Whether you are installing a new digital television or hooking up a converter box to your old TV, you will need to scan for channels to ensure that you receive all the digital stations in your area. On most DTVs and some converter boxes you will need to use the onscreen menu to navigate to a "setup" or "channel" page where you will be able to search for channels. Many converter boxes simplify this process by automatically bringing up a "setup wizard" the first time you power up. This guides you through basic settings and adjustments, including a channel scan.
 Once the scan is complete, you should see a list of the stations that have been detected. You can also flip through the channels to see what you have. You might have several channels from one station, each carrying different programming. To reach these "subchannels," use the up/down channel button on the remote or key in 18 followed by a dot or hyphen plus 1, 2, and so on(18.1 or 18-2, for example).
 But you might get few or no channels on the first try. Don't be alarmed. DTV broadcasts can be harder to pull in than analog signals. If you have so-so analog reception now, with snow and static, you might not get any picture at all with the digital version of that channel. Instead, you might see a screen that says "weak or no signal." Next steps...
 If you're missing only a few channels, you might be able to add them individually by entering the number on the converter box remote. Note that you must enter the actual broadcast frequency, not the "virtual" channel number you are familiar with. Either call the station and ask for the broadcast frequency . DTVStations.asp. Use the signal strength meter on the converter box or DTV to see which antenna adjustments yield the strongest signals. In some cases, you must rerun the scan. Check the directions that came with the box or DTV you purchased.
 Keep in mind that you might not be able to pick up a digital version of an analog channel you used to have no matter what you do. That's because the digital transmissions of some stations may cover a different geographic area than its analog broadcasts, or changes in its digital transmissions may make them harder to pick up at your location. Try the steps outlined earlier, adjusting your antenna and checking the signal-strength meter.
 If nothing works, see if neighbors are able to get the digital channel you are missing when they use an antenna. If they can, there's probably a problem with your setup. If nobody can get it, that suggests signals from the missing station may not be reaching your area. Call the local TV staion or check its Web site for information.(You can get a station's phone number at https://dtvsupport.fcc.gov/dtvtools. Click on "Channel Lookup.")
 Scanning is not a one-time thing. Rescan periodically to make sure you're getting all the digital stations available in your area, especially right after June 12, when the DTV transition is shifting into high gear. New stations may become available or existing digital stations may move to a new channel. In addition, some stations will be providing more powerful digital signals, so you might pick up a channel you were not able to get previously.