Which antenna is best

Most of the TV antennas are based on the same rectangular design, but there was one important consideration: the cable. Did the antenna have a long, high-performance coaxial cable or, even better, a detachable one?

You'll be sticking one of these in your window, which could be a long way from your TV, so longer is better. It's worth noting that some of these antennas -- the 1byOne and the Channel Master Smartenna Plus -- include gain-boosting amplifiers. While the 1byOne will also work without the amp attached, the Channel Master won't. Based on our experiences in a number of locations, however, amplifiers offer a wildly unpredictable signal strength benefit.

If you can't get TV reception with an indoor antenna, a gain amp may not actually help you, and in other cases, it could make your reception worse by overloading channels that already have a strong signal. Several antennas in our list include a powered amplifier, but use thoughtfully, as these may actually make a strong signal worse. Unlike when we reviewed indoor antennas in , most contemporary antennas include some form of adhesive to attach them to your wall or window.

If for some reason they lack this option you could try packing tape or poster putty instead. When you install it, you will definitely need to experiment with the placement.

A wall may actually be better than a window, depending on the orientation of your living area. Also, if possible keep the antenna away from magnetic metals such as security bars or the like since they can interfere with your signal strength. If you buy a model with a short, captive lead like the 1byOne, be aware that you may need to buy a male-female extension lead, and more coaxial cable , to get it to reach your equipment.

Finally, if you live in a poor coverage area, with weak signals, an indoor antenna may not be for you. We tried using the antennas at a location in the Hudson Valley and none of them worked at all, even the signal-boosting Smartenna.

That's why it's best to test the signal strength waters with a cheap antenna first, instead of spending a hundred bucks on something that might not work in your location due to a lack of a broadcast tower. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. Settings My Profile Sign Out. Search Go. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about.

When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Ty Pendlebury , Joshua Goldman. Jump to details. We assembled an extensive list of indoor antennas that had been introduced since our last major update of this guide in , and we also consulted manufacturers to see which new models they thought we should test.

Then we focused on antennas that met most of the following criteria:. Some antennas carry range ratings in the hundreds or thousands of miles, even though the curvature of the Earth limits range in miles to approximately 1. Range is mostly a matter of the transmitter power and location. However, ATSC 3. Incidentally, all of these antennas should also work reasonably well for FM radio, which resides in a frequency band just above TV channel 6. We skipped them for this guide.

However, the Federal Communications Commission recently auctioned off the radio frequency spectrum above MHz formerly TV channels 35 and higher to wireless broadband services, which forced many TV channels to shift to lower frequencies in the VHF range.

Some people may have been disappointed to discover that their formerly reliable antenna could no longer pull in channels that had moved from UHF to VHF. To find out whether you need to worry about VHF reception, visit the RabbitEars Signal Search Map and enter your zip code to see which stations in your area are broadcasting on which channels. The map also shows where the broadcast antennas are relative to your location. Note that these changes do not affect the channel number listed in your TV-channel guide.

TV reception is unpredictable. But in the hope of finding the antennas that would work most consistently under the greatest variety of conditions, we used them in five different locations for our latest round of testing. For each round of tests, I did a channel scan with the connected TV to see how many channels I could pick up. Note that many of these channels use multicast technology, broadcasting several channels in the space of one. For antennas that incorporated a signal-level meter, I first tested them in the same aesthetically convenient positions I used for the other antennas, after which I tried using their signal-level meters to see if that would help me find a better antenna position that would pull in more channels.

As mentioned above, we put more emphasis on VHF reception in our latest round of tests, as the longer wavelengths of those frequencies are difficult for small antennas to receive. For example, optimum reception of the lowest TV-signal frequency, channel 2, demands a 4. The lowest active TV channel in Los Angeles is channel 4 which TVs pick up as virtual channels 22 and 63 , so I used the Channel Master signal meter to measure the sensitivity of the antennas to this channel as a way to gauge low-VHF sensitivity.

All of our recommendations produce signals that, with a clear transmission in good conditions, are typically 25 to 30 dB or to 1, times stronger than the noise. Although the performance of the antennas we tested was sometimes inconsistent and thus difficult to gauge, all of our picks excelled in certain tests and at least placed in the middle of the pack in every other test.

Of all the antennas in our latest round of testing, the Antennas Direct ClearStream Flex was the most consistent performer. It always ranked at or near the top in the number of channels received, and in our technical tests it produced a strong signal with relatively low noise.

The ClearStream Flex did the best overall in my in-home tests, pulling in the most channels 90 out of in the first room and the fourth-most channels in the second room. In our tests in the Oceanside, California, area, it was one of several models that tied for second best, pulling in 21 channels. Without the amp, the numbers were a little lower: 81 and 87 in my home, and 19 in Oceanside.

A supplied Sure Grip adhesive strip attaches the ClearStream Flex to the wall, and you can reposition the antenna by gently peeling it off the wall and resticking it elsewhere. You can even wipe the strip off with a damp cloth if it gets dirty, thus restoring its stickiness. The cable attaches to the antenna with a threaded connector, so you can substitute a longer, shorter, or different-colored cable if you desire. The amplifier accompanying the antenna we received was a 3-inch-long rectangle, different from the amp shown on the Amazon page.

The ClearStream Flex is one of the larger flat models we tested. The new model retains the signal-level meter that lets you fine-tune the positioning of the antenna for the best reception, and in our tests, a subtle change in the size of the new antenna dramatically improved its performance even before we used the meter. In addition, it currently has limited distribution and represents a big step up in price over the original ANT3ME.

The meter incorporates five LEDs: two red, one yellow, and two green. As you move the antenna to different places in a room, more LEDs illuminate as the signal strength increases. You could use your TV to do a channel scan in each location, but with many TVs, each scan takes a long time—in the case of my Vizio PG1 TV, it took more than 13 minutes per scan, which might mean an hour or two of trial and error versus a minute or two with the ANT3ME1. In my living room, where TV signals are fairly weak, getting even one extra LED to light up on the meter made a huge difference.

Once you have compiled your list of desired channels, determine how far the furthest channel is from your residence.

For better reception, choose an antenna that covers this distance at a minimum. How do you do this? The amount of distance your antenna can cover depends on the type of antenna it is; this information should be provided in the product literature. For example, the literature for an indoor HDTV antenna like the Winegard Flatwave might state that it provides a range of up to 50 miles especially when stationed near a window.

If you want to watch TV from a local station under 50 miles away, therefore, the Winegard Flatwave could be your ideal. Technology varies from one product to another, but generally speaking, indoor TV antennas boast shorter ranges than outdoor TV antennas. A primary reason for this is the degree of interference created by other electronic devices inside the home. You might be wondering if you would fare better with an indoor or outdoor antenna.

Several significant differences exist between the two. An indoor TV antenna connects to your TV and must be placed in a spot where it can get a clear signal, such as near a window in the living room.

These indoor models are compact and easy to install, but because their signal must travel through walls and they are often low to the ground, the signal does not travel usually as far.

The best indoor TV antennas usually provide a maximum mile range, which is shorter than what you can get from an outdoor antenna. Outdoor antennas tend to be more complicated to install, but they are more powerful in terms of long-range reception.

In fact, some outdoor antennas approach an impressive mile range. The primary reason for the better performance is that they are usually installed at greater altitudes, and fewer obstructions exist between the antenna and the signals it is trying to reach. Although installation may be more complicated, this technology is an excellent choice if your goal is to access faraway channels.

Over-the-air channels broadcast via three frequency types. The second type is VHF-High; channels 7 to 13 sit here. Importantly, not all TV antennas cover all of these ranges, so you need to figure out which ones you need for the channels you want.

As previously mentioned, it is critical to take note of the real channel number, which may differ from the number of the channel on your TV. This information can be acquired through TV Fool and similar signal analysis websites. The former works equally well in all directions, whereas the latter focuses in a single direction.

If the broadcast towers you aspire to reach are fairly close to you, the type of antenna you choose shouldn't impact the end result too much. However, if you are hoping to reach a faraway tower in order to access those sweet channels, a directional antenna pointed toward the broadcast tower will increase your chance of picking up the signal at long range. Once you have determined the type of TV antenna you need, you can begin to compare models based on their features. Installation ease, cable length, and the aesthetics of the antenna are all worthy considerations.

The installation process for most digital TV antennas is uncomplicated. The product should come with instructions on how to set it up and test it along with troubleshooting tips you can turn to if you encounter issues. Indoor antennas require the least amount of effort to set up.

Outdoor antennas require a little more elbow grease, as you will probably need to climb a ladder and spend some time on the roof. Professional installation is an option if you would prefer not to do that sort of high climbing and maneuvering. For the sake of security, you may need to occasionally reposition the antenna or find an additional means of securing it. Most TV antennas include a length of coaxial cable to connect the antenna to the TV.

If the included cord is too short, it may not reach your TV. Design is primarily a concern for indoor antennas positioned in a visible location.

Most models today are flat, rectangular devices that resemble a piece of paper and come in your choice of black or white.

There are also some larger models that resemble slim, rectangular boxes. Our advice: focus first on finding an antenna that fits your needs.

The greater the range and the more frequencies it can pick up, the more it will cost. Again, you can expect to pay more for an antenna with a longer range and for one that picks up less common frequencies.