Indoor Antenna

[radiolives]

This was in the AD box on Radio-Info so I clicked on it. Its the "Leaf Indoor HDTV Antenna". Anyone knows if it is any good?

Here is the link:
http://www.gomohu.com/free tv - television antennas.html

 

[tripinva]

I know nothing about it, but just looking at the design, it's probably complete crap.

- Trip

 

[Robnoxious]

The more "aesthetically pleasing" an antenna is without the tried and true design of collapsible dipoles and a bowtie/loop the more likely it's a waste of money. Pass on that one.

 

[LKellerIII]

I'm not a techo-geek by any means. But this reminds me of the indoor "T" shaped FM antennas that came bundled with most Amplifier/Tuner combos in the 70s and 80s - even high-end models. Supposedly, all you had to do was tack it to the wall above the amp/tuner, and you could pull in all the local stations in crystal-clear stereo.

If you lived in a good or decent reception area, it would enhance reception to a limited degree. Especially if you lived in one of those multi-story concrete apartment buildings, it seemed to improve reception.

But if you lived in a poor reception area, it was virtually useless.

I realize this is for TV, not radio, so I'd ask: how is this any different from traditional "rabbit ears?"

I'd say - if it has a 100% money back guarantee, it may be worth a try. Otherwise, forget it.

 

[Markxxx]

I actually have a similar type one that came with my laptop.

It pulls in UHF just great, but can't get anything with VHF. So if you have any VHF channels in your area (make sure to look at actual channels not virtual ones), you won't get them, with something like this

 

[trusty]

It's not a fractal antenna, is it?

 

[KML0224]

Their "C" antenna down below (where they compare the competition) looks a lot like an RCA "bat wing" antenna that I have. That seems to work fairly well on the rare times I use it. I rest it at the top of my south-facing second floor window here in New Britain, CT with little trouble.

 

[w9wi]

I know nothing about it, but just looking at the design, it's probably complete crap.

- Trip

Yikes.

Specs:
product dimensions 9 in. x 11.5 in.
cord length 6 feet
connector 75 ohm F connector
pattern omnidirectional reception, no adjustments needed

None of this is useful...

This is almost certainly a UHF-only antenna. (as Mark found...)
$44 is seriously overpriced, even if all your locals are UHF.

The C and E antennas are more like it. (although a lot of our viewers have had trouble with E)

 

[radiorob2.0]

Antennas like that are crap. Useless for even high band VHF but adequate for UHF because of its size. The amplifier just increases the noise of part 15 offenders around the antenna.

 

[ansky212]

My local K-Mart store has almost that exact antenna for about $20. If you want to try out different antennas, buy them from a department store. If they don't work well you can return them. I have done that many times and it's the best way to go for trial and error

 

[radiolives]

I wasn't seriously going to get it. Just wondering if it would be any good. And yea the price is way over the top. Besides I still think the good old rabbit ears work fine still which I ever use as I have cable tv which is included in where I live.

 

[spunker88]

Its 9"x11.5" so its a bit larger than a standard sheet of paper. At this size it probably just has a UHF loop inside of it, not worth $44.

When we switched to DTV people got sucked into buying weird looking antennas, thinking DTV requires a new antenna. When in reality the same old tested and proven antenna designs work. They are going to probably look ugly, but they work.

 

[ansky212]

When we switched to DTV people got sucked into buying weird looking antennas, thinking DTV requires a new antenna. When in reality the same old tested and proven antenna designs work. They are going to probably look ugly, but they work.

Yeah, I remember when I bought my first digital tv back in 2007 the store was selling "digital antennas" for almost $50. I ended up buying one, since at that time, Directv was only carrying a handful of HD channels and didn't think it was worth $10/mo. for the HD package. The antenna I bought works much better than rabbit ears, but still probably not worth 50 bucks even back then.

 

[w9wi]

I wasn't seriously going to get it. Just wondering if it would be any good. And yea the price is way over the top. Besides I still think the good old rabbit ears work fine still which I ever use as I have cable tv which is included in where I live.

(emphasis mine) Absolutely. IMHO for viewers within ~10mi. of the towers, rabbit ears are generally your best bet in an indoor antenna.

(really, the best antenna is a rooftop unit, but for various reasons that's not an option for a lot of viewers)

I find it very frustrating that at least a handful of our viewers, who had perfectly good "analog" outdoor antennas, were told they needed to replace them with inferior "digital" units -- and then couldn't get one or more channels. I've heard from at least two who, after following my advice to hook their old antenna back up, got back all the channels they lost.

 

[BMR]

(really, the best antenna is a rooftop unit, but for various reasons that's not an option for a lot of viewers)

I find it very frustrating that at least a handful of our viewers, who had perfectly good "analog" outdoor antennas, were told they needed to replace them with inferior "digital" units -- and then couldn't get one or more channels.

Shocking that stores were doing that, whether through ignorance or malice, there is no excuse.

I've sat this thread out until now, because the British system is different both in terms of frequencies used and transmission system, but the laws of physics are the same all over the globe, and even the best indoor antenna is never going to be as good as an outdoor one.

So-called 'HD aerials' are the latest scam in the UK......

 

[KeithE4]

(emphasis mine) Absolutely. IMHO for viewers within ~10mi. of the towers, rabbit ears are generally your best bet in an indoor antenna.

The ones with the matching switch work the best, as far as basic rabbit-ears go. I paid $20 for mine.

One thing I discovered when I reconnected my coupon-box/analog TV to my rabbit ears is that even with a strong signal, channels would disappear. My converter has indicators for both signal strength and "picture quality" (not defined, but I'm guessing multipath, reflections in the coax due to mismatch, and other phasing issues).

The signal can be 100% (as they define it), but if the picture quality drops below 20%, the station goes away. Using the switch on the rabbit ears fixes the problem, just like in the good old days with ghosts. Match the antenna, get rid of those nasty reflections on the transmission line that can cause ghosts (analog) or disappearing channels (digital).

At the same time, I can tune in a station with 20% signal strength but 80% or greater picture quality and it looks perfect. I wish I had a spectrum analyzer to really see what's going on.

(really, the best antenna is a rooftop unit, but for various reasons that's not an option for a lot of viewers)

Despite the federal law prohibiting the banning of outside antennas as well as dishes, many HOAs that I'm aware of (at least here in the Phoenix area) won't allow any kind of metal on the roof - including dishes. All antennas must be invisible from the street in these cases. I think that's legal as long as the satellites and OTA stations are still viewable.

I find it very frustrating that at least a handful of our viewers, who had perfectly good "analog" outdoor antennas, were told they needed to replace them with inferior "digital" units -- and then couldn't get one or more channels. I've heard from at least two who, after following my advice to hook their old antenna back up, got back all the channels they lost.

You know what they say: A fool and his money are soon parted. Some people will believe any crapola ad they see. If somebody was selling pieces of wire with an F connector on one end for $50, and calling them "HDTV antennas," somebody would be idiot enough to buy them.

 

[w9wi]

both signal strength and "picture quality" (not defined, but I'm guessing multipath, reflections in the coax due to mismatch, and other phasing issues).

Interesting. I've not run into a box that displays more than one signal quality metric.

I might guess "picture quality" is a measurement of bit error rate.

(really, the best antenna is a rooftop unit, but for various reasons that's not an option for a lot of viewers)

Despite the federal law prohibiting the banning of outside antennas as well as dishes, many HOAs that I'm aware of (at least here in the Phoenix area) won't allow any kind of metal on the roof - including dishes. All antennas must be invisible from the street in these cases. I think that's legal as long as the satellites and OTA stations are still viewable.

Yes, to my knowledge it's legal to require antennas to be invisible from the street as long as they work in that location.

I would suppose a HOA that wanted to be a jerk about it could Ignore you when you show the a copy of the law & dare you to sue. By the time you pay your lawyer, they might figure, you'd have been money ahead paying for cable...

But more than that, I was referring to the WAF -- aesthetic restrictions enforced not by a HOA or zoning board but by the person who sleeps on the other side of the bed...

I find it very frustrating that at least a handful of our viewers, who had perfectly good "analog" outdoor antennas, were told they needed to replace them with inferior "digital" units -- and then couldn't get one or more channels. I've heard from at least two who, after following my advice to hook their old antenna back up, got back all the channels they lost.

You know what they say: A fool and his money are soon parted. Some people will believe any crapola ad they see. If somebody was selling pieces of wire with an F connector on one end for $50, and calling them "HDTV antennas," somebody would be idiot enough to buy them.

Unfortunately most viewers aren't, and can't be expected to be, technically knowledgeable. When they buy that new HDTV, and the salesperson* tells them they need a matching HDTV antenna, Mr. Average Viewer really must be forgiven for believing.


* who of course was hired for knowing how to sell, not for knowing how TV works...

 

[KeithE4]

both signal strength and "picture quality" (not defined, but I'm guessing multipath, reflections in the coax due to mismatch, and other phasing issues).

Interesting. I've not run into a box that displays more than one signal quality metric.

It's a Sansonic FT-300A. Target had them in early '09 for $40. Haven't seen one since.

I might guess "picture quality" is a measurement of bit error rate.

That may be it. It takes about 10 seconds to get a stable number. It also doesn't specify "percent" of what, nor do I know what the BER spec for digital TV is. But I wish my HDTV sets had this feature.

 

[Fieldtech1]

Interesting. I've not run into a box that displays more than one signal quality metric.

My sony tv displays Stregnth in 1 to 100, Signal to Noise ratio, Error Rate, Some other stuff i cant remember off the top my head.

 

[rgseark2009]

I have a cheap set of unamplified, unswitched < $10 ears (w/ UHF) loop that were bought for a out of town bandscan a few months ago. They seem to work for strong local signals.