Best Reviewed
TV Antennas
- Best basic TV antenna RadioShack Budget TV Antenna *Est. $13
- Best indoor television antenna Terk HDTVa *Est. $45
- Best indoor TV antenna for weaker UHF signals Antennas Direct DB2 *Est. $35
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Best basic TV antenna
- Inexpensive
- Optimized for UHF band
- Only suitable for high-signal-strength areas
- Susceptible to multipath interference
For those that live in high-signal-strength areas, a simple rabbit ears and loop antenna -- similar to ones used for decades for analog TV -- could be all you need. Among such TV antennas, the RadioShack Budget TV Antenna (catalog number 15-1874) stands out for its rock-bottom price and larger-than-typical loop antenna that optimizes UHF gain for the part of the band used for digital TV. However, its design leaves the RadioShack Budget TV Antenna vulnerable to multipath interference -- signal reflections from buildings or other objects that caused annoying ghosts in analog reception but can make digital signals completely useless no matter how strong they are. For areas where multipath interference is a problem, a directional antenna like the unamplified Terk HDTVi (*Est. $30) can be a better choice. If you need a more powerful antenna, the Terk HDTVa (*Est. $45) adds a built-in 12-decibel (dB) amplifier to the Terk HDTVi, letting you pull in signals from as far as 45 miles away.
We found the best evaluation of the RadioShack Budget TV Antenna in EV's Indoor Antenna Round-Up, an evaluation of the top antennas for receiving free over-the-air digital TV signals hosted at AVSForum.com. There's a good amount of user feedback at RadioShack.com.
Our Sources
1. AVSForum.com
This is a report and subsequent discussion thread detailing performance of various indoor antennas, including the RadioShack Budget TV Antenna (catalog number 15-1874). Author "EscapeVelocity" appreciates the larger-than-typical UHF loop and names it his favorite unamplified rabbit ears and loop style antenna.
Review: EV's Indoor Antenna Round-Up, Contributors to AVSForum.com
Nearly 100 owners have weighed in on the RadioShack Budget TV Antenna (catalog number 15-1874), giving it a solid rating of 4 stars out of 5 overall. Though a few complain of poor or no reception, most seem happy with value and/or performance. Many add that it is only suitable for those located near the TV transmitters -- 15 miles or less. Still, a good number -- 86 percent -- say they would recommend the antenna to a friend.
Review: Budget TV Antenna, Contributors to RadioShack.com
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