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Installing an Over The Air HD Antenna in Different Countries

Over the air or broadcast television is not just limited to the US, Canada, or the United Kingdom. Many countries around the world are broadcasting free television. To receive these channels all you need is a television with a built-in tuner or a converter box. The basic principles are the same for most countries. The size and placement of the HD antenna will vary. This article is a list of resources in which you can find information on how to set up and receive free broadcast television in different countries. We will continue to update this article with more counties as they make the switch to over the air TV. If you need help translating this page into a different language please use Google translate.

How Does Free Over The Air TV Work?

The concept is very basic. Network television stations broadcast their content using towers. These towers send broadcast signals out to local cities. People can receive these signals with an OTA antenna. Depending on how close you are to the broadcast towers will determine the size of your OTA antenna. Many countries use different standards, so not all tuners and antennas are alike. Some counties ‘ standards are different than others. They use different broadcast and decoding methods. So make sure you are using the proper equipment for your area.

Broadcast Standards by Country

Installing an Over The Air HD Antenna in Different Countries

Source: DVB.org

DVB-TV (Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial)

DVB-TV is the broadcast standard used mostly throughout Europe. Here are the countries that use this broadcast standard.

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • Bulgaria
  • Cape Verde
  • Colombia
  • Croatia
  • Curacao
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Haiti
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Palestine
  • Panama
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Thailand
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen

ATSC – (Advanced Television Systems Committee Standards)

ATSC is the broadcast standard used mostly in the US, Canada, and Mexico. ATSC uses two HD standards 1080i and 720p. Here are the countries that use this broadcast standard.

  • Bahamas
  • Canada
  • Dominican Republic
  • El Salvador
  • Mexico
  • United States
  • Puerto Rico
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Suriname
  • South Korea
  • Guam
  • Northern Mariana Islands

DTMB (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast)

This is the broadcast method used primarily in China. Here are the countries that use this broadcast standard.

  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • Macau
  • Laos
  • Pakistan
  • Malaysia
  • Timor-Leste
  • India
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Syria
  • Lebanon
  • Cuba

ISBD (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting)

ISBD is Japan’s digital broadcast standard. ISDB uses a modulation method referred to as Band Segmented Transmission. Here are the countries that use this broadcast standard.

  • Japan
  • Philippines
  • Maldives
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand
  • Brazil
  • Uruguay
  • Peru
  • Argentina
  • Chile
  • Venezuela
  • Ecuador
  • Costa Rica
  • Paraguay
  • Bolivia
  • Nicaragua
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • El Salvador
  • Belize

Over The Air TV Worldwide Resources

Free over the air HDTV has been working its way around the globe over the past few years. Many countries are offering free broadcast TV to the public. Here is a list of websites on where to find resources for setting up an OTA antenna in other countries.

USA

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia

Germany

The Netherlands

  • KPN Digitenne – Has a zip code tool to find the proper antenna. Public broadcasting stations (Netherlands 1, 2, and 3) are free to anyone who has a DVB-T receiver and antenna.
  • eBay Netherlands – Has a good selection of antennas and DVB-T receivers.

France

  • TVNT – The official TNT (Télévision Numérique Terrestre) television site. How to setup free antenna TV.
  • Agence Nationale des Frequences – Information website on the switch to TNT (Télévision Numérique Terrestre) television.
  • eBay France – Good resource for buying an HD antenna

OTA Antenna Connections

One important thing to consider when you are planning to purchase an antenna in the US and then use it in a different country is the connection type. Other countries may use different types of RF connections. So make sure the antenna has the correct connection. The picture below illustrates these types of connections.

Most European countries use the IEC connection. The USA and Canada use the F-Type connection. You can convert an F-Type connection to an IEC connection using an adapter. This may be a good option if you plan on buying an antenna in the USA to use overseas.


Conclusion

Many countries are broadcasting free television. In most cases, if you live within the broadcast limits, just placing an antenna in your home will suffice. We would like to make this page a resource of information and will be expanding it with more countries. If you would like to contribute to any useful websites or your experience that may help in setting up an OTA antenna in different countries, please comment below or contact me. I will add the suggested links to this page. Thanks.

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July 14, 2023 0

The Best Over The Air Antennas Based on Performance and User Feedback

Last updated: Friday, July 14, 2023Having a reliable over-the-air antenna is important. It can improve the reception of television stations and ensure a strong signal. In this article, we will discuss the best over-the-air antennas based on performance and user feedback. These antennas have consistently received positive reviews from users and are recognized for their ability to capture signals effectively. However, it’s important to research and consider your specific location, terrain, and distance from broadcast towers to determine the most suitable antenna for your needs. The Best Over-The-Air Antennas Based on Performance and User Feedback Channel Master EXTREMEtenna CM-4228HD The Channel Master EXTREMEtenna [...]
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About Johan
I started this site to educate the public on alternative ways you can watch television besides subscribing to cable. I have been in the audio-visual business for over 20 years. I also have an extensive computer networking background. I am a Microsoft Certified Professional and CompTIA Network+ Certified Technician. I hope you will find my articles and reviews helpful in conscious uncabling.

8 Comments

  1. Hi Johan,

    Thank you for Sharing your knowledge this is helping many people. I am actually visiting the USA and would like to know if buying this HGTV antenna will work in my country, Equatorial Guinea,
    located in West Africa 20minutes from Cameroon and 1hour from Nigeria. (Just to locate a bit) Got a smart TV and so far could channels in Spain , France,CNN about 160 channels from different countries including Africa Libia ect etc.. do you believe it can possibly work in Equatorial Guinea? Thank you for any advise
    Teodora

    • I am not sure if broadcast tv is available in Guinea. If there is broadcast TV it would most likely consist of local stations. Maybe government channels. For it to work on your television it would have to have a built-in tuner. It looks like you have satellite TV with 160 channels. Over the air tv, will not receive those channels.

  2. What do i need to do to setup an antenna in Venezuela to receive world stations?

    • A standard over the air antenna should work. The size of the antenna will depend on how far you are from the broadcast towers. It looks like Venezuela only has a handful of broadcast stations.

  3. Thanks so much for your reply. Any chance that I may set up a system to receive international channels?
    Thanks in advance

  4. I will like to know if this product will work in Sierra Leone, West Africa?

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