TCL 6-Series Roku TV R655 cannot find antenna channels

The checks in more detail

Each two-way splitter takes away about half of the signal, a loss of three to four decibels, and an eight-way splitter takes much more, so an antenna that serves four TVs may leave each with too little unless it has a distribution amplifier. Test the R655 with the antenna connected directly, bypassing the splitter, and see whether the channel list grows. The cable matters as well. Older houses may have thin RG59 cable, which loses more signal than RG6, and long runs lose signal at the higher frequencies, so a station on a high UHF channel may vanish while the lower ones stay.

Check connectors for corrosion and make sure each one is tight, and replace a kinked or crushed cable. An amplifier is a tool for losses, not for weak antennas: an amplifier close to the antenna, powered through the cable by an injector, boosts before the cable loses signal, while an amplifier at the TV only boosts noise as well. Too much gain from an amplifier on a strong signal overloads the tuner and makes channels worse, so if channels vanish after you add one, remove it. Outdoor installations bring weather.

A cable gap that lets water in will cause breakup in rain, and a mast that moves in wind shifts the aim. A grounded mast and a lightning arrestor are good practice, and a professional should do roof work. After any change, run the Antenna TV scan on the Roku home screen, and look at the signal strength meter for the weakest channels. If the R655 finds all channels with a short direct cable and fewer through the house wiring, the wiring is the fault. If it finds nothing even directly connected to a known-good antenna, contact TCL with the model number and serial number for tuner service.