You’ve got cable, perhaps a subscription from Netflix or Disney+, but we think you should get an antenna to get the best possible entertainment experience. Read on to find out why!
Television has been around for nearly a hundred years, it has evolved from a state of wonder to becoming an essential part of our daily lives. It has shaped our cultures and lives in a tremendous way. However, over the years, the original form of receiving signals for the television set, the antenna, has been forgotten. People now believe that the days when people could get free quality programming through the airwaves are numbered.
But that’s a wrong assumption. Firstly, at the moment, the cable network connections don’t offer the picture quality available on airwaves: The cap on cable connection data is lower than that of the antenna. Due to lower number of channels available on OTA (Over-The-Air) TV in a given locality, there is lower compression on the aired programs, giving OTA TV a higher picture quality than the cable TV. Secondly, the OTA TV is completely free of charge! In today’s world, getting quality entertainment for free is a bit of a miracle.
So, now you know the why. Here are the best TV antennas in 2020:
1. Channel Master Flatenna 35
The Channel Master Flatenna 35 offers a simple design that’s suited to all your indoor antenna needs. It has a solid built and the reception is better than more expensive antennas in the market.
The antenna comes with a detachable coaxial cable, you will not find the fasteners for the cable in the box and attaching the cable without the fasteners will result in poor picture quality. The design of the antenna makes it easily attachable to the window, wall or any other surface.
The signal quality is also strong, with viewers getting more local OTA channels than any other antenna option on the list, also with the ability to receive OTA channels from 35 to 50 miles. At 10$, Channel Master Flatenna 35 is a no brainer.
2. AmazonBasics Ultra Thin Antenna
The AmazonBasics Ultra Thin Antenna has two colors: one side is black, while the other is white. This is especially useful for those who are aesthetically sensitive. The antenna is easy to assemble and use. In the box, the consumers get: 10 ft detachable coaxial cable, fasteners and pushpins.
The signal receptibility is up to 35 miles, giving it a fairly good range for the antenna of this price range. With a price tag of 19.99$, the AmazonBasics Ultra Thin Antenna is a bit pricey and compared to other models has a lower signal range. But for people who value aesthetics above all, this is definitely a good choice.
3. Mohu Leaf Ultimate HDTV Antenna
At the pricier end of the spectrum, the Mohu Leaf Ultimate HDTV Antenna comes in a flexible plastic body. The small size of the antenna makes it a modest addition to the living space. The device comes with all the necessities required to get it in an operational state out-of-the-box, such as the coax cable, the fitters for the cable and a wall mount accessory with nuts and bolts.
The Mohu Leaf Ultimate HDTV Antenna can receive signals from up to 35 miles and has a decent signal quality, resulting in stable picture quality and a wide range of available channels. Given the price, the antenna struggles to find its place among a sea of other antennas available in the market.
4. Antennas Direct Clearstream Eclipse
With its very small size, Antennas Direct Clearstream Eclipse is a minimally designed TV antenna. Moreover, due to its size, the antenna has made some compromises with the signal reception. The leaf like design of the antenna makes it easily mountable or attached to a wall. We would recommend attaching the antenna on a window to get the best possible results.
One of the major problems with the Clearstream Eclipse is that it can only receive signals in the UHF bandwidth, while major channels in the US offer channels in the VHF bandwidth. Moreover, when tested the antenna was able to receive seven out of the thirty-eight channels available in the area.
The antenna comes with a 3ft coax cable and a power adapter, which has an option of USB powered functionality. This makes the antenna easy to set-up and use. At 49$, the antenna is definitely one of the expensive pieces in the market, making it a hard sell compared to the other models, but if you want something minimal in your space that can provide basic OTA Channels within your area then this is the device for you.
REFERENCES:
- https://www.howtogeek.com/428815/why-free-ota-tv-beats-cable-on-picture-quality/
- https://www.cnet.com/reviews/channel-master-flatenna-35-review/
- https://www.tomsguide.com/us/amazonbasics-ultra-thin-antenna-35-mile,review- 5312.html
- https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/mohu-leaf-ultimate-hdtv-antenna-review/