10 Antennas for Over-the-Air HDTV

Looks can fool. AntennasDirect’s PF7 8x10 cherry wood picture frame hides a very capable UDF antenna.

Why pay for HD-Lite? Here are 10 antennas you can use to pull over-the-air HDTV out of the air for no charge.

Although the old engineer adage “the uglier the better” is still given as antenna selection advice, manufacturers are working hard to find a middle ground. Among the 10 antennas we’ve selected you’ll find “traditional”-looking pieces with multiple branching elements that hearken back to the antenna-laden rooftops of yore, sleek outdoor units designed to appeal to the aesthetic-minded folk who want their antenna’s lines and style to complement those of the new flat screen (never mind that the two will sit on opposite sides of the house), and compact indoor models that can perch above the television set like a center speaker in a surround sound system. 

Hopefully you’ve done some research. And by that we mean hopefully you’ve read up on Over-the-Air HDTV and gone to AntennaWeb.org to plug in your zip code to determine proximity to towers, available stations, and antenna recommendations. Match the Antenna Selector color wheel results for your location with an antenna that features the same colors on its packaging and you should be good to go. It’s pretty simple.

Unless you are going with an indoor antenna. Or you have a bunch of buildings around you. Or the terrain between you and the broadcasting towers looks like the Black Hills. Ok, so it’s not necessarily that simple. There are plenty of variables to be considered. You should know that indoor antennas will not have the helpful Antenna Selector color wheel on their packaging, because reception with indoor antennas factors in even more variables. Instead, look for the CEA Indoor Antenna Mark logo. 

The antenna’s range and directivity rating should be considered. The former will depend on the terrain between you and the broadcast towers; for the latter, the rule of thumb you might consider is that the multi-directional antenna is best when the towers are not far away and situated in different directions from your home, and directional antennas (particularly the big ones with lots of elements) are effective when towers are farther away.

Know the stations that you are looking to pick up. This will determine the “band” rating of the antenna you choose. Stations broadcast in VHF (Channels 2-13), UHF (Channels 13-69), and sometimes both. Some stations will be changing their frequency with the February 2009 transition, and this information is available to the consumer. A combination UHF/VHF antenna will pick up both. Since very few stations will be broadcasting in the low VHF band (Channels 2-6), it’s becoming more common to see VHF or combo VHF/UHF antennas designed for the high band VHF (Channels 7-13), which can result in a sleeker, more compact unit. 

Antenna installation can be risky business, mostly due to power lines. If you have any doubts, hire a professional.

1. AntennasDirect Lacrosse
The new “Lacrosse” from AntennasDirect was designed to combat the aforementioned “the uglier the better” advice given to many antenna-seekers. Tailoring it for the UHF band helps give it the small, futuristic (or at least more modern) design. Including “remote sensing technology previously only available to the military” probably hasn’t hurt sales – currently the amplified version of the Lacrosse is out of stock.

2. AntennasDirect SR15
The SR15 is a sturdy outdoor antenna built for areas prone to extreme weather. The 8-sided boom will hold up in high-winds, and the extremely high directionality of the unit is suited for areas where multi-path distortion rears its ugly head. With only 15 elements the SR15 packs a nice UHF punch in a tight, muscular design.

3. Winegard HD7694P
Winegard’s HD7694P is one of 5 antennas in their HD-769 series. This powerful directional antenna pulls in stations from up to 50 miles away. This series of antenna was designed with an eye on the 2009 digital television transition, which will see the majority of markets featuring at least one channel in the high VHF band (channels 7-12). By selecting the high VHF band and UHF band, Winegard was able to slim down the HD7694 by reducing the number of elements.

4. Channel Master Omni-Directional SMARTenna
Channel Master’s SMARTenna looks like it’s about to blast off into outer space. The saucer-like design should suit most forward-looking houses and consumers, while 360⁰ of amplified reception make sure function and form are equals. Mounting surface options include roofs, walls, chimneys and attics. Combo VHF/UHF reception is ideal for post-February 2009 OTA HDTV and digital TV.

5. Channel Master 4220
The transparent design of the Channel Master 4220 helps the product blend into the home and the horizon. The universal mounting kit is the same used for a DirecTV or Dish Network satellite dish mount. The small unit is about the same as a satellite dish, but the HD coming through this baby won’t cost a thing. 

6. Winegard SS-3000
Most reviews one reads of the Winegard SS-3000 glow like a nuclear bomb test site. “The Gold Standard for indoor antennas” is an oft-read opinion. With a “Scatter Plane” technology aimed at dealing with multi-path reflected or bounced signals, this indoor antenna carefully safeguards against reception issues. The SS-3000 is perfect for urban apartment scenarios.

7. Antennas Direct PF7
If discretion is everything, consider the PF7 from Antennas Direct. This indoor UHF antenna is cleverly hidden within a fully functional picture frame. The 6.5 dB unit works best when transmission is within 15 miles. The PF7 can be hung on the wall or set up on a shelf.

8. RCA ANT1500
The RCA ANT1500 is not your average indoor antenna. The long narrow unit is tuned for both the horizontal and vertical planes, so it can be hung or laid flat. Technically the antenna is omni-directional, which means it will receive signals over 360-degrees. The VHF/UHF capability gives the consumer greater coverage of OTA HDTV, particularly after the February 2009 transition. 

9. Terk HDTVa
This amplified combination VHF/UHF indoor antenna from Terk suits those who want the full band of OTA channels in a discreet manner. A dual-drive amplifier sees to it that near and distant transmissions are picked up, and a horizontally or vertically oriented high-gain antenna array maximizes reception. List price is $60, but you should be able to find it for under $40 through online distributors.

10. Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor UHF/VHF/FM/HDTV Antenna
The 50dB Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Antenna has a flat panel UHF loop that claims superiority over the classic UHF loop seen in most run-of-the-mill indoor antennas. $40 ($34 on Amazon.com) is a pretty reasonable price for a decent indoor antenna. For a more futuristic design, check out the Philips PHDTV1, a UHF Indoor Antenna that lists for $24.99. You don’t get the VHF coverage, but it’s even less expensive than the High Performance model and can connect with PCs wherever datacasting is available.