What you can (and cannot) expect from your antenna
Imagineyourself standing in the antenna aisle of your local big-box retailer orsurfing the Internet comparing antennas. One box says the antenna inside cangrab stations from 100 miles away. Another product’s description boasts thatit’s a 4K antenna. Or, maybe you saw the one claiming it can deliver cablechannels!
We’veheard it all and seen it all. There’s no governing body or industry oversightto check the claims being made when it comes to TV antennas. That means thereare many false claims being circulated today. A recent Texoma’s article even talks about the multitude of “antenna scams” present in themarketplace. Antennas Direct refuses to play that game, and we always have.
Since 2003, we’ve been on amission to educate the public about the virtues of watching free, over-the-airTV in HD with a TV antenna. Today, our continuing mission is to build upon thateducation, freeing people not only from their bad relationships (and endlesslyincreasing bills) with cable and satellite but also from the bad informationthey may be faced with when making the decision about which antenna topurchase. Here are the top three things you need to know:
Antenna Range Claims
Scientific fact: The Earth is round. (Sorry, flat-earthers.) The curvature of the Earth will block most over-the-air broadcast signals at roughly 70 miles. According to the current laws of physics, it is generally impossible to deliver the 100 and 150-mile range claims some antenna manufacturers boast. While you may receive signals from farther away in absolutely ideal conditions (a home atop a hill whose broadcast towers are directly on top of another hill with a clear shot between the two and absolutely no obstacles) or you’re inclined to engineer a unique (and probably dangerously tall) setup, then consistent, reliable reception of anything over 70 miles away should not be expected. Range can also be impacted by factors such as location, obstructions in the terrain around you, other buildings, the location of transmitters on the broadcast tower, and other variables. Antennas Direct’s founder, Richard Schneider, raised his concerns about these dubious range claims in a TechHive article earlier this year.
The Channels You’llReceive
You may be thinking thatwatching TV with an antenna will bring you back to the old days of antennas,when only a handful of stations were available. Today, most areas in the UnitedStates broadcast 50+ channels over the air. Locations like Los Angeles have asmany as 175 channels. We’re talking about over-the-air broadcast televisionchannels -which are transmitted in Full HD 1080p and with 5.1 surround sound-which you receive for FREE once you have a TV antenna. In addition to yourlocal NBC, CBS, ABC, CW, and FOX affiliates, you’ll also find a wide variety ofspecialty programming available on these stations. So much content is availablethat we like to call it “the new basic cable”. Keep in mind, these are networkand local channels. You will not receive any pay-TV stations via a TV antenna.We’ve seen antennas claiming this possibility, but it is 100% false. You willnot receive ESPN, CNN, or any other such channel with your antenna. Period.That said, there are many new streaming options becoming available tocord-cutters all the time which combine broadcast TV content with packagesavailable for purchase to watch sports channels, pay-TV subscriptions, andmore, all from onestreamlined platform.
The 4K Antenna
As of writing this, OTAtelevision is not yet broadcast to the general public in 4K. However, thatdoesn’t stop unscrupulous antenna companies from claiming that (only) theirantennas will allow you to watch broadcast TV in 4K. The truth is, once 4Kbroadcast television becomes available, any antenna will be able to receive it. What you, theTV-watcher, will need in order to view OTA television in 4K is a devicewhich will be capable of decoding the transmissions your antenna receives sothat you’re able to watch your shows in the new 4K standard. This can be a TVor a designated TV tuner, for example a set-top box. We believe that our ClearStream™ HDTVAntennas will deliver the best, most reliable picture quality we’ve alwaysbeen known for when that day comes, which is why we indicate on our packagingthat all our antennas are “4K-Ready”. Until then, 4K-quality picture has becomeavailable through mediums such as Blu-Ray® and certain streaming services, butbroadcast television viewers will need to wait until the newstandard of television arrives to local airwaves in the near future to viewover-the-air television in 4K.
If you’re still unsure or justneed guidance choosing the right antenna for your needs, we are here to serveas your beacons of light for all antenna myths you may be grappling with. OurMidwest-based ConnectionCrew is available 7 days a week to answer questions and help you achievethe best possible over-the-air TV-viewing experience. They’ll help you pick theright antenna for your location, troubleshoot installation, conduct a free homesignal analysis, and more. They’re a passionate bunch of real antennaenthusiasts who will help you separate fact from fiction and find success witha TV antenna.
As always, we’ve got your back. Welcome to myth-busting withAntennas Direct.
