We tested several current indoor TV antennas from the top makers in the business, watching to see how many channels each antenna could find, how easy it was to set up, how crisp the signal looked, the style and size of the device, and the price and overall value. Best indoor TV antennas: how we testedįor this piece, we tested indoor antennas that remain near your TV, both standard antennas that connect solely via coaxial cable, and amplified ones that add a USB connection or must be plugged into a wall outlet for a powered-up range boost. There's technically no such thing as an HD or 4K antenna – so you don't necessarily need an upgraded model to make the most of improved broadcast quality over the past few years.
#Best tv antenna booster for rural areas free#
Keep in mind though that many smart TVs also offer free TV, as with Roku TV Channels or Samsung TV Plus. An antenna picks up broadcast signals from local channels, such as local news – or national programming from local broadcasting stations.Īnything you get over your TV antenna in the US is free, too, so if you don't want to cough up for a Netflix subscription – or if your internet connection isn't super reliable – it may be a good shout. That depends! TV antennas receive content rather differently than the Wi-Fi or Ethernet enabled streaming apps on most smart TVs these days. Indoor TV antenna FAQ Do I need an antenna with a smart TV? The Blade is sleek and stylish, but the smaller size brings a couple of frustrations along with it. Upstairs, we had to play around with the location before hitting the same 50+ mark as the other antennas. None of the omissions were crucial, but it was still a difference. Once it was finally up and running, we searched multiple times and found fewer channels with the ground-floor TV – just 44 max, compared to 50+ with the others. Ultimately, we used a screwdriver to remove the spongey support ring on the back to give our hands a bit more room, and then had to use pliers to tighten the adapter because it wouldn't budge using our fingers. We struggled mightily to attach a coaxial cable or 90-degree coaxial adapter to the back of the antenna, because its coaxial connector is wedged so tight to the backing. And if you want, you can mount it in an attic or even outside.īut that style comes with frustrations.
In any case, it's stylish in a way that most antennas simply don't strive to be. You could mount it on the wall below the TV like a soundbar, or there's a little attachable kickstand if you'd rather put it on a TV stand. Mohu's new Blade antenna is a one-of-a-kind – instead of a floppy sheet, it's a thicker, rectangular plastic panel that you might not be compelled to hide.
#Best tv antenna booster for rural areas full#
Read the full review: Antennas Direct ClearStream Flex Setup is easy, partly thanks to the free Antenna Point app, which tells you where cable stations are located, so you can point your antenna in the right direction to pick up the most stations. The 12-foot coaxial cable is a decent length – you can get a bit longer out of the box from some other options, but this will probably cover most people. That's helped partly by the in-line amplifier, which you can switch on and off at will. But in terms of the picture quality and stability of the channels it did receive, including the HD ones, many of them were in just as good quality as more powerful options provide.
In our testing, we found that it pulled in 48 channels, where more expensive and powerful antennas could receive 54 channels.
The trade-off is that it's not exactly a small unit – that big, thin panel could cover most of a window – but if that's not a problem then it's great value. For a mid-price antenna that delivers rock-solid HD channels within its 50-mile radius, your search stops here.
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