Winegard FlatWave FL-5000

Bottom Line

The super-thin Winegard FlatWave FL-5000 offers some advantages over the similar Mohu Leaf, although better performance isn't one of them.

Performance

Very good, but perhaps not the best of its type. Assessing antenna performance is a challenge because so much depends on the receiving location. Most reports say the Winegard FlatWave FL-5000 works on par with the Mohu Leaf (*Est. $40), which draws raves for its performance as long as expectations are in line with its range and design. Pete Putman at HDTVexpert.com, who conducts arguably the most exhaustive testing of these two antennas, breaks with the pack somewhat by giving a clear edge to the Leaf. Part of that's due to an initial test of the FlatWave that yielded poor results, although Winegard says that was caused by a since-corrected defect. Yet Putman remains unimpressed in a second go-around, saying the updated FlatWave did pull in more stations but he "didn't see much of a difference between the defective FlatWave and its replacement."

Aesthetics

Black cord or white; long or short? In terms of looks, the FlatWave and the Mohu Leaf antennas are near carbon copies: paper-thin, white on one side, black on the other. However, the Leaf ships with a non-removable 6-foot white cord, while the FlatWave's black cord is 15 feet long. Since more walls are white than black, the Leaf does better in that department. More critical, though, the longer cord that's standard with the FlatWave might make it easier to find a perfect spot for the antenna. You can also get a longer 16-foot cord in the step-up Leaf Ltd. (*Est. $40) or buy an extension RF cable at an electronics retailer.

Value

Cheaper antennas could work as well for some. The Mohu Leaf and Winegard FlatWave FL-5000 both work at least decently, and are easier to live with than many other types of DTV antennas. However, Putman says neither outpaces the once-ubiquitous UHF bow-tie antenna by much. Bow-tie antennas cost only a few dollars but are hard to come by at electronics sellers, although they can still pop up on auction sites and elsewhere on occasion.