My signal dropped out several times yesterday. I need a better indoor antenna. I don’t think we are allowed to have outdoor antennas where I live. Can anyone tell me what you use? My current antenna is a Insignia HDTV antenna.
Where are you located? In the US, you can have an outdoor antenna in any location you exclusively control, subject to some minor exceptions. So even for an apartment renter, you could put one on a balcony facing the right direction.
I have only used outdoor antennas for my 46 years of home ownership. Indoor antennas will not work in my area. Too far away from the towers, too many trees, too many hills and two different directions. I would assume the same rules apply for indoor as well as outdoor antennas. You get what you pay for and bigger is better (usually).
A few more questions. How far away are you from the broadcast towers? And how many directions do you get your signals from?
I did not have a clue. Looked up my location on the website TV Fool. It said all my local channels should come in with a set-top type antenna, most within 12 miles. I don’t have anyone to put an outdoor antenna on the roof for me. I am a widow alone. Guess I will have to make do.
Hello,
You might try RabbitEars.Info . The site is more up to date then TVFOOL which was last updated 5 years ago. You could try a much larger antenna like this one that is still small enough to be indoors. ClearStream 2MAX UHF VHF Indoor Outdoor HDTV Antenna . I don’t see your exact antenna online, but if RabbitEars shows any channels in ( ) like below 13 some are probably VHF channels and you need a antenna that isn’t flat generally to get them.
Tyler the Antenna man is reviewing several indoor antennas in the upcoming weeks based on viewer requests on YouTube
On a personal note, I use an RCA amplified antenna on my downstairs TVs and I use the Clearstream 2V upstairs connected to my Tablo. Both work very well for me, but I’m in the Phoenix area where all of the towers are in one spot up on a mountain and we don’t really have the tree problems.
I use the RCA Amplified indoor antenna myself and am very happy with it. I need one that picks up VHF channels (Channel 6 and Channel 12 in philly area).
Some guidance on what to look for:
As a follow-up, I see that Tyler the Antenna Man now has the RCA amplified model listed in his Amazon store.
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I second checking out Tyler The Antenna man. Tyler knows what he is talking about and he has tested more antennas then any human should ever have to test. Use that list posted above to see some of his top picks. If you have an attic one of the small outdoor antenna style work pretty well for other people I have talked to. Some antennas are even listed as “attic” antennas.
He has a new video up discussing his recent indoor picks, but I’ve only seen it on Amazon (not YouTube).
https://www.amazon.com/vdp/0e8855f3c89c4948923b7581b1f7d5cb?ref=vse_vwis_lbvc_2
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I use a homemade antenna. The build guide came from Popular Mechanics, I think. It’s made from coat hangers, a wood board, wire, screws and washers. The reflector is made from tin foil stapled to a large box my guitar came in, and is positioned separately from the antenna, which hangs from a curtain rod in my upstairs bedroom.
I also use a Channel Master pre-amp near the antenna and another amp from the recycle center at the splitter that feed the tv and the Tablo.
I’m in central NH, about 70 miles as the crow flies from Portland, Maine, with mountains and trees in the way. I get 20 channels, 4-5 bars on the strength meter of the tv.
Yes, I’m cheap, and proud of it.
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I prefer the clear stream 2V with the VHF antenna and back grill. I also have a 4V but it didn’t pickup any additional channels since at that antenna’s range and direction there is nothing but the baja desert.
I am using the RCA amplified antenna. So far so good when the weather is good.
I’d also recommend running a check for your address on rabbitears.info. Notice where your towers are located if there are problematic channels. For many years, I was just moving my antenna around indoors rather haphazardly. Now I use the compass app on my iphone to help guide the direction my antenna is pointed in. You would be surprised how much moving a single degree can make sometimes! Also, generally speaking, the higher up the antenna is indoors, the better. Another mistake I made for years (placing the antennna behind my tv instead of on top of the entertainment stand)…
Nothing wrong with a good DIY build although the materials may need to be substituted. Sooooo hard to find decent metal hangers. You may have to raid grandmas closet or a yard sale to find good hangars. Instead I usually pick up wire(thin metal rods) from the local hardware store for antenna builds these days. Unlike antennas for a transceivers TV antennas are very forgiving. Many use PVC instead of wood these days not to mention 3D printing options. The transformer is the most difficult part to get. I buy them online but my local hardware store had those as well last time I checked.
Buying all that stuff is against my Yankee frugality - I’m so tight I squeak - which meant using what was around the house. The only things I bought were the screws and washers.
Grandmas hangers were better, they were bare metal. You may have to sand the ends of coated hangers to expose the metal.
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