The World of Television: Uncovering the Rise of TV Antennas

At the ConsumerReports TV test lab, experts test hundreds of TVs, assessing and reviewing some of the most advanced technologies the world of television has to offer. One recent discovery that caught their attention was the team testing TV antennas. It's not a new topic, as Jim will explain, but a surprising resurgence in popularity. Decades ago, all TV programs came via an antenna, with cable and satellite gradually replacing them. However, as the costs of those services went up, consumers have rediscovered antennas as a way to save money.

The average household is spending around $105 per month for pay TV, and with streaming services, you get a lot of channels, but often not the locals. Antennas offer a great inexpensive solution to this problem. One of the other things that some of the testers found is that often the signals received from an antenna look better than what you're getting sometimes from a pay TV service, because they are less compressed. Antennas deliver free over-the-air channels like those from major networks. If you have an internet connection, you can pay for a streaming service, which can give you access to movies, premium specials, series, and even some pay channels.

The new digital antennas retain the classic rabbit ears of old while others don't even look like antennas anymore. This is an antenna that was among the top performers in our ratings. There are models like this that you can actually paint right over. It will blend right into your wall. An antenna is an enticing prospect for Jeanette, Chris, and Marco, who feel they're paying too much for cable. But which one is right for them? Welcome, nice to meet you, Jim made a house call to see if he could help.

Well, Jim here's our TV. You probably can see with this antenna, it sort of looks a little old school like the old antennas with the rabbit ears. It's also got this round piece. And you want an antenna that can get both UHF and VHF signals. And that will cover the whole spectrum of the possible channels that you can get. Jim shows them how simple it is to attach it to the TV. Now the other thing you may notice - this has a plug. That's because this is an amplified model. What it means is, it has a built-in amplifier. If you're far from some of the broadcast towers, it will help pull those signals in.

And once it's all setup, Jim does a scan. Just look at that! 35 channels. Although Jim's team has found that sometimes you can pull in twice that number. I think that's very cool. Because even with basic cable, you don't get a lot of channels. Now Jim turns up the signal amplifier as he tries to get the best picture quality he can. So this actually looks pretty good. And it gets even better as you adjust the rabbit ears. In our own tests, what we found is that if you play around with the position and the location of the antenna, sometimes that will help.

We found that if you can put it near a window, sometimes that's an improvement in the picture quality. The other thing is if you can elevate. Sometimes people will even put an indoor antenna in their attic, and then run a cable down. Are any of these antennas for outside? Obviously, if you can put an antenna on your roof, it's going to give you the best reception. But for people who live in apartments, or sometimes it's just really a hassle to go up on a roof and install that, indoor antennas work for a lot of people.

So weather doesn't affect this, right? Or does it? So sometimes weather can. I mean, there are a lot of things that will affect reception. One is your distance from a broadcast tower. Where I happen to live, I get three or four channels. You did much better than me. And here are some more of Jim's tips to get you tuned into antennas.

Since you may need to try several models to find the one that works best in your house, make sure you buy antennas with good return policies. After you've found an antenna, Jim recommends scanning for new channels once a month. You may find that you're getting some channels that you didn't get otherwise. Thank you for coming and telling us all about antennas. I think I can say none of us had an idea there were so many free channels out there.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enAt the ConsumerReports TV test lab,experts test hundreds of TVs.They assess and review someof the most advanced techthe world of televisionhas to offer.So imagine my surprisewhen I discovered the teamtesting TV antennas?Not for nothing, Jim.But I haven't seen an antennain like, 15, 20 years.Yeah.I mean, antennas are sort ofthe vinyl of video right now.They're making a comeback.Decades ago, all TV programscame via an antenna.Cable and satellitegradually replaced them.But as the costs ofthose services went up,consumers haverediscovered antennasas a way of saving money.The average household rightnow is spending about $105a month for pay TV.And with the streaming servicesyou get a lot of the channels,but you don't alwaysget the locals.So you're payingfor that package,but you're not gettingyour major networks.And an antenna is a greatinexpensive solution.One of the other things thatsome of our testers foundis that often the signals thatyou're getting from an antennalook better than what you'regetting sometimes from a pay TVservice, becausethey're less compressed.Antennas deliver freeover-the-air channelslike those from major networks.Then, if you have aninternet connection,you can pay for astreaming service, whichcan give you access to movies,premium specials, series,and even some pay channels.You know, there's so much talkabout streaming right now.Kind of that's theway to watch TV.How do these antennas fitinto this new streaming world?Well, they sort of in perfectly.In fact, you know,one of the thingsthat was surprisingto us is we foundthat actually what'sdriving antenna useare broadband homes, peoplewho have streaming services.One out of everyfive broadband homesright now actuallyis using an antenna.Some of the new digital antennasretain the classic rabbit yearsof old.While others don't evenlook like antennas anymore.This is an antenna?Yeah, this is avery popular model.In fact, this antenna wasamong the top performersin our ratings.And there are models likethis that you can actuallypaint right over.It'll blend rightinto your wall.An antenna is anenticing prospectfor Jeanette, Chris,and Marco, whofeel they're payingtoo much for cable.But which one is right for them?Hey.Welcome.Nice to meet you.Jim made a house callto see if he could help.Well, Jim.Here's our TV.You probably can seewith this antenna,it sort of looks a little oldschool like the old antennaswith the rabbit ears.It's also got this round piece.And you want an antenna that canget both UHF and VHF signals.And that will coverthe whole spectrumof the possible channelsthat you can get.Jim shows them how simple itis to attach it to the TV.Now the other thing you maynotice-- this has a plug.That's because thisis an amplified model.What it means is, it hasa built-in amplifier.And if you're far from someof the broadcast towers,it will help pullthose signals in.And once it's all setup, Jim does a scan.And just look at that!35 channels.Although Jim's team hasfound that sometimesyou can pull intwice that number.I think that's very cool.Because even withbasic cable, youdon't get a lot of channels.Now Jim turns upthe signal amplifieras he tries to get the bestpicture quality he can.OK.So this actuallylooks pretty good.And it gets even better asyou adjusts the rabbit ears.In our own tests, what we foundis that if you play aroundwith the position and thelocation of the antenna,sometimes that will help.We found that if you canput it near a window,sometimes that's an improvementin the picture quality.The other thing isif you can elevate.Sometimes people willeven put an indoor antennain their attic, andthen run a cable down.Are any of theseantennas for outside?Obviously, if you can putan antenna on your roof,it's going to give youthe best reception.But for people who live inapartments, or sometimesit's just really ahassle to go up on a roofand install that,indoor antennas workfor a lot of people.So weather doesn'taffect this, right?Or does it?So sometimes weather can.I mean, there area lot of thingsthat will affect reception.So one is your distancefrom a broadcast tower.Where I happen to live, Iget three or four channels.So you did much better than me.And here are somemore of Jim's tipsto get you tuned into antennas.Since you may need to tryseveral models to findthe one that worksbest in your house,make sure you buy antennaswith good return policies.After you've foundan antenna, Jimrecommends scanning fornew channels once a month.You may find that you'regetting some channelsthat you didn't get otherwise.Thank you for coming andtelling us all about antennas.I think I can say none of ushad an idea there were so manyfree channels out there.\n"