Antennas Direct DB4 Review

Since I decided to forgo satellite and cable companies in favor of an OTA antenna, the first thing I needed was proper reception. My initial solution was to buy an RCA HDTV Antenna from Best Buy for around $100 that ended up being capable of catching a clear (albeit frequently interrupted) HD signal from our local PBS station, but little else. With hopes of a little more consistency, I made quick use of Best Buy’s return policy.

Sporadic reception of some channels was unacceptable, so I started to do more research on what was working for people in my area. It became very clear that I first needed to find my location in relation to the local broadcast towers. Antenna Web offers a simple service that shows you what sort of OTA programming you should be able to receive. Based on my address, I quickly had a list of local digital stations.

I found universal praise for Solid Signal’s stock and expertise, so I emailed them with the specifics of my location per Antenna Web’s calculations and the fact that I live next to a municipal airport asking for advice. Less than 2 hours later, I received a detailed response recommending the Antenna Direct DB4 HDTV Antenna combined with a Terrestrial Digital PA-16 Pre-Amp which I promptly ordered for a total of $106.

Installing the antenna (which is smaller than it appears in photos) and pre-amp was a breeze. I split the signal and ran one cord directly into the TV and another back to my office. Googling the DB4 had shown it to be one of the most popular (and powerful) UHF antennas and I was not disappointed. ALL of the channels I wanted were available and clear for my HDTV’s tuner to discover with just a bit of tweaking the antenna’s orientation. I unplugged the pre-amp to see if I actually needed it’s added power and quickly discovered it was an imperative if I wanted a constant signal on the full compliment of available stations.

I then proceeded to indulge in an activity every new HDTV owner has indulged in…watching programs simply for their picture quality regardless of the content. And it was better than I imagined! It’s so hard to believe that I’m getting BETTER picture quality with the OTA antenna for free than the one my satellite company was providing for a monthly fee! The “free” aspect is still hard for me to believe, let alone other people I tell. There’s a misconception that HDTV is too expensive for “everyone else”…it’s simply not true. The best antenna and pre-amp only cost around $100! Bounce that off a satellite set-up cost and the spectacular reality of OTA HDTV is abundantly clear.

Now…how to record this beautiful HDTV programming is the next challenge.