2015 was a slow year for antennas, and the fastest year ever. While there was only one major product introduction, the pace of cord-cutting increased to its fastest ever, with more people choosing to give up on expensive cable bills and embrace free HDTV.
The one new product was our very own HD Horizon X10, which broke new ground as the first truly indoor/outdoor antenna with everything you need no matter how you mount it. This new antenna goes seamlessly from tripod to tabletop to roof with all the accessories included, and provides incredible amplification and portability. Use it on an RV or an apartment, and you’ll get great reception on channels all over the area.
The other piece of news in the antenna world wasn’t so good. AntennaCraft closed up shop in 2015. They were a subsidiary of RadioShack, and the folks who bought RadioShack’s assets out of bankruptcy opted to keep the factory closed. Although that’s meant there aren’t as many options for large outdoor antennas, it also has encouraged people to look at the options available in our Xtreme Signal line, which are often just as good and a lot smaller.
More people than ever chose to try free HDTV through an antenna in 2015, and the trend is expected to continue in 2016. Average cable bills are now over $100 for those without promotionally-priced plans, and that’s driving people to choose free HDTV from an antenna paired with a streaming solution rather than paying for channels they don’t watch. Not only that, more and more people realize that an antenna paired with a TV is a great way to stay connected in times of emergency when home internet connections and fiber lines can be cut. Free HDTV doesn’t run up your data plan and it’s not affected by bad cell service. It’s available to over 90% of the country and once you get that antenna on the roof, there’s no more cost… ever.
For those who choose to DVR, there are even more excellent alternative such as the streaming boxes from MyGica which use your computer as a DVR allowing you to pause live TV and record to your heart’s content. These new boxes take the place of Windows Media Center, which was removed from the operating system during the Windows 10 upgrade.
As we move into 2016, it’s likely we’ll see even more innovative products from Solid Signal. Cord cutting is hot, and it’s not likely to cool down anytime soon.
