TV Antennas Are Back; 5 Tips For Buying One

Washington, D.C. (April 30, 2007) -- Many consumers are connecting cheap antennas to their expensive new High-Definition TVs to get their local high-def channels.

That's according to a new article from The Associated Press.

Many HD owners are installing rooftop antennas that can capture the HD and standard definition signals of their local stations. Some people can even get local signals with an indoor antenna costing less than $20..

Unlike local HD signals from cable and satellite operators, the antenna-delivered channels are free. And some HD enthusiasts say an antenna offers a better picture, although that's arguable.

"Eighty-year-old technology is being redesigned and rejiggered to deliver the best picture quality," Richard Schneider, president of Antennas Direct, told the AP. "It's an interesting irony."

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Schneider, whose Eureka, Missouri-based company now has seven employees and did $1.4 million in sales last year, says he expects business to double this year.

"People thought I was nuts. They were laughing at me when I told them I was starting an antenna company," Schneider told the wire service.

Schneider says high-def owners should consider an indoor antenna if you live 25 miles within a station's broadcast tower. But he adds that an outdoor antenna, which can cost up to $200, could pick up a signal from 70 miles away.

Antennas are becoming more popular in large part because they are offer local channels for free. However, without a cable or satellite subscription, you won't be able to get your national HD channels.

Steve Wilson, principal analyst for consumer electronics at ABI Research, estimates that 20 percent of HDTV owners are using antennas to get local HD signals.

TVPredictions.com has compiled a five-step plan to buying the right antenna for you. To read our article, click:

5 Steps to Buying a HDTV Antenna.

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Phillip Swann is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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