7 best antennas for a clear TV signal

In the age of streaming, broadcast television can seem like a relic. However, with just a simple antenna attached to your TV, you can stream live content in HD from popular networks entirely for free. If crystal-clear programming is what you’re after, though, you’ll need to find the right antenna for you.

From sports to local news to primetime shows, it’s all free in HD with an antenna. Depending on where you live and what signals you have access to, the right antenna can be the difference between grainy, inconsistent viewing and pristine quality. Here are seven of the best antennas on the market.

What you should look for in a TV antenna

When free TV is the goal, the price of your antenna is a major factor, but an antenna that can’t properly connect won’t be worth much. TV antennas come in three classes: unamplified antennas, amplified antennas, and large outdoor antennas.

All of these antenna classes correspond directly to an antenna’s range. Amplified antennas come with integrated amps that boost the signal range of the antenna, whereas unamplified antennas have a shorter range.

Unamplified antennas are the simplest and cheapest around, meant for indoor use where there’s a strong signal. Amplified antennas are larger and more powerful, usually meant for use inside when there’s a medium-strength signal. Large outdoor antennas, which can be amplified or unamplified, are best for areas with a weak signal.

Finding out what channels at what strength are available to your local area is easy. Simply go to the FCC’s digital TV reception maps site and enter your ZIP code.

1. Antennas Direct ClearStream

Antennas Direct’s ClearStream TV antenna is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to antennas. Though unamplified, the ClearStream antenna comes in a variety of ranges, from 35 to 70 miles. The ClearStream supports both 1080p and 4K, but the quality of content you get will depend on the channel.

If you’re not sure whether to mount your antenna indoors or outdoors, the ClearStream has you covered with all-weather mounting hardware, which means it’s suitable for placement both indoors and outdoors.

2. Mohu Ranger Advanced Amplified Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna

If you want the best of the best, Mohu is the way to go. You can use this model inside or outside to get all the major networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS. It’s multidirectional so aiming is necessary but simple to do, and it’s easy to install.

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