Finding the right type of TV antenna for your house is never an easier task. But through some research and internet findings, this task gets a bit better. So still now, you were all watching standard definition television.
You must have heard a lot of the high-definition or the HDTV channels. The HD channels come along with a lot more clarity in terms of sound as well as picture. The digital signals which are sent over are clearer and uncompressed leading to such high-quality.
But when you have planned to do this switch from standard definition to high-definition, there are two things which would be required. Firstly, you would need a compatible TV unit and secondly which is also an important factor is getting an HDTV antenna. Getting the latest or a plasma TV would need some bit of research but it is not the same as finding an HDTV antenna.
There are multiple factors which you should be made aware before you get the right type of HDTV antenna for your area.
Reasons for having an HDTV antenna:
- Free TV: With soaring cable and satellite prices, it had become difficult for an individual to watch their favourite shows. But in case of an HDTV, all you are doing is making just a small investment which is one-time. With this small investment, you can enjoy multiple channels which are available in your area absolutely free of cost. With the free over-the-air signals, watching large number of channels at a nominal rate has become simpler.
- Crystal clear picture: When you hear the words High-definition then it means that surely the picture and sound quality would be amazing. It helps to shift from the standard picture quality to a higher version of the same. All of this absolutely free of cost.
- Receives better signal quality: The HDTV antennas would experience less of interference thereby allowing it to pick up good quality signals. Even though cable and satellite provide innumerable channels, in a way they incorporate multiple data compression techniques which somewhere compromises on the quality of the image.
Let us have a look at few of the factors which need to be taken into consideration while purchasing an HDTV antenna.
- VHF or UHF: The HD TV are known to broadcast in two different frequencies, firstly the UHF which is also called as ultra-high frequency and secondly the VHF or Very high frequency. When you go to purchase the antenna, they would ask you to make a selection between VHF/UHF or both. It may seem to be tempting to say both but you would need to find out what frequencies are available in your area. The UHF channels are mostly broadcasted at an upwards 300Megahertz whereas the VHF frequencies are broadcasted between 30 to 300Megahertz. The VHF channels stand between 2 to 13 whereas the UHF ones are between 14 to 69. Due to the difference in the frequencies, various antennas would pick up either VHF or UHF or both. You can check on the website such as FCC or TVFool.com exactly which frequencies are available in your area and get the right pick.

- Directional or Multi-directional: Another factor that needs to be considered is whether you want to go in for a directional antenna or a multi-directional antenna. At times it may be a problematic task to decide between these two options. The directional antenna as the name indicates are those antennas which are mostly aimed to a single direction which would be towards the broadcasting tower. This direction would be offering the strongest signal reception. But then these antennas would not be beneficial to pick up signals coming from multiple other directions. It is suitable for those who have weak signals from one particular transmitting station. On the other hand, the multi-directional antennas are able to pick up signals from various directions. But the downside is that since these antennas pick up signals from various directions, the strength of the signal is quiet less when compared to the directional antenna. It is an excellent choice for those who are closest to a TV tower.
- Signal source distance: For those who live in large cities which would be probably having multiple number of broadcasting stations around then it means that the signal strength in that area would be strong. For such cases, you can go in for indoor antenna or a small outdoor HD antenna. These antennas would easily pick up the signals and provide a number of HDTV channels for you to enjoy. But if you are in a rural region or in a small city wherein even the nearest broadcasting station is some 60 to 70 miles away then you would need a long range outdoor antenna. A long range outdoor antenna would be able to pick up signals from such a long distance.
- Obstructions or Interference: There is another major factor that has to be considered before you purchase an HDTV antenna. Do you have obstructions around in your area? Obstructions can be in the form of hills, mountains, trees, buildings and so on. All of this has an effect on the quality of signal being picked up by the antenna. In such cases, there are certain models of antenna which can easily bypass these obstructions and are hardly influenced by them but there are others which would be useless the moment they come across any obstructions. Hence you would need to read the antenna specifications carefully before making the final buy.
- Amplified or Non-amplified: For overcoming obstructions, the user can also make use of amplifiers. The amplifiers help in improving the reception of the signal. Some of the antennas would be having a built-in amplifier whereas few other models would not. In such cases you may need to purchase a separate device. The non-amplified antennas are more popularly used for the indoor antennas since they can pick up signals coming from any direction. This type of antenna is suitable for those who reside in an area that already receives strong signal. On the other hand, the amplified antenna would need to be separately plugged in with the power cord. They are capable of receiving directional signals even from a longer range. It is mostly suitable for those who stay far from the transmitting tower and do not wish to miss out on their favourite program.
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