Instead of trying out a variety of antennas in one location, I do it at two very different places and for long periods of time. Testing for best TV antenna viewing experience You can read about using Plex for live TV and DVR later. Mainstream options like Tablo DVRs are now giving users a way to skip commercials, and DIY setups like PLEX began offering users a way to remove commercials last year. Skipping commercials is becoming a common feature for antenna users who set up an OTA DVR. Cable companies have to compress the signal to feed into your home at the expense of picture quality.Ī skeptical cable subscriber might think, “Well, at least I can fast forward through commercials!” It’s really this simple: over-the-air (OTA) channels pulled in from a TV antenna are uncompressed digital signals. It’s still a little known fact that these free HD channels like NBC will look better coming from an antenna than your local cable company.Įven an inexpensive indoor antenna that costs about $20 has great advantage over a multi-million dollar cable company when it comes to picture quality. HD Quality: TV antennas vs CableĬord cutters have known for a long time that channels like NBC, ABC, FOX and PBS are free and delivered in high definition over the air. Some of what you’ll read here includes notes and findings on individual antenna reviews that I wrote throughout 2016 to 2019. This year’s guide also covers what you should expect to get out of an antenna today and in the years to come. I’ve incorporated information from my first antenna guide, How to Choose The Best Antenna & OTA DVR, which is listed under the Cord-Cutting Guide page on. This guide is designed for helping people who have never used an indoor TV antenna, and want to shed their hefty monthly cable or satellite TV bills.

But after another year of testing, I’ve found a few more excellent indoor TV antennas that might be a better fit for some people. My two top picks are the ClearStream Eclipse by Antennas Direct and Antop Paper Thin Smartpass. In this year’s review, you’ll find a few new recommendations, some familiar faces from years past, and what to avoid.

This annual review covers the best indoor TV antennas.

Direct antennas eclipse how to install