In the US and in most developed countries, people don't want cords or wires around their devices. Cutting down on the paid T.V connections and the landline connections to go for a more wireless, internet-based service, that is what this radical development in the sphere of the Internet has brought along with it. This makes a lot of live television available for free online. You just need the best TV antenna and tune stations, just like the old times (with better signals and better quality, of course).
If you want to go a step further and add a little more variety to this list of channels than what is made available to you, all you need to do is connect an antenna to your T.V. Don't know which Antenna to buy or which one is the right fit for your requirements, don't worry.
This is how you can choose the best TV antenna in the market for you in year 2021.
Location Matters
Firstly, you need to get an idea of all the channels that are available around you. AntennaWeb.com is one such website where you can enter your location and it will tell you the local T.V. channels available around you in US. It also provides us with a map that shows the distance and the kind of antenna required to get strong signals from each station. Once you find out the kind of TV you can get near you, you can very well figure out the sort of antenna you will need.
AntennaWeb makes your job even easier by already categorizing the stations based on the kind of antenna we will need to tune into them. This is mainly because the indoor antennas are like wifi routers and would not work optimally if restricted by house structures like walls, appliances, etc.
For stations that are far away or have weaker signals, you might need the outdoor antenna, for others, an indoor antenna will work just fine.
Multi-Directional or Directional Antennas
As the name suggests, multi-directional antennas are designed in a way such that they can receive signals from any direction. They look like rectangular sheets or discs, flat shaped, and can be easily placed on a window. If placed properly they can catch the signals from whichever direction, given that the station is within range.
These are the most common T.V. antennas. Most of the indoor antennas are multi-directional and some of the outdoor antennas are too. Setting them up is pretty simple, and it doesn't require knowing where each station is.
The disadvantage with multidirectional antennas is that although they can receive signals from any direction, they have a much shorter range than directional antennas.
I'm sure by now you have figured out what directional antennas are. They are shaped more like fins, arrows, or tubes, and are supposed to be pointed toward the stations they're tuned to. These need to be properly adjusted to the station they are receiving the signals from, therefore you need to place them carefully. As mentioned earlier, they have a greater range than multi-directional antennas, thus you can tune into channels with greater distance weaker signals.
Directional antennas have to be placed outside of the house otherwise, with the wall acting as a barrier, the antenna is not nearly as effective as it can be.
Keeping that in mind we have brought for you a variety of the best TV antennas that you can choose from according to your preference.
TV Antennas you can Buy from Amazon
Here is a list of some indoor/outdoor antennas that you can buy from Amazon.
1. AmazonBasics Amplified Indoor/Outdoor TV Antenna
$50.99 at Amazon (2021 Price)
You can get Amazon's house brand indoor/outdoor antenna. It is double the price of the no-brand antennas, but it has better features, a better range of around 60 miles and it is also outdoor-friendly. It is one of the best TV antennas.
2. Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse Indoor HDTV Antenna
$50.99 at Amazon (2021 Price)
Antennas Direct is a well-known brand for the best TV antenna that has a number of variants in both indoor and outdoor categories. The Eclipse Indoor HDTV Antenna is a pretty basic, flat, disc-shaped antenna. It comes with a stick-on kind of a design, i.e. you can just slap it on any plane surface and it would stick to it. This becomes a very handy feature. It is multidirectional and has a range of 35 miles. It is also available in 50 miles, 70 miles, etc. ranges.
3. ClearStream Flex Amplified UHF/VHF Indoor HDTV Antenna
$75.49 at Amazon (2021 Price)
This ClearStream Flex is costlier than the ClearStream Eclipse and larger. It is also due to this bigger size and included amplifier, this indoor antenna has a much greater, 50-mile range, than the Eclipse.
4. DB8e 8-Element Bowtie Attic/Outdoor HDTV Antenna
$159.99 at Antennas Direct (2021 Price)
The Antennas Direct DB8e 8-Element Bowtie Antenna has an old-school look and is actually a very powerful multidirectional outdoor antenna. It has two panels, with four elements each and a reflector, that can be angled toward all the nearby stations at a time to get the best results. Yes, it is a multidirectional antenna but a pretty big one, you can view clearly from stations as far as 70 miles away.
5. Mohu Leaf +
$59.99 at Amazon (2021 Price)
The Mohu Leaf + deceptively looks like a flat indoor, multidirectional antenna, but it has a USB-powered amplifier which adds 15 dB of signal strength, thus its range becomes 60-plus miles. Also, it has both a black and a white side so you could match with your walls or your decor as you wish.
6. Monoprice Clear Window HDTV Antenna with In-Line Active Amplifier
$34.29 at Amazon (2021 Price)
As the name suggests, the monoprice clear window antenna is clear or transparent, or at least translucent, unlike most indoor antennas which are opaque. So if you attach it to a window it still lets a lot of light in. It has an inline amplifier, thus the 60-mile range.
7. Monoprice Digital HD7 Outdoor HDTV Antenna
$25.17 at Amazon (2021 Price)
Finally, if you can keep your antenna outside, the Monoprice Digital HD7 Outdoor Antenna is the most affordable way to get TV signals. Without any amplifier or anything of the sort, the antenna has a 65-mile range, that is if it is pointed in the right direction. Another great best TV antenna, available in the market.
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