This is the most honest video regarding free tv . Bottom line is if you are further than 35 mile from a tv station an indoor or outdoor antenna will not work. I know I tried and it’s crappy signal. I’m 50 -60 miles from tv signal.. thank You for this video
It's all about knowing where the towers are. Online sites show tower locations. Being by a window isn't important. Aim it out a window and not at a tower doesn't work. I aimed an antenna out a window and got very little. I was going to return it. But I looked up the tower cluster I aimed it directly to the towers through an interior wall, 3 brick exterior walls, and trees. I got all stations. Plus the strength was so strong the amp messed up the signal, so I removed it.
I recently purchased 2 RCA antennas. One is amplified and the other one is unamplified. The unampified antenna picks up 3 more channels than the amplified. Both antennas are located one above the other as well as the two smart TVs which are located one above the other. The brand of the TVs are different. I'm very impressed with these antennas and I'm seriously considering cutting the cord on my satellite service.
I was living in a woman's attic and got 30 some channels ( everything available) with a 1980s indoor Parsec FM radio antenna. I moved into a first floor apartment and reception with it is not so good. I purchased the $60 Mohu Pro Arc. It works slightly better but I was somewhat disappointed. I do pick up one more channel ( plus three sub channels) but there are more I would like to get. When I was a homeowner I had the Radio Shack outdoor antenna that looked like a ufo. That antenna worked great in a rural area. Picked up everything.
Without knowing how close you were to broadcast towers at each location, it's safe to say that the Parsec worked well because you were in an attic. Height always helps with picking up OTA channels. A first floor is definitely a tougher spot. Glad you found something that worked for you.
I moved across town from the attic to the apartment about 5 miles.I can't get the ABC affiliate and their tower is 20-25 miles away on top of a mountain. PBS throughout the city is pain to receive for a lot of people. Even TV/electronics shops couldn't pick it up. I picked it up everywhere except the new apartment. The lady I rented the attic from couldn't pickup PBS with her roof top antenna but that Parsec radio antenna pulled it in sitting inside the attic.
Channel master has a couple excellent flat type indoor antennas one non amplified 30 mile range and the amplified version 50 mile range. Both have excellent reviews.
Thanks for your presentation. I just ordered the oval antenna from Antennas direct and my partner is looking forward to being able to watch NBA basketball on network television
We have a 1980's antenna in our attic that picks up digital signals. alot of people think old antennas cant pick up HD but thats completely wrong. We still use cable sinces its only 50$ a month in my area
Check the Televes antennas if you have the opportunity. The BEXIA is the only indoor antenna with split band automatic gain amplification and performs spectacularly
Televes antennas are very good too. Although they are new to the USA/Canada market they are good antennas that some antennas fail to receive. Almost all of the antennas are made in Spain.
I live in Flushing Queens New York City on a first floor apartment surrounded by large apartments. My cheap in door antenna doesn't work here. It worked well when I was living on a second floor apartment with a clear view outside. The building is five stories high so an outdoor antenna is out. I don't care about how many channels I get -- I just want to be able to watch football. What kind of antenna would you recommend for a hard to reach location?
I'm noticing less HD broadcast from the major networks. In my area within 20 miles of the broadcast antennas there are only 2 of the 4 networks broadcasting an HD signal
this has been my experience with indoor outdoor antenna, none of them will work if you don't have a signal in your area, most will do a little better outside. I watched lots of videos on youtube on making homemade antenna. The ones I made worked great. the common denominator is copper. Copper is best conductor for pulling in signals. I took, just a piece of coaxial cable, trimmed it back to the copper and got just as many channels as I do with a antenna I paid $80.00 also I took a coaxial 2 way splitter and 2 paper clips, and it pulled in just as many channels as my amplified indoor antenna. Still using one of my homemade antenna and it hasn't fell yet. Just be careful with the hype. Do your own testing with a home made antenna., you will be surprised.
I live in Worcester MA and use a MoHu Leaf.. You can look up online to see what one is best for your area also what way you should face antenna to get better channels. I feel though it works better at night idk why. I get channels 4, 5 & sometimes 7 as well as 38, 56 also other channels like get tv, startv, bounce and some others.
Hey man. MUCH appreciated! Just ordered my Eclipse. I’ve got two TV the upstairs antenna works great. Downstairs I have a cheap, flat one and right when a big play is coming up the signal always drops. Been looking to replace it.
I had to use an outdoor antenna where I live but Im try to get my sister who lives on SSi to do cord cutting. She will be in an apartment and most likely not able to do outdoor antenna. What is your feelings on the clear stream max-v? I can also get her on Comcast internet essentials for $9.99 a month.
The Max-V is a good TV antenna. But you should use an online tool (there's one on the Antennas Direct site) and type in her zip code so you can get an idea of how far she is from broadcast towers and whether you're trying to receive UHF or VHF stations. If you have VHF stations, the Max V has a VHF element. Ideally, you will want to place the antenna in a window that's facing the direction of the towers. I hope that helps and good luck.
@@CordCuttingReport it's the same town as me but the location where she is going I'm not sure of yet. We have two high vhf stations and UHF. The one vhf is wgal and is very strong the other WHTM was very difficult for me to get with an outdoor antenna over 30 feet up. They all come from 25 miles away except WGAL. I am thinking the difficult one no indoor will likely receive.
Sounds like you have a good idea about what's possible. But keep in mind that not all outdoor TV antennas have VHF elements. The horizontal rod you see on the V-Max is a VHF element. So you may be surprised if you go with the V-Max -- or maybe not. You will need to experiment and see what will work.
@@CordCuttingReport the outdoor antenna I first used had hi vhf and low vhf extensions that weren't used. I actually had to use a specific fringe hi-Vhf antenna for WHTM. I will be surprised if the v-max can get it. But if gets the others that would be ok. Actually the main abc station on WHTM is on some low power uhf so it might get that and only miss the sub channels. The max seems like the best of the indoors so I think we will try it.
So would it work if I had a 2 way coax splitter and I took the cord from my tv and plugged it in the in and in the other 2 I put the antannas would that double the signal
I don't totally understand your question. But if you want to learn more about using coax splitter for multiple TVs, I wrote a guide that may give you an answer. cordcuttingreport.com/antenna-splitter-guide/
you really sound like the right guy to talk to about this. i have good quality hdtv antenna in my attic, with a splitter. one cable to the 3rd floor tv, and the other runs into the basement to another tv i just bought. so it’s a long way from the splitter in the attic to the tv in the basement. that’s five floors down. needless to say the signal isn’t making it to the basement tv. i have windows in my basement and the windows large enough facing all directions but the southern window is only 6” high by 30” wide. a couple of things that i think are working against me are that the window facing the tv stations is only 6” high, and the fact that it’s too low. what can i do to get an hdtv antenna to work for antenna the basement? is there a way to get the antenna in that attic to work even though it’s far away from the tv in the basement? i live up on the north shore, and i get the same channels you get up on my third floor. although the picture quality doesn’t seem to be so great. it could probably be better but i’m not good with this electronic stuff. electrical yes, electrical no. i’d love your help to get my tv’s antenna’s straightened out . btw.....at the beginning of your video you show five antennas, and the one that i’m interested in is the only one you didn’t mention, and that’s the long rectangle one because i think it may fit that 6” window. thank you gino
Hey Gino, Your problem with the basement TV is that you have a lot signal loss due to the long run of cable you have going from the antenna to the basement. If I was in your position, I would consider setting up a HDHomeRun or Tablo and stream your OTA channels through an app. You could get an entry-level model of the HDHomeRun or Tablo for under $100. And you wouldn't need to subscribe to guide data since you're just trying to get live TV down there. This video that I made explains how they work: th-cam.com/video/5Po2pyVj3CM/w-d-xo.html I hope that helps.
Cord Cutting Report: i taped a really cheap flat digital antenna approximately 5” X 8” to the vinyl siding just over the basement window (which is below ground level) and it picks up about 10 HD channels that come in clear but the signals aren’t strong so the picture goes sqirrly from time to time. i hate TV because of commercials and it’s not my residence so it’s acceptable.
I’ve been using a square hard body indoor antenna on a very long cord for years now... I lay it on the roof. Lately it hasn’t been working well. Do,they wear out? Is the long cable a problem?
A long cable run can sometimes impact your reception. But it sounds like you've been having success for a while. So I would try to scan your channels again under settings first. If that doesn't help, then I would take look at your wiring and consider replacing it. Adding an amplifier could help as well because you're using a long run of cable.
I am very new regarding antenna I didn’t know even existed until recently I bought one no thinking really about the price i just installed and I got very few channels I don’t know if that’s is should be or maybe because is a cheap antenna and I don’t know anyone in my circle that can help me with that, what I. Need to get more channels I live in New York City
Some of these antennas include an adhesive strip or some kind of tape. If not, some kind of heavy duty tape can do the trick if you're putting it against a window.
I live in an apartment in upstate New York, I want to find out if I would need an outdoor antenna combined with an indoor antenna to maximize reception and if so, which outdoor antenna would you recommend. Thanks.
The tv tower is to the south, living room is in the north part of the house and the large window in the living room is shaded by a covered porch. What are my best options?
It's hard to answer without a visual, so here's what I recommend. Before you drop any money, go watch the video I did on how to turn an old coax wire into a makeshift antenna. This is a good benchmark. If you get any channels with the wire, then you will likely be fine with a decent indoor antenna. If you get nothing, then you're going to need an outdoor TV antenna. I hope that helps.
But I was missing CBS ....So I rather put something in the attic. I notice with this antenna produced 7 channels and none of the major ABC CBS NBC . I`m trying to not look at an eyesore stuck to a window...lol
An outdoor antenna in an attic is a solid move. I did that for my uncle who has trees and power lines around his house. He picked up stations about 40+ miles away. Good luck with the setup.
I have an old dish antena on my roof that hasnt been used in at least 5 years. Dish just left it there. Will I be able to get over the air channels using that antena ?
I live in mid Missouri (65233 zip code) and antennaweb says I have only 9 options. All are either blue or purple. Do you think I should get the Channel Master, or is the Radio Shack option good enough?
There are some hybrid outdoor/indoor models out there. But it may be a matter of space. Outdoor antennas are generally larger than indoor TV antennas. You might want to check out the Antop models that are outdoor/indoor.
I use the coaxial cables that come in the box. Generally speaking, if you're paying $30 to $50 for a quality indoor TV antenna (vs a $10 one) then the cables are going to be decent.
@@CordCuttingReport I watched a video where a man tested the same antenna with 3 different grade coaxial cables and the best cable made a huge difference when compared to the worst cable. There was a smaller difference between 2 slightly different grade cables, but still 5% quality difference. The difference between the best and worst was over 10% difference.
@@CordCuttingReport What happened with me is that my antenna fell off of the cable and I didn't lose any channels. The cable itself was the same as having the cable and antenna. I am wondering if getting a better antenna would work better than the cable by itself or if I should try the better-insulated cable by itself and see if I pick up another channel.
@@wishingb5859 Geez, don't know. If you're happy with the picture quality and all the channels you are getting then I guess I wouldn't mess with it. A cable itself can get you channels if you're not too far from broadcast towers but it's not optimized for dealing with bad weather, or natural obstacles.
@@CordCuttingReport Thanks. I have used it with just a cable for the past year and a half. Some of the stations were glitchy during bad weather but putting in solar panels has seemed to help which was surprising because I read that they would cause interference. I just turned them on and thinking they would cause interference is partly why I started looking at antennas again. But so far they removed interference. I haven't seen what will happen with weather yet.
I don't want an antenna stuck to my window. I would like to stick it to an interior wall behind a tall entertainment unit (armoire). Will that work? I'm about 30-miles from broadcast towers in New York City. Please suggest the best one for me. Thanks.
Bah Hambug (LOL). I discovered the best antenna. I made the best homemade antenna with the wired top of a champagne bottle. Its the cap made of wire that holds down the cork. I took that wire cap and cut one side and shoved one end of the wire into the RF input on the tv or over the air box.
May I ask a quick question. How do these types of thin, window based aerials compare to an aerial fixed up in my loft/attic. I am mainly trying to get the best reception for a 4K UHD TV based in the U.K.
Why would you want to turn off the amplifier? Shouldn’t that always help? At least that’s what I thought, idk I’m starting to look at these to see which ones will work for me
Sometimes too much signal can cause interference. I can't explain but I have read that. I have an amplified FM radio antenna and the signal is adjustable.
The major deception of digital antenna manufacturers is they neglect VHF channels or claim to pick up VHF channels when they don't. If your favorite network is on a channel 13 or smaller you won't get it.
They don't have to be near a window. I have set up plenty of indoor antennas that were not near a window (e.g. ClearStream VIEW). BUT...you can (generally speaking) get better results if you have one placed in a window facing the same direction as the towers that you are trying to draw signals from.
I live in rual maine aprox 60 miles from a broadcast tower, would you be able to make a recommendation for the best antena and amplifier to buy that will work thank you in advance if your able too make a recommendation.
I bought a RCA antenna with a 55 mile range. I cannot keep the antenna in any one given place. Otherwise, I lose channels in order to pick up others. Some don't come in at all and the antenna farm is 13 miles away. One Night I will have perfect signal. The next afternoon the same station will have no signal at all. Getting the signal is half the battle. Maintaining it is another. Cars drive by in my apartment complex. Planes fly over. Tenants on my floor walk by. I cross my legs. They all disrupt the signal. I was watching a show yesterday at 4PM and I think I caught all of 10 minutes of it because of either pixelation or complete signal loss, and I have the antenna in the highest spot on the window, facing the direction of the antenna farms.
Sorry to hear about your antenna woes. That must be really frustrating. You definitely need a new antenna. Any claim that an indoor TV antenna has a 55 mile range is pretty optimistic -- to put it kindly.
@@CordCuttingReport There is an antenna farm 13 miles away. The PBS Station and the Fox Station are right next to each other. I cannot get the PBS station. I also cannot get the local MeTV affiliate. For me it isn't so much about the mileage, it's that all these antennas are in one location, well within range of the antenna on my TV and Some stations I get, some I don't.
@@firebird7479 If you're that close to broadcast towers, your antenna should not be struggling like that. Here's a good benchmark test, if you have some spare cable wire, make this: th-cam.com/video/bItAkPK-cqY/w-d-xo.html
You can get channels behind your TV, depending on how far you are from towers (e.g. 5 or 10 miles away, no problem...30 miles? Not likely.) BUT ... will you get the best ever reception and the max number of channels with an antenna behind your TV? Probably not. At the very least, I would try to place your antenna high up behind the TV. Or if you're worried about how it looks, consider the ClearStream View, which looks like a picture frame. Hope that helps.
I would return that antenna. That's hard to answer without more info, but let me take a shot. I'm currently in a condo, and it's not an issue. Generally speaking, obstacles of great height -- buildings, trees, mountains and even high power lines can cause interference. Digital signals travel by line of sight, so if you can only use an indoor antenna, try to get it high up in a window and facing in the same direction as the towers you are trying to get signals from. Hope that helps.
@@CordCuttingReport Thanks for the reply! I'm going to probably try out the eclipse antenna and see how that goes. I looked into where the towers are near me and apparently they are south of me and the window in the living room faces south. Thanks for your help.
What range of VHF channels were you able to get? Were they in the lower VHF range or only in the upper range? Here in San Antonio, TX, the ABC and PBS stations are on VHF and the $20 antenna I got off of Amazon doesn't pick those up. I know I need to upgrade, but I'd like to know what my viable options are. I could spend $90 on the ClearStream 2Max, but will it work on a second story window sill (I'm not interested in going into my attic or on my roof) or can I get away with something like the Eclipse in a window? The Eclipse doesn't have the horizontal "bars" on it, so I'm curious about it's VHF performance. Edit: I just read some Q&A's on Amazon and the Eclipse is iffy on VHF. Given it's shape and lack of dipoles (as they have been referred to), the Eclipse appears to be a UHF-only antenna. That may be a technical factor that goes over the head of most folks, but it is an extremely important issue to mention in a review, in my opinion.
The Eclipse is UHF/VHF rated, and I can pull in VHF channels in low and high ranges. I don't know how far away you are from the towers, but if you are 20 to 30 miles away from them, I think you will be fine. No matter what you use, try to place your antenna in a window. (High up in a window is better.) In 2009, most digital channels transitioned from VHF to UHF, but there are some smaller stragglers out there -- depending on where you live. I try to keep things on the generally helpful side for non-tech people so folks don't get overwhelmed and give up before they start. I can't speak to what you're reading on Amazon because I don't know anything about how someone set up the antenna, how far they were from towers, their surrounding terrain, etc. My videos are based on my own testing and experience.
@@CordCuttingReport according to all the transmitter-finder sites, I'm between 20-25 miles from the majority of the towers in our area. The bulk of them transmit from the Tower of the Americas, in downdown San Antonio. Basically, the highest point around. I have my current antenna, a cheap flat one, in a second story window facing towards downtown, away from the trees in my yard. From your description, the Eclipse would probably work. I still think a mention of some level of expectation of VHF reception is warranted. I know it's over the head of most people, but folks like you understand more and should know that a simple flat antenna is not going to do well with VHF unless you're really close and unobstructed. The typical consumer isn't going to fit that description. A simple mention that this or that antenna is more geared towards UHF as opposed to this or that antenna would help.
@@awlthatwoodcrafts8911 Noted on the VHF front. I'll keep it in mind for future videos. The Eclipse should work fine. There is also a sequel to the Eclipse called the Eclipse 2. Haven't tried it yet, but it's supposed to be pretty good -- kind of an indoor version of the 2-Max. Good luck.
No, as a matter of fact, they are trying to build the standard into mobile devices as well for emergency purposes.....kids like having a video equivalent to FM for when "it hits the fan" in your local area.
If you're within 30 miles of towers, then my top pick in this video -- ClearStream Eclipse. Remember, a plasma TV or 4K TV is only going to get 1080p at best when it comes to over-the-air channels.
The number of channels they pull in are NOT a way to rate these, because there could be ten to 80 percent of the channels are unwatchable. I need to know which one pulls in channels that work.
In this day and time, I do not suggest to get rid of cable or satellite TV, unless you can get streaming TV from companies like Sling or Fubo. The local TV network affiliates have limited time to cover national news and squeeze in local news. I will say this, I am on satellite, and when it rains hard, the satellite signal goes out. I tried a couple of indoor antennas that were useless. The ClearStream Eclipse recommended in the video is the one I bought that worked the best. The the broadcast towers are not that far from me, the furthest one being 28 miles from me. I used the amplifier and got 67 channels. That's not bad for the TV market I'm in.
Hello, Time for this man to go back to School. 7:30 He made a mistake or lied. Comcast charges about $ 20.00 for Local broadcast channels. Satellite charges about $ 10.00 to $20.00. He made a mistake or Lied at saying $100.00 to $150.00 a month ! You are Welcomed ! .
I have purchased "8" indoor antennas and only one was effective for about six months! I terminated by cable in 2o18 and I wanted an antenna that would give me a lot of channels! The Mohu antenna gave me "63" channels for about eight months and one day I could only get "ten" channels and that hasn't changed! I have purchased "eight" indoor antennas and I can only get "10" channels! Is there anyone in cyberspace who can help me???😭😭
Have you tried to re-scan your channels with the Mohu? You may be getting less channels because of the FCC Repack. This article explains what's happening. www.fcc.gov/news-events/podcast/repacking-airwaves-it-time-rescan-your-tv Hope that helps.
Any indoor antenna is akin to having a doughnut spare on your vehicle. Nothing more than a temporary fix to a larger problem. Not one of these antennas is good at HI VHF and totally worthless for LOW VHF......
Yes, definitely don't. Believe him AND everyone else who says the exact same things, and with proof. This commenter is telling everyone next to absolutely nothing except a very generalized opinion.
This is the most honest video regarding free tv . Bottom line is if you are further than 35 mile from a tv station an indoor or outdoor antenna will not work. I know I tried and it’s crappy signal. I’m 50 -60 miles from tv signal.. thank You for this video
It's all about knowing where the towers are. Online sites show tower locations. Being by a window isn't important. Aim it out a window and not at a tower doesn't work. I aimed an antenna out a window and got very little. I was going to return it. But I looked up the tower cluster I aimed it directly to the towers through an interior wall, 3 brick exterior walls, and trees. I got all stations. Plus the strength was so strong the amp messed up the signal, so I removed it.
THIS is an outstanding review!!! I was trying to figure out which antenna I needed when I stumbled onto your video. 🤝👍
Well? What did you get and how did it work?
I live on whitemarah isle near Savannah GA and got 34 channels with your cable wire antenna
I recently purchased 2 RCA antennas. One is amplified and the other one is unamplified. The unampified antenna picks up 3 more channels than the amplified. Both antennas are located one above the other as well as the two smart TVs which are located one above the other. The brand of the TVs are different. I'm very impressed with these antennas and I'm seriously considering cutting the cord on my satellite service.
You just helped me pick my antenna, thank you! (I picked 1st one you reviewed) Especially love that it's AMERICAN MADE! 🇺🇲📺
You Rock! 😎
Bro you color all the bases in spades. I appreciate this video. Liked & subbed. 👍🏽
thanks for good review! love how you did months of research
I was living in a woman's attic and got 30 some channels ( everything available) with a 1980s indoor Parsec FM radio antenna.
I moved into a first floor apartment and reception with it is not so good. I purchased the $60 Mohu Pro Arc. It works slightly better but I was somewhat disappointed. I do pick up one more channel ( plus three sub channels) but there are more I would like to get.
When I was a homeowner I had the Radio Shack outdoor antenna that looked like a ufo. That antenna worked great in a rural area. Picked up everything.
Without knowing how close you were to broadcast towers at each location, it's safe to say that the Parsec worked well because you were in an attic. Height always helps with picking up OTA channels. A first floor is definitely a tougher spot. Glad you found something that worked for you.
I moved across town from the attic to the apartment about 5 miles.I can't get the ABC affiliate and their tower is 20-25 miles away on top of a mountain. PBS throughout the city is pain to receive for a lot of people. Even TV/electronics shops couldn't pick it up. I picked it up everywhere except the new apartment. The lady I rented the attic from couldn't pickup PBS with her roof top antenna but that Parsec radio antenna pulled it in sitting inside the attic.
Channel master has a couple excellent flat type indoor antennas one non amplified 30 mile range and the amplified version 50 mile range. Both have excellent reviews.
Stay tuned. I have been using a Channel Master here that I really like. Video soon.
Thanks for your presentation. I just ordered the oval antenna from Antennas direct and my partner is looking forward to being able to watch NBA basketball on network television
We have a 1980's antenna in our attic that picks up digital signals. alot of people think old antennas cant pick up HD but thats completely wrong. We still use cable sinces its only 50$ a month in my area
Thank you for a great and clear explanation. I also ordered a ClearStream Eclipse.
Thanks, great work! I was wondering if the amplifier needs to be close to the antenna or if it will work if installed at the TV end of the coax?
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your research!
Check the Televes antennas if you have the opportunity. The BEXIA is the only indoor antenna with split band automatic gain amplification and performs spectacularly
Televes antennas are very good too. Although they are new to the USA/Canada market they are good antennas that some antennas fail to receive. Almost all of the antennas are made in Spain.
I live in Flushing Queens New York City on a first floor apartment surrounded by large apartments. My cheap in door antenna doesn't work here. It worked well when I was living on a second floor apartment with a clear view outside. The building is five stories high so an outdoor antenna is out. I don't care about how many channels I get -- I just want to be able to watch football. What kind of antenna would you recommend for a hard to reach location?
I'm noticing less HD broadcast from the major networks. In my area within 20 miles of the broadcast antennas there are only 2 of the 4 networks broadcasting an HD signal
this has been my experience with indoor outdoor antenna, none of them will work if you don't have a signal in your area, most will do a little better outside. I watched lots of videos on youtube on making homemade antenna. The ones I made worked great. the common denominator is copper. Copper is best conductor for pulling in signals. I took, just a piece of coaxial cable, trimmed it back to the copper and got just as many channels as I do with a antenna I paid $80.00 also I took a coaxial 2 way splitter and 2 paper clips, and it pulled in just as many channels as my amplified indoor antenna. Still using one of my homemade antenna and it hasn't fell yet. Just be careful with the hype. Do your own testing with a home made antenna., you will be surprised.
Sweet another new Englander, I live in lunenburg MA and looking for a first time antenna.
I live in Worcester MA and use a MoHu Leaf.. You can look up online to see what one is best for your area also what way you should face antenna to get better channels. I feel though it works better at night idk why. I get channels 4, 5 & sometimes 7 as well as 38, 56 also other channels like get tv, startv, bounce and some others.
Hey man. MUCH appreciated! Just ordered my Eclipse. I’ve got two TV the upstairs antenna works great. Downstairs I have a cheap, flat one and right when a big play is coming up the signal always drops. Been looking to replace it.
Glad the video helped. Spending a little more on a quality antenna definitely makes a difference.
Cord Cutting Report For sure. Just know that there are people out here that appreciate the time and work you e put in!
@@ChefClary60 Thank you. That's great to hear.
Thank for this, due to my location was beginning to believe that would have to use antenna mounted in attic.
Glad it helped!
Can you connect multiple tvs to the same antena?
I'm a truck driver that goes all mainland 48 states, what do u reccomend for antenna?
I had to use an outdoor antenna where I live but Im try to get my sister who lives on SSi to do cord cutting. She will be in an apartment and most likely not able to do outdoor antenna. What is your feelings on the clear stream max-v? I can also get her on Comcast internet essentials for $9.99 a month.
The Max-V is a good TV antenna. But you should use an online tool (there's one on the Antennas Direct site) and type in her zip code so you can get an idea of how far she is from broadcast towers and whether you're trying to receive UHF or VHF stations. If you have VHF stations, the Max V has a VHF element. Ideally, you will want to place the antenna in a window that's facing the direction of the towers. I hope that helps and good luck.
@@CordCuttingReport it's the same town as me but the location where she is going I'm not sure of yet. We have two high vhf stations and UHF. The one vhf is wgal and is very strong the other WHTM was very difficult for me to get with an outdoor antenna over 30 feet up. They all come from 25 miles away except WGAL. I am thinking the difficult one no indoor will likely receive.
Sounds like you have a good idea about what's possible. But keep in mind that not all outdoor TV antennas have VHF elements. The horizontal rod you see on the V-Max is a VHF element. So you may be surprised if you go with the V-Max -- or maybe not. You will need to experiment and see what will work.
@@CordCuttingReport the outdoor antenna I first used had hi vhf and low vhf extensions that weren't used. I actually had to use a specific fringe hi-Vhf antenna for WHTM. I will be surprised if the v-max can get it. But if gets the others that would be ok. Actually the main abc station on WHTM is on some low power uhf so it might get that and only miss the sub channels. The max seems like the best of the indoors so I think we will try it.
I love it, I'm not tech savvy so it took a wail together it started but the vision is good so far.
So would it work if I had a 2 way coax splitter and I took the cord from my tv and plugged it in the in and in the other 2 I put the antannas would that double the signal
I don't totally understand your question. But if you want to learn more about using coax splitter for multiple TVs, I wrote a guide that may give you an answer.
cordcuttingreport.com/antenna-splitter-guide/
@@CordCuttingReport ok thanks
He wants to know if it possible to double the signals strength, like how you would get twice as high if you smoked two joints put together.
you really sound like the right guy to talk to about this.
i have good quality hdtv antenna in my attic, with a splitter. one cable to the 3rd floor tv, and the other runs into the basement to another tv i just bought. so it’s a long way from the splitter in the attic to the tv in the basement.
that’s five floors down.
needless to say the signal isn’t making it to the basement tv.
i have windows in my basement and the windows large enough facing all directions but the southern window is only 6” high by 30” wide.
a couple of things that i think are working against me are that the window facing the tv stations is only 6” high, and the fact that it’s too low.
what can i do to get an hdtv antenna to work for antenna the basement?
is there a way to get the antenna in that attic to work even though it’s far away from the tv in the basement?
i live up on the north shore, and i get the same channels you get up on my third floor.
although the picture quality doesn’t seem to be so great.
it could probably be better but i’m not good with this electronic stuff.
electrical yes, electrical no.
i’d love your help to get my tv’s antenna’s straightened out .
btw.....at the beginning of your video you show five antennas, and the one that i’m interested in is the only one you didn’t mention, and that’s the long rectangle one because i think it may fit that 6” window.
thank you gino
Hey Gino,
Your problem with the basement TV is that you have a lot signal loss due to the long run of cable you have going from the antenna to the basement.
If I was in your position, I would consider setting up a HDHomeRun or Tablo and stream your OTA channels through an app. You could get an entry-level model of the HDHomeRun or Tablo for under $100. And you wouldn't need to subscribe to guide data since you're just trying to get live TV down there.
This video that I made explains how they work:
th-cam.com/video/5Po2pyVj3CM/w-d-xo.html
I hope that helps.
Cord Cutting Report:
thank you very much for the response. i’ll watch that video and maybe it’s something i can and will do
Cord Cutting Report: i taped a really cheap flat digital antenna approximately 5” X 8” to the vinyl siding just over the basement window (which is below ground level) and it picks up about 10 HD channels that come in clear but the signals aren’t strong so the picture goes sqirrly from time to time. i hate TV because of commercials and it’s not my residence so it’s acceptable.
I’ve been using a square hard body indoor antenna on a very long cord for years now... I lay it on the roof. Lately it hasn’t been working well. Do,they wear out? Is the long cable a problem?
A long cable run can sometimes impact your reception. But it sounds like you've been having success for a while. So I would try to scan your channels again under settings first. If that doesn't help, then I would take look at your wiring and consider replacing it. Adding an amplifier could help as well because you're using a long run of cable.
@@CordCuttingReport uu
@@CordCuttingReport in
I am very new regarding antenna I didn’t know even existed until recently I bought one no thinking really about the price i just installed and I got very few channels I don’t know if that’s is should be or maybe because is a cheap antenna and I don’t know anyone in my circle that can help me with that, what I. Need to get more channels I live in New York City
how do you get them to stick to the window and not fall off?
Some of these antennas include an adhesive strip or some kind of tape. If not, some kind of heavy duty tape can do the trick if you're putting it against a window.
Does tv have to have a digital tuner? Got an old tube tv at a garage sale im sure doesn't have digital tuner
Yes, you need a digital tuner. An old tube TV wouldn't have one. You would need a TV made around '07 or later.
I live in an apartment in upstate New York, I want to find out if I would need an outdoor antenna combined with an indoor antenna to maximize reception and if so, which outdoor antenna would you recommend. Thanks.
The tv tower is to the south, living room is in the north part of the house and the large window in the living room is shaded by a covered porch. What are my best options?
I live 25 miles from broadcast towers. I am surrounded by trees should I get the 130 dollar big boy eclipse ?
It's hard to answer without a visual, so here's what I recommend. Before you drop any money, go watch the video I did on how to turn an old coax wire into a makeshift antenna. This is a good benchmark. If you get any channels with the wire, then you will likely be fine with a decent indoor antenna. If you get nothing, then you're going to need an outdoor TV antenna. I hope that helps.
@@CordCuttingReport i bought a cheap indoor antenna thee old 250 mile range bull...I did get 33 channels in one spot in bedroom
But I was missing CBS ....So I rather put something in the attic. I notice with this antenna produced 7 channels and none of the major ABC CBS NBC . I`m trying to not look at an eyesore stuck to a window...lol
An outdoor antenna in an attic is a solid move. I did that for my uncle who has trees and power lines around his house. He picked up stations about 40+ miles away. Good luck with the setup.
@@CordCuttingReport Uda Mann! Thanks for all you do brother!
How would you rate phillip optima antenna?
I have an old dish antena on my roof that hasnt been used in at least 5 years. Dish just left it there. Will I be able to get over the air channels using that antena ?
Nope, sorry to disappoint you.
I live in mid Missouri (65233 zip code) and antennaweb says I have only 9 options. All are either blue or purple. Do you think I should get the Channel Master, or is the Radio Shack option good enough?
What does an LTE filter do? Thank you for this video.
An LTE filter can help you if you have cell phone signals interfering with your digital OTA signals.
thank you for information.
Can i use outdoor antenna at inside in condo?
thank you!
There are some hybrid outdoor/indoor models out there. But it may be a matter of space. Outdoor antennas are generally larger than indoor TV antennas. You might want to check out the Antop models that are outdoor/indoor.
@@CordCuttingReport Thank you very much!
High Dream: Yes.
Dude i live in Boston perfect I'm getting the eclipse thanks man
I live in boston too.
Perfect lol
Do you use the coaxial cables they sell with the antennas or do you recommend getting better cables?
I use the coaxial cables that come in the box. Generally speaking, if you're paying $30 to $50 for a quality indoor TV antenna (vs a $10 one) then the cables are going to be decent.
@@CordCuttingReport I watched a video where a man tested the same antenna with 3 different grade coaxial cables and the best cable made a huge difference when compared to the worst cable. There was a smaller difference between 2 slightly different grade cables, but still 5% quality difference. The difference between the best and worst was over 10% difference.
@@CordCuttingReport What happened with me is that my antenna fell off of the cable and I didn't lose any channels. The cable itself was the same as having the cable and antenna. I am wondering if getting a better antenna would work better than the cable by itself or if I should try the better-insulated cable by itself and see if I pick up another channel.
@@wishingb5859 Geez, don't know. If you're happy with the picture quality and all the channels you are getting then I guess I wouldn't mess with it. A cable itself can get you channels if you're not too far from broadcast towers but it's not optimized for dealing with bad weather, or natural obstacles.
@@CordCuttingReport Thanks. I have used it with just a cable for the past year and a half. Some of the stations were glitchy during bad weather but putting in solar panels has seemed to help which was surprising because I read that they would cause interference. I just turned them on and thinking they would cause interference is partly why I started looking at antennas again. But so far they removed interference. I haven't seen what will happen with weather yet.
I don't want an antenna stuck to my window. I would like to stick it to an interior wall behind a tall entertainment unit (armoire). Will that work? I'm about 30-miles from broadcast towers in New York City. Please suggest the best one for me. Thanks.
He wouldn’t know because it depends on your location and the Sweet Spot for the Antenna,it doesn’t have to be on the Window
Is better to put antenna on wall or window than sitting on stand etc why
Bah Hambug (LOL). I discovered the best antenna. I made the best homemade antenna with the wired top of a champagne bottle. Its the cap made of wire that holds down the cork. I took that wire cap and cut one side and shoved one end of the wire into the RF input on the tv or over the air box.
Liar! I made those antennas for your mom!
May I ask a quick question. How do these types of thin, window based aerials compare to an aerial fixed up in my loft/attic. I am mainly trying to get the best reception for a 4K UHD TV based in the U.K.
Do you have any suggestions for outdoor antenas
I do. You can read about them here:
cordcuttingreport.com/2020/05/08/best-outdoor-tv-antenna/
How do you, people In general, know what antenna is the best? What makes them so different?
Could all of theses antennas get a lot more channels than with just one?
Why would you want to turn off the amplifier? Shouldn’t that always help? At least that’s what I thought, idk I’m starting to look at these to see which ones will work for me
Sometimes too much signal can cause interference. I can't explain but I have read that. I have an amplified FM radio antenna and the signal is adjustable.
The major deception of digital antenna manufacturers is they neglect VHF channels or claim to pick up VHF channels when they don't. If your favorite network is on a channel 13 or smaller you won't get it.
You say to buy American antennas. I agree. But Antop is based in Shenzen, China per their website. So there's that,
Do they have to be mounted in a window? My TV is in the center of the house and not near a window
They don't have to be near a window. I have set up plenty of indoor antennas that were not near a window (e.g. ClearStream VIEW).
BUT...you can (generally speaking) get better results if you have one placed in a window facing the same direction as the towers that you are trying to draw signals from.
how do remove the antennas from the window without breaking the glass, please help
Can you make a review for a antenna for truckers?
Thanks for the video. I just bought an antenna that was made in China and it didn't work at all.....(I live in Canada)
I live in rual maine aprox 60 miles from a broadcast tower, would you be able to make a recommendation for the best antena and amplifier to buy that will work thank you in advance if your able too make a recommendation.
I bought a RCA antenna with a 55 mile range. I cannot keep the antenna in any one given place. Otherwise, I lose channels in order to pick up others. Some don't come in at all and the antenna farm is 13 miles away. One Night I will have perfect signal. The next afternoon the same station will have no signal at all.
Getting the signal is half the battle. Maintaining it is another. Cars drive by in my apartment complex. Planes fly over. Tenants on my floor walk by. I cross my legs. They all disrupt the signal. I was watching a show yesterday at 4PM and I think I caught all of 10 minutes of it because of either pixelation or complete signal loss, and I have the antenna in the highest spot on the window, facing the direction of the antenna farms.
Sorry to hear about your antenna woes. That must be really frustrating. You definitely need a new antenna. Any claim that an indoor TV antenna has a 55 mile range is pretty optimistic -- to put it kindly.
@@CordCuttingReport There is an antenna farm 13 miles away. The PBS Station and the Fox Station are right next to each other. I cannot get the PBS station. I also cannot get the local MeTV affiliate. For me it isn't so much about the mileage, it's that all these antennas are in one location, well within range of the antenna on my TV and Some stations I get, some I don't.
@@firebird7479 If you're that close to broadcast towers, your antenna should not be struggling like that.
Here's a good benchmark test, if you have some spare cable wire, make this: th-cam.com/video/bItAkPK-cqY/w-d-xo.html
what indoor antenna works best in a basement with limited windows
Do they have to be placed on a window? Where my tv is now is close to one but I want to put this behind my TV set will it work? Thanks
You can get channels behind your TV, depending on how far you are from towers (e.g. 5 or 10 miles away, no problem...30 miles? Not likely.) BUT ... will you get the best ever reception and the max number of channels with an antenna behind your TV? Probably not.
At the very least, I would try to place your antenna high up behind the TV. Or if you're worried about how it looks, consider the ClearStream View, which looks like a picture frame. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much for this video!
Great info
What about Gesobyte Amplified TV antenna?
I was thinking of combining the Channel master flatenna 35 with a cheap amp. In Manhattan NYC so I shouldn't need anything too crazy
that is the way to test tv Antennas
I purchased one of those indoor attennas and all i got was foreign channels not one american station. And im in san diego ca.
Question, would living amongst many condo buildings interfere with receiving signal?
I would return that antenna. That's hard to answer without more info, but let me take a shot. I'm currently in a condo, and it's not an issue. Generally speaking, obstacles of great height -- buildings, trees, mountains and even high power lines can cause interference. Digital signals travel by line of sight, so if you can only use an indoor antenna, try to get it high up in a window and facing in the same direction as the towers you are trying to get signals from. Hope that helps.
@@CordCuttingReport Thanks for the reply! I'm going to probably try out the eclipse antenna and see how that goes. I looked into where the towers are near me and apparently they are south of me and the window in the living room faces south. Thanks for your help.
@@briannamatthews3152 You bet. Good luck!
I like the clearstream 4 max
in my country it has satalites bcnickeloden and skylink and cable shit and all dvt antennas look the same for the standard european coax ant big port
How about now, 4 years later? 😊
Great vid...thanks.
Thanks for watching!
How about outdoor antennas?
What range of VHF channels were you able to get? Were they in the lower VHF range or only in the upper range?
Here in San Antonio, TX, the ABC and PBS stations are on VHF and the $20 antenna I got off of Amazon doesn't pick those up. I know I need to upgrade, but I'd like to know what my viable options are. I could spend $90 on the ClearStream 2Max, but will it work on a second story window sill (I'm not interested in going into my attic or on my roof) or can I get away with something like the Eclipse in a window?
The Eclipse doesn't have the horizontal "bars" on it, so I'm curious about it's VHF performance.
Edit: I just read some Q&A's on Amazon and the Eclipse is iffy on VHF. Given it's shape and lack of dipoles (as they have been referred to), the Eclipse appears to be a UHF-only antenna. That may be a technical factor that goes over the head of most folks, but it is an extremely important issue to mention in a review, in my opinion.
The Eclipse is UHF/VHF rated, and I can pull in VHF channels in low and high ranges. I don't know how far away you are from the towers, but if you are 20 to 30 miles away from them, I think you will be fine. No matter what you use, try to place your antenna in a window. (High up in a window is better.)
In 2009, most digital channels transitioned from VHF to UHF, but there are some smaller stragglers out there -- depending on where you live. I try to keep things on the generally helpful side for non-tech people so folks don't get overwhelmed and give up before they start.
I can't speak to what you're reading on Amazon because I don't know anything about how someone set up the antenna, how far they were from towers, their surrounding terrain, etc. My videos are based on my own testing and experience.
@@CordCuttingReport according to all the transmitter-finder sites, I'm between 20-25 miles from the majority of the towers in our area. The bulk of them transmit from the Tower of the Americas, in downdown San Antonio. Basically, the highest point around.
I have my current antenna, a cheap flat one, in a second story window facing towards downtown, away from the trees in my yard. From your description, the Eclipse would probably work.
I still think a mention of some level of expectation of VHF reception is warranted. I know it's over the head of most people, but folks like you understand more and should know that a simple flat antenna is not going to do well with VHF unless you're really close and unobstructed. The typical consumer isn't going to fit that description. A simple mention that this or that antenna is more geared towards UHF as opposed to this or that antenna would help.
@@awlthatwoodcrafts8911 Noted on the VHF front. I'll keep it in mind for future videos.
The Eclipse should work fine. There is also a sequel to the Eclipse called the Eclipse 2. Haven't tried it yet, but it's supposed to be pretty good -- kind of an indoor version of the 2-Max. Good luck.
Will ATSC 3.0 stop OTA HDTV?
No, as a matter of fact, they are trying to build the standard into mobile devices as well for emergency purposes.....kids like having a video equivalent to FM for when "it hits the fan" in your local area.
Wat antenna is good 4 a plasma?
If you're within 30 miles of towers, then my top pick in this video -- ClearStream Eclipse. Remember, a plasma TV or 4K TV is only going to get 1080p at best when it comes to over-the-air channels.
The number of channels they pull in are NOT a way to rate these, because there could be ten to 80 percent of the channels are unwatchable. I need to know which one pulls in channels that work.
In this day and time, I do not suggest to get rid of cable or satellite TV, unless you can get streaming TV from companies like Sling or Fubo. The local TV network affiliates have limited time to cover national news and squeeze in local news. I will say this, I am on satellite, and when it rains hard, the satellite signal goes out. I tried a couple of indoor antennas that were useless. The ClearStream Eclipse recommended in the video is the one I bought that worked the best. The the broadcast towers are not that far from me, the furthest one being 28 miles from me. I used the amplifier and got 67 channels. That's not bad for the TV market I'm in.
OOPS that's where you messed up the earth is not curved it's FLAT so the tV antenna with 100 mile range and more must be the best ones.
On Ebay there are some $10 antennas that claim 5000 mile range. Now that's good comedy.
Hello,
Time for this man to go back to School.
7:30
He made a mistake or lied.
Comcast charges about $ 20.00 for Local broadcast channels.
Satellite charges about $ 10.00 to $20.00.
He made a mistake or Lied at saying $100.00 to $150.00 a month !
You are Welcomed !
.
Lucas
Sorry I accidentally hit the dislike button when I went to reverse the video a bit . Thanks for the info. Gave a lot of good advice.
Cable sucks today with their insane commercials. Or 5 minutes of commercials when you change the channel.
I have purchased "8" indoor antennas and only one was effective for about six months! I terminated by cable in 2o18 and I wanted an antenna that would give me a lot of channels! The Mohu antenna gave me "63" channels for about eight months and one day I could only get "ten" channels and that hasn't changed! I have purchased "eight" indoor antennas and I can only get "10" channels! Is there anyone in cyberspace who can help me???😭😭
Have you tried to re-scan your channels with the Mohu? You may be getting less channels because of the FCC Repack. This article explains what's happening.
www.fcc.gov/news-events/podcast/repacking-airwaves-it-time-rescan-your-tv
Hope that helps.
Any indoor antenna is akin to having a doughnut spare on your vehicle.
Nothing more than a temporary fix to a larger problem. Not one of these
antennas is good at HI VHF and totally worthless for LOW VHF......
These antennas are junk. You need an outdoor antenna to get any good reception.
These antennas are ALL junk...check the the antenna man’s channel.
Actually Antenna Man has Clear Stream Antenna on his list
LMFAO! Indoor antennas are joke! You can tell someone is ignorant when they have a flat antenna on their window.
God bless ur dumb
@@CMA1967 I think you need to look up the facts and capabilities of an indoor flat window.
None of those flat antennas will pick up stations that broadcast on a VHF signal (Channels 2-13).
@@tbkulavik yet, somehow, I have one and get several channels above and below 13
I have a $9.99 RCA Antenna from Amazon with Rabbit Ears that works great for 2 TV's! Don't believe this guys bull, he is wrong!
Yes, definitely don't. Believe him AND everyone else who says the exact same things, and with proof. This commenter is telling everyone next to absolutely nothing except a very generalized opinion.
Crap!