Saturday, June 11, 2011

When Choosing A HDTV Antenna To Use

By George Binder


You do not have to pay for cable or satellite service to watch high definition television (HDTV). With a HDTV antenna you can avoid the high monthly costs of these services. There has been a revolution in the way we watch television. Congress passed the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005. This law directed the Federal Communication Commission to order full-power television stations to stop analog television broadcasting by February 17, 2009. This date was later pushed back to June 12, 2009.

If you have an older analog model Television, you must use a digital-to-analog converter box. Congress issued coupons to help subsidize the cost of purchasing a converter box. This helped those who might have trouble paying for the converter boxes. It also meant that you would not have to purchase a brand new TV set that you might not be able to afford.

If you do not want to pay for a cable or satellite subscription, there is another option that is available. You can receive the high definition with an antenna. Sometimes companies make it seem like you need something special but it is really just a regular old fashioned TV antenna. They cost approximately one hundred dollars which is not very expensive considering the monthly price of a subscription service.

You can purchase one for between fifty and one hundred dollars. Some are indoor and some are outdoor. Experts suggest you use an outdoor type. This is particularly true if you do not live close to the broadcast towers. If you are lucky enough to live in a city where there is a heavy saturation of broadcast signals then the indoor type will probably work just as good. The indoor type will last longer because it is not exposed to the weather. You might not want to climb up onto your roof to install the outside type.

Sometimes a homeowner association will ban the outside type. However, there is a Federal Communication Commission rule that makes it illegal to ban the outside types. If you experience this type of ban, you should show the governing board this FCC regulation.

Most high definition television broadcasts are on the UHF band. In fact more than 90% are broadcast on UHF. For this reason, it is probably a waste of time or money to worry about a VHF antenna. The VHF type are larger, cost more money and can be a hassle to install. You could consider getting a VHF/UHF type which will cover both bands. However, the combination types sacrifice bandwidth on both bands.

A directional antenna will receive high definition broadcasting signals from any direction. In contrast, an omnidirectional receives a high definition signal from only one direction. In an urban setting where the signals are plentiful and strong a omnidirectional will work out fine. You will need a directional in a rural setting because the broadcast signals are from a long distance away and there are fewer of them.

An HDTV antenna is a great way to take advantage of the brilliant clear picture of high definition television. Why waste money with expensive cable or satellite service. These can cost more than $100 a month. You can see great shows and movies in high definition without these expensive services.




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