A lot of Tom’s Guide readers are interested in cutting the cord, and they want to know what HDTV antenna would be best for them to get over-the-air TV channels where they live.
One person wrote to Tom's Guide with the following question.
"I have a friend who lives in Cumberland County, NC, and she wants to get the Raleigh/Durham TV stations. She went to AntennaWeb.org to look for her signal range, and it was 50-60 miles. So what would be the best TV antenna for her? It was suggested that she get an outdoor antenna, but she would rather have an indoor antenna. So what is your advice for which antenna to get?"
HDTV antennas are classified by their range: A 30-mile antenna will typically pull in stations from 30 miles away, while a 50-mile antenna can receive signals from 50 miles. Additionally, amplified antennas can help by boosting a weak TV signal.
Unless you live in a very remote area, you can probably get away with using an indoor antenna with a long range — for example, a 50-mile amplified antenna such as the Mohu Curve 50, our top pick in that category.
In addition to AntennaWeb.org, there are a few other sites that can help determine which stations you can get in your area. The FCC has a tool that lets you enter your location and shows you the stations nearby.
TVFool shows a chart of which channels come in the strongest, but the results can be slightly hard to read. Mohu also has its own tool that displays the strongest stations in your area and offers suggestions of antennas (all of which are Mohu’s, of course).
We hope that helps. In the meantime, check out our list of Best HDTV antennas, which also includes additional advice and tips.
Want help cutting the cord or just looking for advice? Head to the Tom’s Guide Forums for all of the latest tips from our resident experts. Or just leave a comment in this article down below.
