Indoor TV antennas do work, especially if you live in an area close to the TV broadcasting towers.
However, if you are not restricted by your homeowners association or apartment/condo rules, purchasing a good outdoor antenna will give you better and a more reliable reception than any indoor antenna.
In addition, purchasing a good outdoor antenna will give you the ability to connect it to more than one TV.
Digital TV Reception
To receive Digital TV signals from all the stations in the area, your indoor antenna needs to be able to receive both VHF
channels (channels 2-13) and UHF channels (14-36).
Certain indoor antennas only provide good reception of VHF or UHF channels, but not both.
The traditional “rabbit ears” indoor antennas, don’t do a good job of picking up signals on UHF channels.
Typically, indoor antennas sold as “HDTV Antennas” perform very well receiving UHF signals, but under perform receiving VHF channels. Be sure to choose indoor antennas that provide good reception of both VHF and UHF channels.
3 Reasons You Should Still Buy An Antenna
If you plan to stream your entertainment over the internet, here are 3 reasons why you should still buy a TV antenna.
1) First, it is free. The only cost is the initial purchase price of the antenna. Moreover, you will never have a monthly bill.
2) Secondly, you get channels many streaming services do not provide. My antenna gives me 50+ channels including but not limited to ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC.
3) Finally, you are not solely relying on the internet for your TV. If your internet goes down, having an antenna will provide you with another option to watch your favorite broadcast channels.
How Many Channels Will I Get?
The number of channels available to you, varies by zip-code or city. For instance, if you live in Los Angeles California, you could get 100+ channels.
However, if you live in Valdosta, Georgia, you may only get 10 channels.
Remember, your TV reception may also vary depending on the antenna height, antenna location, metal structures and trees or terrain.
To see the channels available in your area, use the free tool by clicking the “Free TV Finder” below.
How To Interpret Your Results
If the chart shows green signals, you are close enough to the TV station, you will get a strong signal. A simple indoor antenna will suffice for this signal strength.
If your listed channels are colored in yellow, you will have moderate signal strength. This signal requires a good indoor antenna. However, an outdoor antenna would be appropriate.
However, if all your channel results are yellow, orange or red, you’ll need a good outdoor antenna.
Rescan Your TV
Once you install your TV antenna, perform a scan on your TV to find available channels in your area. To learn how to re-scan your TV, read our previous blog How To Rescan Your TV here.
Are you using an indoor or outdoor TV antenna now? How many channels are you getting? Are you in the city or country? Let us know in the comments, as this will help people who are thinking of purchasing a antenna.
Additional Resources
Read How To Rescan Your TV here.
Read 4 Things Cable Companies Don’t Want You To Know About TV Antennas here.
Read How To Reduce Your Cable Bill here