The Best Indoor HDTV Antennas

Author: Michael Crider / Source: reviewgeek.com

The cheapest way to cut the cord is to ditch cable and use an over-the-air antenna to watch local TV. Here are the best no-installation options for indoor antennas.

OK, so technically you’re not literally cutting a cords here (you’ll still need to wire your antenna to your TV) but you get the idea: no more cable/satellite bills.

Not only that, but you might be shocked at how good over-the-air broadcasts look. Even though cable companies offer local channels as part of their packages, they typically compress the video for those channels. Over-the-air video isn’t compressed to fit the bandwidth constraints of a cable line and looks much sharper.

So what do you need? Indoor antennas work best in urban settings, especially if your home or apartment is within 25 miles of the broadcasting towers of all the local stations. Past 30 miles (48km) or so, you’ll begin to see some signal issues, and you may need to pick a strategic location for antenna placement like a window or an exterior wall. If you’re more than 40 miles (65km) away, you’ll definitely need to upgrade to an amplified antenna, which uses a standard electrical outlet to boost its reception capabilities.

If you’re more than 50 miles (80km) away from the nearest large city, or there are significant physical obstructions between there like high terrain, you’re going to have to go with a more permanent outdoor installation. All TVs sold within the last ten years or so include a digital tuner, so you can just plug the antenna into the coaxial plug on the back; older CRT TVs and those without tuners will need a converter box.

We’ve chosen the best indoor antenna models for typical users, for those with more demanding aesthetic standards, for those who need longer range, and for those on a budget.