Nobody likes paying high cable bills.
If you are still paying for cable, it’s time to cut the cord. The truth is, you will not be alone.
A lot of people are cutting the cord these days, and every person with a Netflix subscription, an Amazon Prime account, or an over-the-air antenna is already part of this movement.
For people who are looking for a free alternative to cable, we have made a series of the best HDTV antennas available. After reviewing both amplified and non-amplified HDTV antennas, we decided to share with you our best picks. The main objective of cord cutting is to save money and enjoy the same (or better) watching experience using a different or cheaper alternative.
ClearStream Eclipse Indoor HDTV Antenna
Amazing Sure Grip Technology
You won’t find a better indoor HDTV antenna than the ClearStream Eclipse. It picks up signals from 50 miles range and provides great reception even for rural areas. For its price range, we consider it a very solid deal.
The ClearStream Eclipse is a powerful indoor TV antenna that can provide all sorts of free TV channels without the need for mounting, or other complicated hardware. The antenna uses smart Sure Grip technology, which allows it to latch onto any smooth surface inside your house. Stick it to a wall, a window, the side of a dresser, or wherever else and you still get great performance.
Mohu Leaf 30
Best Budget HDTV Antenna
The Mohu Leaf 30 is one of the best-performing, easiest to install indoor TV antennas available. Its small, paper-thin design mounts easily to a wall, or just about anywhere.
The Leaf 30 can receive free over-the-air HDTV broadcasts from multiple directions, so you don’t need to move it to pick up signals from different TV towers. This model is capable of picking up UHF, VHF, and full HD signals from an up to 30-mile distance.
What Is Cord Cutting
Cord-cutting is a term that means canceling traditional pay-TV services, like cable or satellite TV. There are plenty of good reasons to cut the cord. Here are three of the most important.
The savings
The result of frustration for many people is constantly increasing the costs of cable and satellite services. Some of these plans are starting around $50 only for the channels in the basic bundle. When you consider that many important TV channels can be picked up for free and quality antenna costs around $40 and it is a one-time investment, it is logical why so many people are leaving these pay-TV services.
Curated content
One of the best features offered by a service such as Amazon Prime, Hulu or Netflix is the ability of the system to curate content according to your taste. In short, you are watching what you want.
Lower equipment costs
As we mentioned above, the purchase of a streaming device, smart TV, or antenna is a one-time investment.
There are three cord-cutting options available – antenna, streaming, and a combination of both. In this article, we want to present to you the first and cheapest option. Buy an indoor or outdoor antenna connect it to your TV and start receiving programs from over-the-air local and network affiliate TV channels. Today, we are here to help you decide which indoor TV antenna is the best in the year 2024.
Best Indoor HDTV Antenna Under $50
Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 30 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4k, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 10 feet (3 m) | Weight: 2 lbs (0.9 kg) | Size: 12.5 x 11.7 x 1.5 inches (31 x 30 x 4 cm)
Pros: Highly effective • Easy Installation
Cons: Looks better mounted than on a stand
The Mohu Leaf is easily the most popular indoor antenna on the market. It has an impressive and strong performance, can capture most channels in your area, with the major networks all coming in at a crystal clear, crisp, and smooth 1080p HD. The Leaf 30 popularized the flat paper design you can find on many indoor antennas these days. Like the ClearStream Eclipse, it is an omnidirectional antenna which means you don’t have to angle it toward a specific spot.
Wsky 60+ Miles 1080P Transparent Digital HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 60 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 18 feet (5.5 m) | Weight: 1.5 lb (0.7 kg) | Size: 13 x 12 x 0.1 inches (33 x 30 x 0.2 cm)
Pros: Unique design • Super thin • Stable signal • Great for mountain area • Long coaxial cable • Price
Cons: Fragile coax connector
This super-thin HDTV antenna is specially designed for receiving over-the-air TV signals from all local television in your area. Wsky provides a clear and crisp picture by capturing a strong and stable signal. What´s more, this antenna is very easy to set up, just plug attach cable line, and run the channel scan.
1byone Amplified HDTV Antenna With 50 Mile Range
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 50 miles | Reception pattern: Directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4k, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 10 feet (3 m) | Weight: 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Size: 13.3 x 9.3 x 0.2 inches (34 x 24 x 0.5 cm)
Pros: Inexpensive • Easy setup • Signal booster
Cons: Not the best performer • Very directional
The 1Byone amplified HDTV antenna has been on the market for a long time and you can find plenty of customers who are satisfied by using it. Rated to receive broadcasts from up to 50-mile range, you get most of the main network affiliates (and local channels) in your location, in clear 1080 resolution. This is an inexpensive way to get an amplified antenna, but the 1byone is not the best performer on the market.
Yes, you get main channels in full HD resolution, but the connection is shaky even with the amplifier. If you spend a few more bucks on models like ClearStream 2 or RCA Skybar, you’ll likely receive better reception and more channels.
But if you are looking for a decent and cheap TV indoor antenna, 1Byone Amplified comes with all the requisite components you need. It means that you are not going to have to pay more for something that you will not be using.
Amplified HDTV Antenna-SKYTV 50 Miles Range Digtial HD Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 50 miles | Reception pattern: Directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 13.2 feet (4 m) | Weight: 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Size: 13.4 x 13.3 x 1 inches (34 x 34 x 2.5 cm)
Pros: Lightweight • Good price • Very discreet
Cons: Poor build
The SkyTv amplified indoor HD antenna provides a 50-mile range that enables access to all your favorite local channels. Hide it behind the television or bookshelf, stack it high in a window, due to its ability to withstand different weather conditions such as sunshine or moisture, you´ve got a durable device in your house.
The SkyTV antenna picks up a great picture using upgraded Crystal Clear Filter technology that easily filters out cellular and FM signals which leads to low noise interference, more channels, and an overall clearer picture.
TERK Omni-Directional Amplified Digital Flat Indoor HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 60 miles | Reception pattern: Omni-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 6 feet (1.8 m) | Weight: 1.5 lb (0.7 kg) | Size: 4.7 x 18.9 x 16 inches (12 x 48 x 41 cm)
Pros: Easy to position • Mounting stand
Cons: Short coaxial cable • Large size
Designed to optimize HDTV and analog reception with UHD and VHF capability, TERK is an amplified TV antenna that scans in a 50-mile radius, so you should capture most of the channels even if you are far away from the transmitting tower. Honestly, it is not the best HDTV antenna on this list, but it is a good and cheap one.
HotCat 136 TV Indoor Amplified HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 60-80 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4K, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 16.5 feet (5 m) | Weight: 1.1 lb (0.5 kg) | Size: 13 x 10 x 1 inches (33 x 25 x 2.5 cm)
Pros: Tiny, light and still durable • Cheap • Long coaxial cable • Detachable amplifier signal booster
Against: Operating range is only 50 miles
Although it looks thin and soft, HotCat antenna is able to receive the signal from a 60-80 mile range and provides you with a crystal clear image quality in full HDTV resolution (1080p). HotCat is durable, flexible, and comes with all the wires you need to hook up to your television.
Best Indoor HDTV Antenna Under $100
ClearStream Eclipse Indoor HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 35 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4K, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 12 feet (3.7 m) | Weight: 0.4 lb (0.2 kg) | Size: 0.5 x 8.8 x 10.2 inches (1.3 x 22 x 26 cm)
Pros: Nice design • Sure Grip technology for better placement • Great performance
Cons: Price
The ClearStream Eclipse is designed to get you the easiest installation you can imagine. The Sure Grip technology lets you position the antenna on any flat surface such as walls, windows or even behind your TV. It includes a number of sticky pads in the box to help you do this. The Eclipse is lightweight, attractive and what is most impressive, it is one of the best performing indoor TV antennas in the 35-mile range category.
Winegard FlatWave Amped FL5500A
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 50 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4K, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 18 feet (5.5 m) | Weight: 0.35 lb (0.16 kg) | Size: 12 x 0.6 x 13 inches (30 x 1.5 x 31 cm)
Pros: Strong signal • Clear picture quality • Extra-long cable
Cons: The range highly depends on the location • Boring design
FlatWave FL5500A is a good starting point for cord-cutters. An ideal entry-level TV antenna that has good performance, useful features, and reasonable price. This paper-thin, extremely light multi-directional antenna captures signals from broadcast towers as far away as 50 miles.
Lay it flat on a surface, mount it on a wall, or put it on the window. You will receive an over-the-air signal from major networks like Fox, CBS, NBC, PBS, and ABC with good picture quality.
RCA Air Ultra-thin Amplified HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor | Reception range: 60 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4K, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: 12 feet (3.7 m) | Weight: 1.15 lb (0.5 kg) | Size: 1.4 x 12.5 x 14.2 inches (3.5 x 30 x 36 cm)
Pros: Great signal reception • SmartBoost technology • Clear picture without pixelation
Cons: Large
Great reception. These two words describing RCA Air best. It is a multi-directional indoor TV antenna with a 60-mile range that uses RCA’s SmartBoost technology to enhance the reception of weak signals. The RCA antenna can receive both UHF and VHF frequencies and will provide you with the most content if full 1080 HD quality that is available in your area.
Mount it on a wall or put it on the window, the double-sided mounting tape and 12-foot-long coaxial cable help you find the best possible placement in your room.
ClearStream 2 Indoor HDTV Antenna
Antenna type: Indoor/Outdoor | Reception range: 60 miles | Reception pattern: Multi-directional | Amplified: Yes | Broadcasts: HDTV (1080), 4K, UHF, VHF | Coaxial Cable: No | Weight: 6 lbs (2.7 kg) | Size: 31.2 x 6.3 x 18 inches (79 x 16 x 46 cm)
Pros: Steady and strong signal • Solid construction • Indoor/Outdoor placement
Cons: Without coaxial cable • Large and heavy • Expensive
To be clear, the ClearStream 2 isn’t cheap and looks ugly. But if you want to have a versatile TV antenna in your home that is capable and built to handle even an outdoor installation, we have a winner for you.
This HD antenna can cut through heavy foliage outdoors and gets you most of the channels in your location with ease. It is rated as a 70-mile range antenna and includes UHF and VHF multi-directional reception, so it can really pick up all networks in full HD 1080 where available.
The Benefits Of Owning An TV Antenna
There are many good reasons to own a TV antenna. And many people know it. Over the past few years, millions of USA homes cut the cords and have started using a TV antenna, according to a recent Nielsen’s analysis. Source: nscreenmedia.com
Price
First and perhaps the main reason, a TV antenna helps you save money for numerous service agreements you have with satellite providers and cable. If you combine the HDTV antenna with third-party streaming services, you will probably get all the channels you want. It´s simple math. A high-quality indoor HDTV antenna costs around $50, but by cutting the cord you might save hundreds of dollars a year. A strong argument, what do you think?
Picture Quality
The second reason why to get an antenna is picture quality. Antennas can sometimes deliver better picture quality than satellite or cable. The over-the-air broadcasts are delivered in 1080p resolution while cable and satellite companies often compress their broadcasts to save on bandwidth and deliver them to you in lower HD quality.
Free Popular Programs
Did you know that almost every popular TV show, sitcoms, and other major events, are all available over-the-air for free? According to a survey, 90 of to 100 TV programs are broadcast for free.
Tricks For Getting Better Reception With Your Indoor Antenna
Identify the locations of the broadcast towers
Aiming your indoor antenna at TV transmission towers can improve reception. In an ideal scenario, you will do the research before you even buy your antenna. Fortunately, there are helpful websites for locating TV signals in your area – TVFool.com and AntennaWeb.org. Just enter your street address and see a map outlining the direction and distance of the broadcast towers in your area.
Place The Antenna In Or Near A Window
Not only the distance of the transmitting tower is important for signal quality, but you should also keep in mind, the fewer obstructions between towers and the antenna you have, the better. That is why placing your indoor TV antenna in or near a window gets you the best results.
Higher Is Better
Yes, for better signal reception, you should have an antenna on your roof (outdoor antenna), but in many situations, the indoor HDTV antenna also works well if you put it as high as you can in your room (and next to the window). That’s why outdoor antennas are able to pick up so many channels.
Test Different Placements
Plug the antenna and pick up channels in HD. No, it doesn’t work that way. You probably have to test various locations in your room until you find the best positions.
Keep It Away From Metal
It will be important to keep the antenna away from metallic surfaces. Air handlers, ductwork, electrical conduit, and data wiring can all present interference with the digital signals. Try to keep as much distance as practical from these objects (6 feet or greater distance is ideal). Source: antennasdirect.com
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