When I moved houses, I was very happy to have a place away from the city out in nature. I was surrounded by empty fields, forests, and cycling lanes. There are only 2 other houses in a 5-mile radius. However, this move wasn’t without its hiccups.
Among my biggest issue is not having a proper TV signal or a TV box subscription service available in my area. I called most network cable companies I know without any success. Nobody would come and install a TV network at my address.
After discussing the issue with my partner, we agreed to call TV box companies to install one of their kits. But the monthly costs were too high for use. We are out on the farm working for most hours in a day. We only need a couple of hours of TV before going to bed.
After researching my options, I found some TV stations were free of charge. But my TV wasn’t picking them up. I decided to buy an antenna. After quick online research, I found Antennas Direct with their product. It was just what we needed for our small home. Today, we watch a few good channels which include news channels. Some of these are in HD and I think we made a good choice.
Antennas Direct Features
Clearstream 4max Antenna
From all of the listed options of the manufacturer, we decided to purchase the ClearStream 4MAX antenna. It has the best range as it reaches more than 70 miles. We decided to go with the extra range capacity as we live far out of the closest town.
This antenna comes with UHF and VHF reception. With it, we’re now able to watch ABC, CBS, Fox, PBS, and other channels. But why I like most about it is that it’s multi-directional. Even today, I’m not sure as to where the signal is coming from.
How to Install?
Installing the antenna is not too complicated. At first, I decided I need to try out a few positions around the house to see what works best. As expected, the antenna worked best when on the roof. As a result, I took a drill and 4 screws together on the roof. After attaching the antenna to the roof, I ensure the cable is out of the way as I tried to bring it inside the house.
The antenna does require simple assembly. My advice is to assemble it on the ground before heading out on the roof. You want to ensure no bits are going to fall off from the roof. But my quest was successful. After scanning for channels, my TV shows 80 channels with a signal strength of 88%. Needless to say, I’m very happy about the results.
Finding the Best Reception
This antenna is scanned for frequencies in all directions. I’ve read a few opinions online of people struggling to find more than a few channels to watch. But I don’t think it’s the direction at fault in some cases as is the strength of the antenna. If we were to live closer to the town, the Clearstream Eclipse indoor HDTV antenna would have been fine.
From my experience, those installing such antennas have a few main issues to worry about. First, if there’s a physical obstruction such as a mountain between your home and the broadcast tower, there’s a very high chance you won’t be able to pick up any signal at all.
But there’s a very good chance your coaxial cable may aid these signal issues. Some people simply connect the antenna to their old coaxial cable. But as you may expect, these cables start to shown significant signs of use in time. Corrosion is a big problem here.
There’s an interesting story with my neighbor trying to install a similar antenna with no success. After trying all positions around the house, he gave up. But after a few weeks when he decided to paint the house, he found the old cable on his home was cut. It was an old cut his wife made when the cable got loose and started hitting on a window during high winds.
Tv Stations to Look At
Living outside Boulder Colorado, you’d think you can’t hope for any serious channels. But my experience is very good. World Channel, PBS Kids, Fox, Daystar, NBC, CBS, PBS, Hillsong Channel, and Telemundo are among the TV channels seen on my TV. The best part is their channels are free of charge. Their audio and video quality is very good.
However, I was discussing the issue of video and audio quality with a few friends. While these are good, they’re not exactly at the same standard with what you’d get from a TV box subscription service. But given the circumstances, I think the quality is fine.
Prices
I paid $149.99 for my antenna. You might be able to find a cheaper antenna online. I’m sure there are plenty of options on other websites or even on the used antennas market. But I wanted a quality product which also looked good. Together with my partner, we try to keep our house as tidy as possible. The last thing we wanted on our house was an old wooden antenna which would only be impacted by rain and sun.
If you live closer to a broadcast tower, you may consider cheaper antennas from the manufacturer. For example, indoor antennas which usually install on a window are considerably cheaper. You can buy one for $59.99.
In case you don’t want to get on the house to install an antenna, there’s another alternative for you. The $99.99 ClearStream 2MAX is an attic antenna. You simply place it on a wall in the attic and start scanning for TV channels.
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
If you’re unsure about the types of channels you can watch in the area where you live, there’s a public list to check on the website under Digital TV stations. It shows you the type of local stations you can watch depending on your state and area.
When it comes to installation, you don’t need a professional or a handyman. Following the simple instructions, you can have it installed on the roof in a couple of hours. However, not everybody is at an age when they can get on the roof. If for some reason you can’t reach your roof, you can try an indoor antenna instead.
In the meantime, if you want to check out how the antennas look and what assembly is required, you can see them online. There are also a few manufacturers’ suggestions for better signal strength under the guidance section. Make sure you read this section before you install your antenna. It’s the best method of maximizing the number of channels you can finally watch on the TV.
