Your TV suddenly finds no channels, or only a handful, or the screen goes black — it is one of the most common television problems in Hong Kong homes.
Most guides online are written for households in rural America: mount an antenna on the roof, cut down the trees blocking it, use a US signal-mapping tool. None of that is possible here.
This is the Hong Kong version.
Try this first: rescan your channels
If you only do one thing, do this.
In your TV settings, find "Channels" or "Broadcasting" and choose Auto Tuning (some sets call it Auto Scan). Run a full scan — it usually takes three to five minutes.
Why it matters: on 1 December 2020, six Hong Kong channels changed transmitting frequency — Jade 81, ViuTVsix 96, ViuTV 99, and RTHK TV 31, 32 and 33. The government's advice to viewers at the time was to rescan.
Building maintenance, equipment replacement and moving to a new flat can all require another scan since. In Hong Kong, "some channels suddenly disappeared" is most often solved by rescanning.
How things actually work in Hong Kong
Analogue TV has been gone for over five years
Hong Kong permanently switched off analogue television broadcasting at 23:59 on 30 November 2020.
Which means: if your set is an old analogue-only television, no amount of adjusting or repositioning will produce a picture. That is not a signal problem — the set simply cannot receive the broadcast.
Hong Kong uses DTMB
Hong Kong's digital terrestrial television uses the GB 20600-2006 national standard, known in the industry as DTMB. It is the standard set by the Communications Authority.
This is worth knowing because standards differ worldwide — Europe and much of Southeast Asia use DVB-T2, and the United States uses ATSC. If the standard does not match, the set will find no channels at all, regardless of how strong the signal is.
If you are not sure whether a set you own — or are about to buy — supports the Hong Kong standard, ask before you buy. For our models, WhatsApp us and we will tell you.
You probably do not have "your own antenna"
This is the biggest difference between Hong Kong and most guides written overseas. The overwhelming majority of Hong Kong homes use the building's communal aerial system (officially CABD / IBCCDS) — the antenna sits on the roof and the signal is distributed to every flat by coaxial cable.
So the socket on your wall is not an antenna — it is an outlet from the building's distribution system. You cannot aim it, and you should not be going up to the roof to move anything.
What the online guides tell you to do, and why it fails here
| Common online advice | The Hong Kong reality |
|---|---|
| Fit an outdoor directional antenna aimed at the transmitter | Not possible for flat dwellers, and usually breaches the deed of mutual covenant |
| Raise the antenna, mount it on a tall pole | There is no roof available to you |
| Trim the trees blocking the signal | Between urban towers, trees are not the issue |
| Use AntennaWeb to locate transmitters | A United States only tool; it does not work here |
| Install a satellite dish | Consumer satellite TV is essentially non-existent in Hong Kong homes |
| Buy a digital converter box for analogue channels | Analogue was switched off in 2020 — there is nothing left to convert |
Working through it step by step
First: is it just you, or the whole building?
Ask a neighbour or the building management. If the whole block has lost signal, the fault is in the communal aerial system and nothing you do inside your flat will help — report it to management directly.
If it is only you, read on.
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Most likely cause | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| No channels at all | Signal source not connected, or wrong input selected | Check the aerial lead is seated; confirm the TV is on Antenna/TV, not HDMI |
| Only a few channels | Incomplete scan | Run a full auto scan again |
| Had them, now some are gone | Frequency change or building equipment replaced | Rescan; if that fails, ask building management |
| Picture breaks up or pixelates | Weak signal or ageing cable | Replace the coaxial cable; check connectors for looseness and corrosion |
| Only fails in heavy rain | Water ingress in the building aerial or cabling | Report to building management — this is not a fault inside your flat |
| Brand new set finds nothing | Possibly a broadcast standard issue | WhatsApp us with the model number |
Five things you can do inside your own flat
- Run a full auto scan — use the complete scan, not the "update" mode
- Check the coaxial cable — loose or corroded connectors, or a lead crushed behind furniture, all drop signal
- Remove cheap splitters — splitting one feed across several sets weakens all of them. Take out the runs you no longer use
- Do not bundle the aerial lead with power cables — mains cabling introduces interference
- Update the TV's software — some tuning faults are firmware-related
When to call building management instead
- The whole block, or several flats on your floor, are affected
- It only fails when it rains and recovers in good weather
- The building has just had maintenance or equipment replaced
- You have tried a new TV and a new cable and nothing changed
The communal aerial system is the building's responsibility, not yours to repair.
If the television itself is simply too old
If your set predates about 2010, or is analogue to begin with, replacing it usually costs less than chasing the fault. A 43-inch 4K smart TV now costs less than most people expect.
- Samsung 43" Crystal UHD DUE800 — HK$2,780, in stock. Suits a bedroom or a smaller flat.
- Samsung 65" Crystal UHD U8000F — HK$3,980, in stock. The mainstream living-room size.
More options in the Crystal UHD range, or browse by size in 65 inch TVs.
Before you replace anything, WhatsApp us and describe the situation — if the fault is actually in the building's aerial, a new television will not fix it, and we would rather you did not waste the money.
Frequently asked questions
Why did some channels suddenly disappear?
Usually because the set has not been rescanned. Six Hong Kong channels changed frequency on 1 December 2020, and building equipment changes can have the same effect since. A full auto scan normally fixes it.
Do I need to buy my own antenna?
Almost certainly not. You are using the building's communal aerial system; the socket on the wall is a distribution outlet, not your own antenna.
What broadcast standard does Hong Kong use?
The GB 20600-2006 national standard, known as DTMB. It is the standard set by the Communications Authority.
Is analogue TV still available?
No. Hong Kong permanently switched off analogue television at 23:59 on 30 November 2020.
Do signal amplifiers help?
It depends. If the signal is weak but clean, an amplifier can help. If the signal is noisy, an amplifier boosts the noise along with it and makes matters worse. On a communal aerial system you should normally go to building management before adding one yourself.
The signal drops in heavy rain — is that normal?
No. It usually means water has got into the building's aerial or cabling, which is a building maintenance matter. Report it to management.
Still stuck?
WhatsApp +852 9847 9793 (11:00–19:00) and tell us:
- The TV model and roughly how old it is
- Whether you get no channels at all, or only some
- Whether your neighbours have the same problem
We will help you work out whether it is settings, cabling, the building's system, or the television itself — so you are not testing everything one at a time.
Our warranty
- Warranty: free on-site inspection and repair within three years. Replacement parts are quoted separately — we quote first, and only proceed once you confirm.
- On-site: inspection and repair are both done at your home. You do not have to carry the set anywhere.
- Installation: on-site installation available, quoted by address.
- Full terms: see the delivery and warranty terms.
For official information on digital terrestrial television in Hong Kong, see the Communications Authority's reception guide.
