completely off due to work and school. Does that make sense? Are we going to just have to stop watching the local channels? If so, this tv is turning out to be less and less desirable...

[AvsGunnar]

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I understand now.  It is most likely the antenna you are using with the tuner then.(or the tuner itself). The tvs I have connected with my attic antenna give me a lot more channels than the rabbit ears I have on my kitchen RokuTV.  I just don't see any correlation between having the network enabled (internet on) decreasing the number of antenna channels available.  These are OTA (Over-the-Air) signals.

Could be your other older TV just had a better tuner that worked with your current antenna.

Another option if you haven't heard about it, and if available in your area is to use the Locast channel/app available online and on Roku.  It streams "all" local channels in your area to your TV (even those your antenna probably couldn't get before).  Although technically free, it kind of always asks you to donate (since it is non-profit), it works very well. Basically you are streaming your local channels for free.  For $5 a month I think, these donation requests go away.  

So Locast or a new longer range antenna is probably your solution.  Personally, I like a stand-alone TV with a connected Roku device over my integrated RokuTV for what its worth.

[jagster66]

That's still not my main concern. The only way I am seeing those channels, say 11-1, 11-2, etc.... is when I have turned my internet off. Not on the TV but actually turning my modem off. Is that normal? Is there a way to turn it off on the tv, other than the long way around you explained earlier? Or is that it? OR should I still be able to see them even with the internet on? 

[AvsGunnar]

No, having to turn your internet off to be able to receive the OTA channels is not normal.  You should be able to see all the same channels regardless of if the internet is on or off.  The only thing that determines how many channels you get is the strength of the antenna (grabbing the signal) and the sensitivity of digital tuner of the tv (decoding these signals).  And then of course how far away these signals are from your TV. (10 miles, 50 miles, etc)

A network router operates on the 2.4gz and 5gz frequencies.  OTA channels operate at much higher frequencies (54Mhz-3000 Mhz) so these frequencies aren't even next to each other and don't conflict with each other or cause interference with each other. 

If you are having to turn off internet to get the TV to display the digital sub-channels of a channel (say 11.2 and 11.3 and 11.4 etc of the main channel 11.1 ), and with the internet on, you are not seeing these same sub-channels or main channel, then there most likely exists a defect inside the TV itself regarding shielding and some internal hardware interference going on or the tuner itself is defective.  Since this is not normal and defective, you really should return the TV.

Now, you also have to establish a good antenna connection before scanning for channels.  You can't "tune them in" like the good old days.  Once the tuner sees and acquires them during the scan, then yes, you can move your antenna around to get a better signal hopefully if weak signal.  This is also why you need to periodically rescan for channels if stations add subchannels or move frequencies. (the tuner just doesn't add them to list just because they are available, you need to scan for them).

Hope that helps.  

If you want to learn more than any one human being should know about antenna tv, you can check out this guy on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-J5IlRyzeQ   Antenna Man.  He actually is very good though.  In this video, he explains why some subchannels are going to be moving around soon. (not related to your situation, but helps explain subchannels.)

[jagster66]

Thank you for all of your information. I really didn't want to read that it needs to be returned though. This is the 2nd one I have brought home in the last week. I am gonna call the help number this morning, just now finding time to do that, and see if there is a setting somewhere I am missing. Again, I appreciate all of your replies. 

[jagster66]

Issue resolved.