More people are cutting their cable ties by capturing free over-the-air (OTA) TV signals that are broadcast in full HD. Doing that plus Internet streaming is making it easier all the time. To capture those free OTA signals requires a good antenna, which may be hard to judge until you buy one, so why not look at what consumers are saying are the best antennas?
Of course, not every consumer is going to like every product equally but enough high ratings and you are likely to find a winner. I am going to tell you the 5 top rated TV antennas as rated by Best Buy customers. My only caveat is that there have to be at least 5 ratings, otherwise I think the sample size is too small for a solid rating. Even 5 might be considered a bit low, but fortunately only one of my top 5 had less than 10 ratings.
#1: Digiwave BMX HDTV Digital Antenna (ANT 4500)
Rating: 4.5/5.0 (48 ratings)
The Digiwave BMX (4500) has the highest rating and by a lot of people. Its razor-thin design looks good because it is so inconspicuous. It is easily mounted on the wall or a window with push tape and suction fasteners, so you can find the place with the best reception. It so inexpensive that there is little risk in trying it, and it is great for the home, the cabin, or the RV.
Rony from Scarborough, ON wrote:
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Awesome Product “This little light weight gizmo is absolutely a stunning stunning product. I hung it on my raised basement window and couldn’t angle it towards South-West side but I am still getting super-crystal quality HD channels, including: CTV, CBC, Global, TVO kids, ET, CityTV, Omni, CHCH. Bye Bye cable. It’s a great product. Thank you Best-buy and Digiwave.” |
#2: Antennas Direct ClearStream Digital TV Antenna (C2-V-CJM-CN)
Rating 4.4/5.0 (10 ratings)
This is also a very highly rated antenna. It is not just an indoor antenna as you can mount it outside as well, or even in the attic. Its design works well on either a tabletop, mounted on a wall or outdoors on your roof, chimney, or gable. You will need to buy a coaxial cable separately to connect it to your box or TV, but that is no big deal. It comes with a lifetime guarantee so you know it is made to last.
Aaron from Ottawa, ON wrote:
| Excellent Product
“After trying a number of different antennas, I can only say great things about this one. Easy set up and works very well. Impressed with Antennas Direct product, straightforward instructions and simple installation. Highly recommended if you need a medium range antenna that can handle both UHF and VHF.” |
#3. Philips Passive Indoor Antenna (SDV1125T)
Rating 4.0/5.0 (73 ratings)
This is purely an indoor antenna that has VHF/FM dipoles, which are designed to give it expanded reception capabilities. It also has 12 position fine tuning control that lets you get the best reception for each different frequency you are trying to capture. This environmentally friendly (PVC and BVR free) product is also extremely inexpensive so there is not much risk in trying it out.
Mike from Mississauga, ON wrote:
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Great!
“Purchased this antenna on a whim for our 2nd TV in the bedroom. We get 25-30 channels on it, with better picture than cable. We now use it on our living too tv too with a splitter. Same HD channels, with Dolby 5.1 surround sound!” |
#4. Digiwave Digital TV Antenna (ANT 2085)
Rating: 4.0/5.0 (5 ratings)
This is essentially an outdoor antenna that is intended for situations where you are greater distances from the transmitters, with a range of up to 70 miles. It is designed to resist extreme wind and loading. It will work in the attic as well, but isn’t really suited for your living room. It comes with a U pipe that allows you to point it in any direction, and it is super strong for all kinds of weather.
Brad from North Saanich, BC wrote:
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Digiwave TV Antenna
“The product arrived quickly and works well. I think it’s excellent value for the money.” |
#5. RCA Digital Amplified TV Antenna (CANT1450B)
Rating: 3.4/5.0 (37 ratings)
The RCA (CANT1450B) is a flat UHF/VHF that has multi-directional reception design so you don’t need to constantly adjust it for the best reception. It can be mounted on a wall or simply laid flat or upright on the shelf. It comes with 6 feet of coaxial cable, and the housing is paintable so you can really make it fit in with your décor.
Jimmy from Edmonton, AB wrote:
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It actually works!
“The hook up was easy. I sat the thing on my sub woofer pointing to the NE as I live in the Rutherford area. I scanned a couple of times and got five channels. Then I tried to turn the antenna to face southeast direction and I scanned again and i got all 7 channels. All HD. Thanks for the positive reviews to help me make a good choice.” |
So if you are looking to cut your cable bill, a simple part of the solution is getting an OTA antenna! These are some great choices that are fairly inexpensive and the best part is that customers really like them. They work in HD, and are generally easy to set up. Enjoy!
I have Phillips and live downtown Toronto .
IT DON’T WORK . I wish it did . I have sony bravia t.v.
Great Article! Your article is informative and very useful. Thank you for sharing.
I have the multidirectional Clearstream figure 8 and it’s awesome. I added a cheap amplifier which improved it. However, I lost my US line with the weather changes, moving condo furniture, looking at it the wrong way.
I tried an 8xbowtie multi to see if it is stronger than the Clearstream and it wasn’t, so it went back.
I just got a directional ViewTV 5 oval amplified antenna and it was stronger than the Clearstream on the US line but I’m still missing the US channel I used to have and want back.
Can anyone recommend something stronger than the ViewTV amplified directional? It’s got the right attitude, but not strong enough. It’s also quite hollow and maybe better materials would be more efficient. It’s UHF I’m after.
Has anyone compared these antennas with the Channel master ones.
If there is one that is better than the one I have now (> 70km), then I will buy a new one.
have a trailer in miller lake lot of trees just wondering if the free to air would work up their
I just have a couple of questions,
Is your trailer on pontoons ?
What precautions do you take when the lake gets rough ?
How do you get from the mainland to your trailer ?
Does your trailer have an anchor ?
Can you swim ?
TV Fool offers a great signal locator site to give you an idea what potential stations you are able to receive and what direction to expect the signal.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29
Yes, I have used it and it is very good at helping you understand what stations you should be able to pick up from your area.
Question on indoor UHF tv antennas. Welive in a concretet and steel condo , ground floor. Will a set top or wall antenna work for us?? Appreciate any info as we are seniors on fixed income & are concerned about cable prices. Gerry
Putting the antenna in the window that faces the broadcast towers works best for me.
Hi Gerryp:
An indoor digital antenna can work in a concrete and steel condo, especially if you are able to place it by the window as XL suggests. It is hard to say with any certainty exactly what kinds of signals you will be able to pick up because it can depend on quite a few variables (i.e. your location relative to the source signal, other buildings in the area, etc.). I would suggest getting it from Best Buy and carefully testing it out, and if the signal capture isn’t satisfactory, Best Buy is excellent at taking returns as long as the antenna is still in new condition with all the packaging.
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