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What is the best indoor OTA HDTV antenna?

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What is the best indoor OTA HDTV antenna?

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Old 07-02-08 | 10:50 AM
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From: The "Real" Vice City
What is the best indoor OTA HDTV antenna?

I want to cancel DirecTV and the only thing I'd be missing that I can't get on DVD would be Judge Judy/The People's Court, etc. I want to get an OTA HDV antenna (indoors) so that I can ditch the satellite. I don't mind paying a few hundred now because I'll make it back within months (we pay $77 a month for DirecTV).

Suggestions? Thanks!
Old 07-02-08 | 02:32 PM
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First, you should go to antennaweb.org and fill in the info. Then come back and tell us what antenna type you'd require to get the channels you're expecting.

And then: do you mean indoor attic antenna, or something smaller?

I hear the Channel Master 4228 is pretty good, but that's a bigger attic antenna.
Old 07-02-08 | 02:43 PM
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Old 07-02-08 | 03:11 PM
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Here's a handy link:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1037779
Old 07-03-08 | 11:14 PM
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Few hundred?!?! No, don't ever pay anything like that for an antenna unless it includes a 100' tower to put the antenna on.
Old 07-07-08 | 10:00 AM
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Wow!! I only spent $15 on my Radio Shack picture frame antennae and it works great, but it's not and HD antennae...so I'd better get a gold plated positronic magtanuim array!!

Seriously, if you get good reception of your local channels over $8 rabbit ears, then all you will likely need is $8 rabbit ears. I really do have a $15 Radio Shack picture frame antennae sitting on top of my set (picture frame style blends right in, the frame part is for UHF). My mom is using the rabbit ears that came with her set many years ago with a digital tuner box and she pulls in all but two channels (really low power spanish stations that came in fuzzy to begin with).
Old 07-07-08 | 11:44 PM
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I'll second Chew and dleedlee's suggestions. Good info there.

If you're looking to OTA HD reception, then a "rabbit ear" type of antenna is not likely to work, based on my personal experience.

According to the independent DirecTV installer who installed our DirecTV dish and our OTA antenna, all you need for OTA HD reception is a good UHF antenna, one rated for the distance from your home to the furthest away local broadcasting tower.

I trust the guy because he saved me a bundle when I had to replace my OTA antenna due to storm damage. I was going to buy a special, high-priced "HD antenna," and he said all I needed was a new antenna of the same make as the damaged one. So that's what we did and OTA HD has been looking great for about two years.
Old 07-09-08 | 08:54 PM
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That's true, most digital channels will be on the UHF band. But you should check at antennweb.org to find out for sure for your area.
Old 08-04-08 | 02:19 PM
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