Cut the Cord: Your Guide to the Best TV Antennas

Even with streaming, local channels can be unreliable. A quality TV antenna offers free access to local news, sports, and entertainment. Indoor antennas are a convenient solution for many.

Living near a city often provides access to major networks like ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, and Telemundo, plus digital subchannels. These offer diverse programming, from classic shows to localized news. Resources like AntennaWeb and the FCC’s DTV Reception Maps can help you find available channels.

A surprising benefit of antennas is superior picture quality compared to cable. Antenna signals are less compressed, resulting in a clearer image. This difference can be significant for viewers used to compressed cable.

Besides the antenna, you only need a TV with a built-in digital tuner (standard since 2007). Most modern TVs are equipped for this.

All antennas receive standard broadcasts, but newer models also receive NextGen TV signals (ATSC 3.0). Available in growing US markets, NextGen TV offers significant improvements.

NextGen TV boasts brighter pictures, improved sound, and enhanced emergency alerts. It also enables interactive features like video-on-demand, live TV pause/rewind, and hyper-local content. While much of NextGen TV currently simulcasts existing broadcasts, some networks offer HDR content with enhanced brightness, colors, and contrast. This emerging technology makes a new antenna a worthwhile investment.