Without needing to put a big outside antenna on your home’s roof, you can receive free over-the-air broadcast TV channels with the best indoor TV antennas. The ability of each model to receive signals from stations at different distances is what essentially distinguishes them from one another, and our guide will show you how closely each model adheres to its distance specification.
The majority of indoor antennas are small and designed to be mounted on a wall behind your TV or on a level area close to it. We’ll also talk about the antenna’s appearance, which may or may not influence your purchase depending on how particular you are about interior design.
1.Antennas Direct ClearStream Flex
Your search is over if you’re looking for a mid-range antenna that provides reliable HD channels within a 50-mile radius. Its large, thin panel may obscure a large portion of a window, so that’s a trade-off. Still, if that’s not an issue, this indoor antenna is our top choice for value.
During testing, we discovered that it captured 48 channels while more costly and potent antennas were able to capture 54 channels. However, many of the channels it did receive—including the HD ones—had visual quality and consistency that was on par with or better than what more powerful choices could offer.
The in-line amplifier, which you can turn on and off at, helps with that in part will. The 12-foot coaxial cable is a decent length – you can get a bit longer out of the box from some other options, but this will probably cover most people.
Setup is easy, partly thanks to the free Antenna Point app, which tells you where cable stations are located, so you can point your antenna in the right direction to pick up the most stations.
Even though Antennas Direct now owns Mohu, a competitor OTA antenna retailer, the business is still producing extremely powerful HD indoor antennas. For instance, the new Antennas Direct Clearstream Flex is the only option you need to consider.
With its 50-mile coverage radius and in-line amplifier, the Flex can easily broadcast the majority of the local stations in your area in high definition.
Antennas Direct advises anyone purchasing their first HD antenna to download the Antenna Point app for free. This tool can assist you in pointing your antenna in the proper direction for the strongest signal by providing a geographical map of cable station locations.
There are a few sticking points that we don’t love about the antenna including its window-filling size and potential to pull in fewer channels than other stronger models – but overall these are minor points that don’t mar the performance of this above-par antenna.
The Flex is a big, flat digital antenna with a white side and a black side that can help it fit in with the decor of your living room, similar to the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro that we’ve previously evaluated. If you wish to split the signal to go to multiple rooms, you can set it up in an attic, but it works best when it’s adjacent to or on a window with direct visibility to the outside world.
Though some design-conscious people might take offense at its size of 12×16 inches (LxW), it’s not exactly the least noticeable antenna we’ve tested, and when positioned properly, its large footprint does help it bring in more channels.
Pros
In-line amplifier with on/off switch
Antenna Point app
Cons
Potentially fewer channels
2.Mohu Arc
The Arc indoor antenna from Mohu is quite small, simple to install, and attractive enough to go with a variety of interior design styles. It can be used on a tabletop or wall, however the latter configuration is a little unstable due to the clip-on bracket.
The Arc’s clip-in installation may be improved, and its construction could be strengthened more. Its passive, unamplified construction and small size belied its remarkable signal-pulling capabilities, nevertheless.
Because the Arc is not amplified, an amplified model—such as Mohu’s own Arc Pro—is probably a better option if you need to extend its feed to a TV set that is farther away. The Arc indoor antenna from Mohu is quite small, simple to install, and attractive enough to go with a variety of interior design styles. It can be used on a tabletop or wall, however the latter configuration is a little unstable due to the clip-on bracket.
The Arc’s clip-in installation may be improved, and its construction could be strengthened more. Its passive, unamplified construction and small size belied its remarkable signal-pulling capabilities, nevertheless.
This antenna’s gently curved profile, 12 x 8-inch dimensions, and the white finish of my review sample should allow it to blend unobtrusively in most rooms. It mounts via a clip-on plastic bracket that snaps into cutouts on the rear surface, with the natural flex of the bracket holding it in place. This was a bit finicky, and a better locking system could be devised.
But despite these gripes it worked fine, providing a workable, if a bit tippy, tabletop installation, plus a stable wall-mount option via two teardrop-shaped slide-mount screw slots (the screws are not included). The Arc’s connecting cable is only 10-feet long, mandating installation fairly close to the TV.
At my semi-rural, hilltop test location, which enjoys good elevation and clear line-of-sight over almost 360 degrees to TV transmitters ranging from around 15 to roughly 70 miles, spread in all directions, Mohu’s 40-mile rating looked reasonably accurate.
The Arc was situated in a second-story window facing south, and the antenna tuned 11 primary carriers out of approximately 44 sub-channels. (In contrast, a rooftop-type antenna installed within the attic at the same site pulls in 15 carriers and nearly 70 subchannels total.) The Arc, like other antennas, is “multi-directional; no aiming necessary,” according to Mohu, and at the test site, it successfully tuned stations from all directions, depending on the strength of the broadcast signal.
Pros
Surprising range
Fairly compact
Cons
Curved profile is a little bulkier
3.Winegard FlatWave Amped Pro TH-3000
The FlatWave Amped Pro TH-3000 antenna from Winegard performs well and may be initially configured with an efficient app that displays the antenna’s real-world reception potential before installation.
The decor-conscious will find the TH-3000’s completely flat, zero-footprint on-window/on-wall design appealing, and it can be counted on to pick up digital TV channels from up to 60 miles away. Although there are less expensive antennas available with comparable capabilities, they will probably be larger and harder to conceal from view.
The TH-3000 is a precisely flat, flexible membrane that is only a half-millimeter thick. It is matte black on one side to match décor and location and matte white on the other. The adhesive tabs that come with it are designed to be used to place it on a wall or window; however, the little fixture that attaches the down-lead is somewhat thicker. The 18.5-foot lead is long enough for most settings, but approximately two-thirds of the way down is a signal amplifier housed in a pod the size of an enormous pack of gum.
You must first download the “Connected” app (iOS/Android) using a QR code found on the amp module in order to configure the Winegard. After that, the program helps you with the siting procedure by indicating how many strong, moderate, and weak stations you should anticipate. It can also display a map that locates these in relation to your current location, which could be a useful tool. (Once you enter your location, comparable maps are displayed on the websites of most antenna manufacturers as well as the FCC.)
It is simple to experiment with different antenna panel locations to maximize reception, as each scan by the app takes ten to fifteen seconds. While Winegard’s app offers a speedier and more comfortable option, you can achieve the same results with any antenna by having the TV scan channels consecutively.
After determining the ideal spot, all you have to do is attach the membrane to the wall or window, route and connect the down-lead, and then use the TV to scan for channels. There are two things to note: First, it should go without saying that a window will typically receive better reception than a wall (though there are a lot of architectural variances); second, I discovered that the antenna performed best when it was exactly flat; therefore, performance may be affected if your window has divided lights or other obstructions.
For the FlatWave Amped Pro, Winegard advertises a range of 60 miles, which is quite close to what I found. My test site is on a hilltop in a semi-rural area, and it has a good elevation and about 360-degree line of sight to transmitters dispersed across all directions, ranging in distance from 15 to around 70 miles. My Sony set tuned nine primary carriers for roughly 33 stations (digital sub-channels) with the TH-3000 panel installed in a south-facing window. The furthest distant station was a strong signal situated almost due south and somewhat over 70 miles away.
Pros
Good range
Perfectly flat membrane design minimizes visual impact
Cons
Needs to be perfectly flat for best performance
4.Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro HDTV Antenna
The best-kept secret in the cable business is indoor TV antennas. Simply put, most people are unaware that they may still receive local channels over the air in the same manner as they did twenty years ago.
What has altered, though, is the technology we employ to bring in those channels and, eventually, the efficiency with which these new instruments perform their tasks.
In many ways, the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro Indoor TV Antenna excels at its work. Its fifteen-decibel power injector facilitates the extraction of twelve or more channels that load quickly and exhibit minimal pixelation and discernible artifacts. Its broad design is easy to set up and functional, despite being a little awkward and unattractive.
Although the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro is more expensive than the typical HD antenna, which should only cost you, it is still a fantastic tool, and for those of us who already live close to transmitting stations, it might not always provide a noticeably better experience. Overall though, it’s an excellent option to the more affordable and subpar models available for those who live 30 to 45 miles out of town.
Big and flat, the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro digital antenna works both with and without the power injector that comes with it. It works best next to or on top of a window with direct visibility to the outside world, but it also has a white side and a black side that can help it fit in with the décor of your living room.
You might wonder how you’ll know if it’s in the proper place. Conveniently, Mohu has positioned a signal strength indicator next to the coaxial connection port on the white side. Although we wouldn’t say it’s 100% accurate, an LED bar shows you how strong the signal your antenna is currently receiving. This can help you determine the Leaf in the right spot.
As for the amplification part of its description, the Mohu Leaf comes with a15db power injector that boosts the clarity of channels received by the antenna. You don’t necessarily need to use it – and it might be the case that you receive more channels without the power injector – but we found it to be very useful in our testing.
Last but not least, a 12-foot detachable coaxial cable is included with the Mohu Leaf Supreme Pro to connect the antenna to the injector or straight to your TV. In comparison to less expensive models that simply have a one- to two-foot coaxial line, that length of wire feels like a premium addition and should give you enough of leeway to reach the windows from the TV.
Pros
Stable connection
Channels start faster
Cons
Expensive for an indoor antenna
5. Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS
The Antop HD Smart Bar (AT-500SBS) might be the answer for you if you’ve had problems with previous antennas and live far from a broadcast source—that is, if you can accept its enormous size and pay a hefty price.
The 2.5-foot-wide Antop HD Smart Bar is a hard-plastic antenna that can be vertically supported by the base stand that comes with it or placed on your wall like a soundbar. Either way, the trade-off is a considerably longer promised range of 80 miles, but it’s much more visible than almost any other indoor antenna on the market. In addition, it features an FM tuner, a 4G signal filter, the capacity to link to a second TV, and reception was excellent in our testing. However, with a price tag, we recommend trying cheaper alternatives first to see if they’ll meet your needs.
The 500-SBS is the top model in Antop’s collection of stylish “housed” indoor antennas; it is a swoopy 30-inch bar that may be vertically fixed on a provided plastic base or mounted horizontally on a wall.
Two conventional F-connector outputs for two TVs or a TV and an FM radio or receiver are driven by the in-line amplifier that comes with the package. Though many indoor antennas come with fixed cords too short to reach your TV from the ideal antenna location, we feel that the provided 5-foot wires are too short.
Antop claims that a 4G LTE filter eliminates interference from nearby mobile towers, while the amplifier’s gain control can lower signal intensity, which may be helpful in busy urban areas where the strongest neighboring signals might interfere.
The art of antenna design is one that is fairly well understood. The two most significant factors are size and number of elements (the rods that are visible on traditional roof antennas), therefore buyers should expect that there won’t be much of a performance difference between versions of the same size and configuration.
Furthermore take note of the fact that certain antennas’ built-in RF amplifiers are unable to summon up additional stations. Their function is to mitigate losses in the “down-lead” that occurs between the antenna and the television receiver. In rare instances where the receiver’s sensitivity is inadequate, they can also elevate extremely weak signals above the tuning threshold. Above all, however, consumers should note that the most crucial elements affecting antenna performance are location, orientation, and particularly elevation.
test antennas in a semi-rural area with a decent elevation and a nearly 360-degree clear line of sight to TV stations that are situated between 15 and 70 miles away in all directions. Since all antennas have some degree of directionality, I usually install interior ones in or next to windows that face south. Since consumers are unlikely to reorient the 500SBS antenna to maximize reception in a specific direction, my assessment, as usual, is based on this unique setup and location.
14 acceptable signals were obtained by Antop’s 500SBS from six distinct directions around the compass. That refers to 14 distinct carriers; when all sub-channels (5.1, 5.2, etc.) are taken into account, it delivers 57 distinct channels. (For antenna reception, the primary carriers are important.)
There were two further indications that tuned, but intermittent blocking and digital noise rendered them unusable. Significantly, one of these was only about 25 miles away but being located roughly SSE from my location was almost exactly “off-axis,” that is, at right angles to the Antop bar’s facing direction.
Pros
Premium station reception
Clever, useful setup app
Cons
Large size makes it tough to hide
How to choose an indoor TV antenna
The distance specification of an indoor antenna should be your first concern when selecting one. Depending on the model, indoor antennas have a range of up to 80 miles. Living in a rural area means that your home is probably farther away from broadcast TV stations than a home in an urban or suburban area. As a result, you will need a more powerful antenna with a range of at least 60 miles. However, you can typically get away with utilizing a simple, low-cost antenna with a 20–40 mile range specification if your house is in or close to a city.
Online tools like AntennaWeb, a website supported by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), can assist you in determining the best antenna choice for your location. Using AntennaWeb’s search tool, you enter the zip code of your location and it shows a list of nearby broadcast TV stations, along with their distance and a color code to help you select an optimal antenna type for receiving specific stations.
How to position an indoor antenna
Your TV may not be able to tune in to every station within the specified range only because your indoor antenna has a distance specification. Reception can be impacted by a number of things, including as the topography between your house and neighboring broadcast towers and, if you reside in an urban area, the nearby buildings. Because of this, the antenna’s configuration and placement are very important and will help your TV receive as many digital channels and subchannels as possible.
The first step is to locate the channels you wish to tune in and then orient the antenna in that direction (the interactive maps provided by AntennaWeb and Pearl TV can be helpful in this regard). Additionally advised is mounting the antenna in a window, however that might not always be possible due to the location of your TV or design considerations. All antennas come with a coaxial cable to connect to your TV’s RF input. This is typically only 2 meters, or even shorter, so you may want to replace it with a longer cable to permit better positioning flexibility.