Thinking of cutting the cord? Tired of paying for cable channels that you never watch? If your household is all about network news, local sports, and the shows broadcast on your local affiliate stations, a TV antenna is an excellent way to supplement the lack of broadcast TV stations that streaming services don’t provide, giving you access to free, over-the-air broadcasts.
Combined with a streaming device (for things like Netflix and Disney+), a TV antenna can totally satiate the TV-watching needs of most households for a complete cable-free package.
But why not an indoor TV antenna, you might ask? If your house is situated in a location with obstructions like mountains, tall buildings, or lots of trees, or if the building’s materials contain things like brick or stucco (some appliances can affect signal, too), there may be too much interference for a clean digital signal. While putting your antenna near a window or even in the attic can help, it might not do the trick. That’s where mounting an outdoor TV antenna on your roof or other high-up location comes in to give you the best signal possible. In fact, many outdoor TVs are designed to pick up stations hundreds of miles away.
Whether you’re tired of that monthly cable bill or you’re simply looking for an alternative way to grab stations from distant zip codes, we’ve assembled this roundup of the best outdoor TV antennas to help you decide which unit is best for your rooftop or attic.
Winegard Elite Outdoor Antenna
The best outdoor TV antenna for most people
Pros
- Receives signals up to 70 miles away
- Picks up both VHF and UHF broadcasts
- Optimized for 4K broadcasts
- Includes mounting hardware
Cons
- Directional only
- A little expensive
Why you should buy this: You want a great outdoor antenna from a trusted name and plan on splitting the signal to multiple TVs in your home.
Who it’s for: Homes that are a good distance away from any broadcast towers.
Why we chose the Winegard Elite Outdoor Antenna:
When it comes to maximum strength and performance, the Winegard Elite WE7550A is our top pick for an outdoor antenna. Rated to pick up stations at over 70 miles away and featuring Winegard’s ultra-low noise filter, you’ll be able to pick up broadcasts with little to no degradation in picture and sound quality.
This model is also capable of receiving both VHF and UHF antenna signals, and with Winegard’s TwinAmp Technology, both broadcast types receive a signal boost, ensuring your TV is receiving a crystal-clear picture no matter the type of incoming content.
Designed for attic or roof installation, the Winegard Elite comes with everything you need to mount and assemble the antenna. In fact, many customers have claimed that the Elite is great for picking up broadcasts from all directions, even though it’s only a directional antenna.
With its reliable performance and durable design, it’s easy for us to call the Winegard Elite our favorite antenna overall. Just keep in mind that if you’re interested in getting signal to multiple TVs at once, you’ll need to purchase a splitter separately.
Winegard Elite Outdoor Antenna
The best outdoor TV antenna for most people
Antennas Direct Clearstream 4V
The best multidirectional outdoor TV antenna
Pros
- Receives both VHF and UHF signals
- Optimized to receive broadcasts up to 70 miles away
- Designed for multidirectional use
- Includes mounting hardware
Cons
- A little expensive
- Lackluster instructions
- May require an amplifier for some homes
Why you should buy this: You’re limited to where you can mount an outdoor TV antenna and require one that has excellent range.
Who it’s for: Homes that have various obstructions between the house and the direction of a broadcast tower.
Why we chose the Antennas Direct Clearstream 4V:
Sometimes it’s next to impossible for certain households to operate a directional outdoor TV antenna. This may be because there are various obstructions between your home and a broadcast tower, like dense trees and tall buildings, or perhaps the tower is geographically north but the only place you can mount an antenna is facing south.
Whatever the holdup, that’s why there are antennas like the Antennas Direct Clearstream 4V. Built from the ground-up as an omnidirectional outdoor TV antenna that can receive broadcasts up to 70 miles away, the Clearstream 4V is designed to be mounted to your roof or installed in an attic. In terms of onboard tech, the VHF and UHF elements are optimized for multidirectional receiving, ensuring that you’ll get the strongest possible reception no matter where you’re living and where the nearest broadcast towers are.
The Clearstream 4V also comes with a 20-inch mast and pivoting base, so you’ll be able to mount it to any type of roofing, regardless of shingling or slant. While some customers have had trouble with installation and others have had to use amplifiers to boost incoming signal, Antennas Direct is one of the top names in the outdoor TV antenna market, and the Clearstream 4V is one of the most powerful, multidirectional outdoor TV antennas you can buy.
Antennas Direct Clearstream 4V
The best multidirectional outdoor TV antenna
RCA Amplified Outdoor TV Antenna
The best outdoor TV antenna for design
Pros
- Receives signals up to 80 miles away
- Spiral design ensures optimized performance
- Includes mounting hardware and coaxial cable
- Receives both VHF and UHF signals
Cons
- Can perform differently based on type of coax used
Why you should buy this: You need an antenna that can grab far-off broadcasts and aren’t willing to invest in a large model.
Who it’s for: Those looking for an antenna that can receive plenty of stations, regardless of signal type or where it’s mounted.
Why we chose the RCA Amplified Outdoor Antenna:
A first glance at this RCA outdoor antenna may have you wondering why the company decided to opt for a spiral design. It’s for a good reason, actually, and it’s why we’re awarding this RCA antenna for its design.
Where traditional outdoor TV antennas are designed for a directly vertical or horizontal plane, RCA says its spiral design with wedged notches actually boosts weak signals, allowing it to receive broadcasts that are more than 80 miles away.
We also appreciate that the RCA antenna comes with all the mounting hardware you’ll need for roof-mounting or attic installation in addition to a 16-foot spool of coaxial cable. If you’re not sure where to mount the antenna, there’s even a handy RCA Signal Finder app (for iOS and Android devices) you can download to help you pinpoint the location of the nearest broadcast towers.
RCA Amplified Outdoor TV Antenna
The best outdoor TV antenna for design
PBD WA-2608
The best motorized outdoor TV antenna
Pros
- Can be rotated 360 degrees
- Receives signals up to 150 miles away
- Capable of picking up VHF and UHF signals
- Includes mounting hardware and coaxial cable
- Great price
Cons
- No way of telling which way the antenna rotates
Why you should buy this: You’ve had TV antennas before and have noticed signal going in and out depending on the time of day.
Who it’s for: Homes located along busy flight paths and wedged between other broadcast tower obstructions.
Why we chose the PBD WA-2608:
Depending on the type of weather or other types of sky-based obstructions near your home (maybe your house is situated along a busy airport flight path), installing an outdoor TV antenna may only be slightly better than the performance you’ll receive with an indoor model. But when you opt for a unit like the PBD WA-2608, your antenna experience becomes much more customizable.
This is because the WA-2608 is a motorized outdoor TV antenna. Once installed on your roof, a remote control allows you to rotate the antenna 360 degrees, allowing you to adjust the antenna if there’s something impeding the signal between the broadcast tower and the PBD.
The WA-2608 is also designed to pick up both VHF and UHF signals and features a built-in splitter, so you’ll be able to send signals to two different TVs at once. In terms of range, this is also one of the most far-reaching outdoor TV antennas of our roundup, capable of grabbing stations over 150 miles away.
While some customers claim that they’ve only received stations up to 80 or so miles away from their home, that’s still an impressive metric that many households would be more than happy with.
PBD WA-2608
The best motorized outdoor TV antenna
Antop AT-800SBS
The best outdoor TV antenna for features
Pros
- Multi-directional
- Receives signals up to 85 miles away
- Includes FM receptor for receiving radio signals
- Includes mounting hardware and 40 feet of coaxial cable
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Not as popular as other outdoor antennas
Why you should buy this: You want a versatile outdoor TV antenna that can be used indoors, too.
Who it’s for: Homeowners that may not have the ability to mount a TV on their roof or in an attic.
Why we chose the Antop AT-800SBS:
Who says that an outdoor TV antenna can only be mounted to your roof? For homeowners looking for a powerful antenna that can be placed both outdoors and indoors, the Antop AT-800SBS is our go-to pick.
Not only is the AT-800SBS a multi-directional model, but it’s designed to receive broadcasts up to 85 miles away. Once installed, if you notice a loss in signal strength, you can adjust the amplification using the included power module that increases or decreases gain with the simple turn of a dial.
There’s even an integrated FM receptor for picking up all your favorite local music stations, and the Antop AT-800SBS comes with everything you need to mount and assemble it.
Antop AT-800SBS
The best outdoor TV antenna for features
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