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Indoor HDTV Antenna Pros and Cons
by Eric Gov
http://www.hdtvantennalabs.com
More and more individuals outfit their homes with high
definition TVs. Many of them subscribe for a paid HDTV
programming delivered by their cables or satellite
television provider. Due to cables and satellite TV
bandwidth limitations very strong video compression is
often used and, as a result, the video quality is degraded.
Surprisingly, an alternative option of over the air (OTA)
HDTV broadcasts reception is not only free of charge, but
also frequently offers better video quality. OTA HDTV
broadcasts can be received with a simple off-air TV antenna.
Numerous factors should be considered when choosing an
off-air TV antenna. Frequency band, antenna size,
directivity and placement; all that depends on the
broadcasts you have in your area and the distance from your
location to the transmitters. AntennaWeb can be of great
help in defining the required antenna characteristics.
If possible, an outdoor rooftop HDTV antenna is strongly
recommended. Attic-installed outdoor antenna is the second
best option. Indoor antennas, even equipped with an
amplifier, can not compete with outdoor antennas and will
not pull in weak channels in distant areas. However, if you
live in an urban area or close to the broadcast towers,
then an indoor TV antenna may do the job.
Assuming that satisfactory television quality may be
achieved in your area with an indoor antenna, there are
many good reasons to prefer an indoor antenna over its
outdoor counterpart. Number #1 reason for choosing an
indoor TV antenna is an ease of installation. Indoor
antennas can usually be installed within minutes. Indoor
versions are also popular in apartments where there is no
space to install a large outdoor antenna.
Many individuals choose to purchase an indoor TV antenna
instead of its outdoor counterpart for aesthetic reasons.
Some housing developments and neighborhoods have gone so
far as to ban outdoor TV antennas, especially neighborhoods
of historical homes. For this reason, and indoor HDTV
antenna still allows you all the fantastic qualities of
HDTV while not marring the physical look of your home with
an unsightly dish and antenna.
Indoor television antennas are also encouraged for anyone
who may not feel comfortable with accessing their roof and
installing the actual antenna. Furthermore, indoor
antennas do not take the environmental punishments that
outdoor antennas take, so the indoor versions generally
last longer.
The main disadvantage of an indoor HDTV antenna is of
course the reception quality. For an indoor antenna the
line of sight is almost always blocked and the incoming
wall-bounced signals are weak. Physical location with
respect to the broadcasting towers is the key to success.
The impact of construction materials of your house is also
significant. The less metal is there, the better.
Although an outdoor antenna can potentially pull in more TV
channels, its higher cost, bigger size and installation
hassle can turn your decision in favor of an indoor antenna.
There are many indoor HDTV antenna models on the market.
The cheapest models usually have a combination of rabbit
ears for the VHF band and a loop antenna for the UHF. This
model will only pick the strongest signals in your area.
More sophisticated and expensive UHF models are directional
log-periodic and scatter plane antennas. The potential
difficulty of directional antennas is a need to rotate and
move the antenna around when you switch channels depending
on the direction the signals are coming from.
When considering the particular antenna types and brands,
be sure to research a specific model before you buy. Look
at customer reviews and compare antenna specifications
carefully.
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