How to Select a TV Antenna
Whilst more and more TV viewing is done online or through on demand services, traditional TV services still remain popular due to the fact that you can watch some things live which you would not be able to do legally online. Certain shows are almost impossible to find on the internet and you will want to see some live events such as sporting occasions the moment they happen and at a guaranteed high level of high quality. But what determines the quality of your TV viewing is largely affected by your choice of aerial and how well positioned and installed it is.
However I’m sure that if you have begun to look for a TV aerial or have done so before you will know that it is a veritable minefield. There are so many to choose from be they indoor or outdoor, HD or not, coming at various price points and chock full of confusing technical information. How do you make head or tail of what it is that you really need? Nobody wants to blow cash unnecessarily but at the same time there is little use purchasing an inadequate antenna and then having to tolerate poor reception or simply buying another one. Here’s a few pointers to ensure you’re going about things in the right way and not wasting your time or money.
Check Local Coverage
Use a website such as MySwitch to explore the available TV coverage in your area, the quality of reception you would expect to achieve and the direction(s) which the channels are coming from. This will give you a good indication of whether you need a higher powered antenna or not as, obviously, if you immediately know your area has weak reception you will need a high powered, probably outdoor antenna. It might be that you will need an amplified antenna if you are over 50 miles from your broadcast tower. If you are very rural the chances are you will need a stronger outdoor antenna whereas in the city you could often get away with an inexpensive indoor type antenna
Directional or Omnidirectional?
Having looked on MySwitch, or your local equivalent, you will see whether you need an aerial facing in a single direction or multiple. An omnidirectional antenna will grab the signals from all angles so if this is what you need, go with this. Otherwise you can get away with a directional antenna and just aim it in the relevant direction.
Indoor or Outdoor?
You need to be within, at most, 50kms of the nearest transmitter tower to use an indoor antenna. Greater than this and you really should go with an outdoor one. If you are using an indoor antenna you will have to play around with its positioning a lot as this can greatly affect the reception quality. They could need mounting on a wall etc. so bear this in mind. If you are going with an outdoor aerial most of the time they will need mounting high up on a wall or the roof of the house so it is highly advisable to use professional antenna installers else you could be putting yourself at a great risk whilst fitting it.