Editorial StaffBeing able to access your favorite TV channels on your smartphone or tablet in addition to your TV is a dream come true. In this article about converting a TV antenna to WiFi, we’ll show you exactly how to do that.
How to Connect TV Antenna to Your Wi-Fi Router
The first step is to ensure that your HDTV antenna is properly installed and in good working condition. This applies whether you’re using an indoor antenna or an outdoor antenna. Having a properly installed antenna will allow you to have an easy process as you are converting a TV antenna to Wi-Fi.
Once this is done, you can now move on to setting up your antenna on your home Wi-Fi network. You’re going to require a few things for this process to work. The first is an external Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner device.
Once you get the ATSC device, you’ll plug the TV antenna coaxial cable into it instead of straight into your TV. You’ll then plug this external tuner into your Wi-Fi router. You can use an ethernet cable to make this connection.
Why Should You Convert A TV Antenna to Wi-Fi?
What are the advantages of connecting your TV antenna to your Wi-Fi router? The first reason is that you’ll get a better picture and sound. This means that you can say goodbye to looking for ways to boost your TV antenna every now and again.
You’ll also be able to comfortably stream your favorite TV channels over your Wi-Fi signal even when you don’t have an internet connection.
Let’s now look at some of the best external tuners that you can use to convert your TV antenna to Wi-Fi.
What Are the Best External Tuners?
We have two incredible options for you to consider when it comes to the external tuner you want. These are the HDHomeRun and the Table Dual LITE.
The working mechanism of these two devices is the same as we described above. You connect the coaxial cable from your antenna to the external tuner and then use ethernet to connect to your TV.
Let’s look at these two in brief detail.
1. HDHomeRun
One thing to note with the units from this brand is that they come with various numbers of tuners inside. For example, some might have two while others have four. Naturally, the more the tuners, the more expensive they are.
The number of tuners depends on your needs. The more the tuners you have, the more shows you’ll be able to watch and record. Therefore, if you have a large household and love to record shows, consider getting a model with multiple tuners.
If you get one with four tuners, you’ll be able to watch and record four TV channels simultaneously.
Another thing to note about the HDHomeRun series is that they come with optional DVR capabilities. However, this feature will also cost you a bit more. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to watch and record content for later.
This DVR property also comes with some additional responsibility. You’ll need to connect your external tuner to a computer which will remain on for you to record. You can also use good network-attached storage (NAS) if you don’t want to use a computer.
Feel free to use the HDHomeRun app to download the electronic program guide you can use to customize your viewing.
You’ll learn how to pause live TV for up to an hour and rewind up to five minutes of the content you’re watching. Therefore, this tuner is suitable for you if you want to view your TV channels more than you want to record them.
If you want to record your shows, consider the other option below.
2. Tablo Dual LITE
You’ll be able to comfortably stream your TV channel on any device and be able to record it too. This model comes with two tuners hence the name dual. So you’ll be able to play two live streams or recordings simultaneously.
You will also be able to stream your TV channels to up to six devices. In addition, the built-in DVR properties allow you to watch, pause, and record TV channels on any of your devices.
This is the major difference between this model and the HDHomeRun one above. You will also be able to skip commercials. You also won’t have to subscribe to use these recording features, which is a great plus.
Thanks to this tuner, you’ll be able to upgrade from the usual TV experience. Even if you have a Roku device along with your antenna, you’ll feel the difference once you add Wi-Fi to the list.
If you want to upgrade your DVR capabilities, feel free to subscribe to the options available. Some of the features you’ll receive from your subscriptions include being able to automatically skip commercials, access out-of-home streaming, and being able to fast-forward content.
Before you begin your experience, check out the easy-to-navigate channel guide to learn how to search and browse. You’ll be able to browse by channel, genre, type, or program.
Conclusion
Which tuner do you feel is the best for you? Get your external tuner and comfortably convert your TV antenna into Wi-Fi. You’ll be able to comfortably watch your favorite TV channels from any device in the house.
