Tom's Guide Verdict
The general signal quality that I achieved with the FLATenna was perhaps the best of any recent antenna models that I've tested, including some that claim much greater ranges and even come with amplifiers to improve on that range further. That's not to mention the fact that the FLATenna is actually cheaper than some of those other models.
Pros
- +
Excellent reception
- +
Sleek and understated design
- +
Removable cable
- +
Inexpensive
Cons
- -
No amplifier unless you pay more
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The Channel Master FLATenna 35 has long been one of the go-to options among the best TV antennas, and it's easy to see why. It's very thin, has a decently impressive 35-mile radius, and comes at a pretty low price.
There are, of course, quite a few inexpensive flat antenna models that have come out over the past few years, and you might assume that they're all more or less created equal. That, however, isn't quite the case. Signal quality and the number of channels that you can pick up can vary widely, depending on the design of the antenna, even if they look the same at a glance.
So, at this price how well does the Channel Master FLATenna actually perform? I've been testing it, and a few others of this style of antenna, to find out.
Channel Master FLATenna 35 review: Price and availability
The FLATenna 35 costs $35 when purchased directly from Channel Master, but it's also available from a series of other retailers like Amazon, where you might be able to find it at a discount.
It only comes in one colorway, but it's reversible, so you can choose the black or white side depending on the aesthetics you're going for.
If you want amplification, there's the FLATenna+ bundle, which pairs the same antenna with an amplifier and retails for around $59. It is definitely a fair bit more expensive than the base model that doesn't come with an amplifier, but some might find it worth the extra cost.
Channel Master FLATenna 35 review: Design and setup
The FLATenna is a classic flat-sheet antenna. It's ultra-thin, flexible, and meant to stick to a wall or window for maximum signal.
It measures roughly 13.5 x 10.75 inches, about 16 inches diagonally, and it's light enough to hang with adhesive strips, thumbtacks, or push pins through the four pre-punched corner holes. It has a black side and a white side, so you should be able to make it blend in at least a little.
Unlike some cheaper flat antennas, the Channel Master FLATenna comes with a detachable, high-quality 12-foot coaxial cable. Not only is that pretty long, but the quality of the cable is definitely more than you would expect from an antenna in this price range. The trade-off to the included antenna is that it's not that flexible, so it can be harder to hide. Of course, given the fact that it's detachable, you don't have to use the cable that comes in the box if you don't want to.
I found this long, detachable cable to be quite helpful in setting up the antenna. When testing a Best Buy Essentials model with a fixed 10-foot cable, I was unable to reach a nearby window — which likely impacted the signal quality I was able to get from the antenna, given the placement of the TV in the room I was testing in.
With the Channel Master FLATenna I was able to reach all the way to the window and place it pretty high up on that window. And while there were likely other factors to the number of channels and signal quality that I got, that placement surely had some impact.
Set up is very simple. You'll attach the cable to your TV and to the antenna, and place the antenna as high and as close to a window as you can. Then, on your TV, scan for any local channels. That's really all there is to it.
Channel Master FLATenna 35 review: Performance and reception
I was pleasantly surprised with the reception that I was able to get with the Channel Master FLATenna 35. With the passive Channel Master FLATenna, I got 83 channels right off the bat, and a much larger portion of them offered high enough quality to be able to watch without too much distraction.
By comparison, the Best Buy Essentials antenna picked up 16 channels unamplified and 50 channels amplified, but a large portion of them were unwatchable. The ANT-CS8268 which I also tested technically picked up more channels (90), but fewer of them had a good-enough signal to actually watch than the FLATenna.
The big caveat, as with every indoor antenna, is that performance is location-dependent in ways no spec sheet captures. RF at VHF and UHF is heavily affected by line-of-sight and multipath, so the signal path from tower to living-room wall runs through a gauntlet of diffraction, reflection, and absorption. Because of that, you probably shouldn't necessarily expect to actually reach radio towers that are more than 20 miles away, especially if you live in an area with mountains and other rougher terrain.
Channel Master FLATenna 35 review: Verdict
The Channel Master FLATenna 35 is an easy recommendation for those looking for local broadcasts without upgrading to a roof antenna or something heavier duty. It performed dramatically better than other flat antennas that I've tested recently, making its slightly higher price easily worth paying.
If you're interested in stepping into the world of free-to-air TV on a budget and looking for solid performance that's a step up from what the ultra-budget models will get you, then the Channel Master FLATenna 35 is easily the way to go.
You'll have to deal with things like an inflexible cable, and some might find that it's worth upgrading to the amplified model. But for most, the FLATenna is absolutely worth buying.
