Monoprice HDA-5700 Review: Indoor/Outdoor TV Antenna

If the broadcasts you want all come from one direction, the Monoprice Digital Indoor/Outdoor Antenna HDA-5700 is a good budget HDTV antenna.

Tom's Guide Verdict

If the broadcasts you want all come from one direction, the Monoprice Digital Indoor/Outdoor Antenna HDA-5700 is a good budget HDTV antenna.

Pros

  • +

    Inexpensive for an amplified model

  • +

    Plentiful channel selection

  • +

    Works indoors and outdoors.

Cons

  • -

    Not omnidirectional

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Who's it for?

The budget-conscious whose local stations all lie in one direction. Also an option if you're open to installing an antenna outdoors.

Design and setup: far from flat

It may not have a household name or the sexiest design, but for $28, the Monoprice antenna is flexible and delivers reasonable performance for the money. 

Looking like a piece of surveillance equipment, the HDA-5700 stands about 7.5 inches tall and is waterproof for outdoor use. (We only tested indoors.) The Monoprice comes with brackets for pole or wall mounting, as well as a stand. Its power amplifier is rated to boost the signal approximately 20 db.

Performance: good but highly directional

In our tests, the Monoprice HDA-5700 managed to capture 22 channels, a couple of which dropped in and out after several minutes of viewing. Still, 20 reliable sources of entertainment was better than average among antennas we tested.

This antenna proved to be more directional than others. For example, while the HDA-5700 could detect tricky signals from the likes of ABC, it could not also simultaneously pull in the local Fox affiliate. Depending on the direction of stations broadcasting in your area, this may or may not be a drawback. Check AntennaWeb.org and your seller's return policies.

John R. Quain

John R. Quain has been reviewing and testing video and audio equipment for more than 20 years. For Tom's Guide, he has reviewed televisions, HDTV antennas, electric bikes, electric cars, as well as other outdoor equipment. He is currently a contributor to The New York Times and the CBS News television program.

Latest in TVs
A Samsung DU7200 LED TV on a side table
I'm a TV reviewer — here's the one type of TV I wouldn't buy
Samsung S95F OLED TV
Samsung is developing the successor to OLED TVs — but TCL might beat it to the punch
Samsung S90D OLED TV on table in living room
7 Tizen OS tips and tricks you need to know for your Samsung TV
Sony A95K QD-OLED TV in front of windows in a living room
This new TV breakthrough looks like a game-changer for OLED TVs
Sony UBP-X700 on stand in living room
Forget streaming — I think Sony's new 4K Blu-ray player is coming at just the right time
woman shopping for TV with retail worker giving advice
I've been testing TVs for a decade — 5 things to avoid when shopping for a cheap TV
Latest in Reviews
The Dnsys X1 Exoskeleton being worn
I tested an AI exoskeleton to help treat my immune arthritis — here’s what happened
EarFun OpenJump open-ear earbuds photographed in front of a blue background.
EarFun OpenJump review: I couldn’t take these earbuds off quick enough
A pink and teal Cooler Master CH351 wireless gaming headset
This Cooler Master PS5 gaming headset works best when wired — so why call it wireless?
the breville dose control pro, called sage dose control pro in the uk, a silver coffee grinder with 60 grind settings and labeled grind size adjustment
The Breville Dose Control Pro is one of the most divisive coffee grinders — here’s why I disagree with the haters
the clever dripper, a brown transparent plastic manual coffee maker with a handle and a sluice feature in the bottom to keep water inside
The Clever Dripper is my new favorite way to brew coffee — and I think it’s easier than a French Press
A white Lemokey P1 HE magnetic keyboard
I’m a mechanical switch die-hard — then I tested this magnetic keyboard, now I’m a believer