Best Omnidirectional Tv Antennas

If you want to enjoy watching HD (High-Definition) TV, you can choose to get service by means of cable or satellite. But the fees can be prohibitively expensive--in some cases, it can add up to $1000 per year! An omnidirectional TV antenna is a wise choice to avoid this. It is able to receive TV signals equally well from any direction. That means that you can install it in any direction on your roof, and it can still receive broadcasts from the major TV networks. In many cases, the installation is simple enough that you can do it yourself--with just your bare hands!--so that you save on installation fees as well.

You’re probably wondering what’s the catch. Well, if you live too far away from where the television signal is broadcast, you might still have trouble picking up a signal. They have less of a range than the directional TV antennas (that you would rotate to get the optimal signal). So you’ll have to pay close attention to the range of the antenna that you buy. Also, if you live in a rural area with a lot of trees, that can also interfere with your television signal. So, there are some variables to consider that will determine your choice of omnidirectional antenna.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting an omnidirectional TV antenna. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of omnidirectional TV antenna,

• See useful tips about that particular type of omnidirectional TV antenna,

• Read reviews of different omnidirectional TV antennas, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of omnidirectional TV antenna, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

There are several types of omnidirectional TV antennas--which one you choose depends on your installation preference:

• Indoor: These are small devices that you hook up indoors, near your television set. The Lava HD-300 is a super-thin HD TV antenna that is intended to be installed indoors. It is lightweight enough to be installed on the wall, near a window, or behind your TV set. It has a range of 50 miles.

• Outdoor: These are larger antennas that you set up on the roof of your house, or on a boat or RV. You can either order an antenna with what is called a “J-Pole” (a j-shaped pole to attach the antenna), or you can attach the antenna to any ¾”-diameter pipe.They will have special precautions for exposure to sunlight and precipitation. An example is the Antop Outdoor HDTV 360° antenna.

• Amplified: Some omnidirectional antennas will have an option to amplify the signal. This helps if you’re living at the edge of the range of your TV antenna. The drawback with these antennas is that they amplify noise in the TV signal as well, so the picture quality may suffer. One version that we reviewed was the Antop Outdoor HDTV antenna, which has an amplification option for long- and short-range reception. You can select which stations you want to receive. It also has a filter to block other wireless signals from other devices, to get a more noise-free reception.

• Hooking up more than one TV: If you have several TVs in your house, there is a simple device to allow you to hook them all up to a single omnidirectional antenna. There are four-way splitters, that take the input from the omnidirectional antenna, and distribute it to up to 4 different TVs by coaxial cables. (Just make sure that you get a coaxial cable that is long enough to reach each television.) There are devices like the HDHomeRun Quatro that allows you to connect several TVs wirelessly. Some, such as the Vansky TV antenna, has a dual output, without any splitter or adapter.

• The number of channels you can get: Customers are blown away by the improvement in their reception. One said that she couldn’t get any channels before installing the Vansky TV antenna, and could get 18 channels afterward! Another customer said that they could now access 40 different channels, from a distance of 100 miles away. Also, local channels will come in much more clearly, without having to incur any cable fees.

• Quality of the coaxial cable: The omnidirectional antenna may have to rotate for best reception. In such a case, the coaxial cable must be pliable enough to support such movement. Be sure to attach the antenna to a good-quality coaxial cable.

• The range of the antenna: You’ll see a difference in the range that the omnidirectional TV antenna has. There will also be a dependence on your location and the distance from broadcasting stations. Some, such as the Elecwave antenna, has a 70-mile range. The Vansky TV antenna has a gigantic range of 150 miles!

• Installation: The ease of installation is also a factor in your choice of TV antenna. Many, such as the Lava Omnipro HD-8008 antenna, does not require any special tools for the installation--in fact, it’s actually recommended to screw the parts together by hand, without even a pair of pliers!

• Protection against the elements: Since many of these antennas are for outdoors use (on the roof of your house, or on a boat or RV), they are made to stand up to inclement weather. Many will be supplied with protection against ultraviolet light (UV protection), and will also have a waterproof sleeve that fits over the connections so that water and moisture will not short out the device or compromise the antenna’s effectiveness.

• Gain: You’ll see a lot of antennas advertising that they are high-gain. Gain is how much the antenna will amplify the signal coming in, multiplied by the directivity (=how much the antenna accepts signals in one direction over another). Since we are dealing with omnidirectional antennas, they should, in theory, accept signals equally from all directions.

• Lava--is an electronics product design company, founded in 2003, based in Ontario, California. Their products include HDTV Antennas, multi-switches, HD converter boxes, RV antennas, and more. They make both remote control antennas and indoor antennas.

• Antop-- is a designer and manufacturer of TV antennas since 1980. They are based in Ontario, California. Their antenna products are used for home, RV, and marine television. They make indoor and outdoor antennas in a variety of styles and configurations.

• 1byOne--is an e-commerce company located in Ontario, California, specializing in electronics and home appliances. They offer a wide range of products, such as TV accessories, food processors and kitchen aids and appliances, stage lighting equipment, and much more.