It’s indoor antenna mania!

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Solid Signal has so many different kinds of indoor antennas, it’s enough to drive you mad! It’s good to have choices but sometimes it’s hard to know which to choose. This is especially true with indoor antennas which are often very different shapes. Let’s take a look at some of the most common ones and you can learn what to look for.

Don’t buy an antenna without VHF!

Upcoming changes to broadcast TV mean that you’ll probably need a UHF/VHF antenna in the coming year. Don’t buy an antenna that doesn’t have VHF reception. If the specs don’t say VHF, I would just move on.

Old-school rabbit ears and antennas like them

One of your lowest priced choices is going to be something really old-school like these rabbit ears. This technology is the exact same stuff your dad or grandpa had on the top of his big tube TV. It hasn’t changed a bit.

Generally rabbit ear antennas work well if you’re very close to the towers. The trick is knowing how to place the “ears.” Most people make the mistake of extending them all the way and placing them in a V like you see here. The best configuration is likely to be all the way down to the sides and un-extended. This is going to get you the best reception for channels 7-13 and the big loop will handle the rest.

Flat antennas

People love flat antennas because they are cool and futuristic. They can even be clear like the one pictured above. In truth they are really just very flat versions of rabbit ears, mushed in plastic so they stand up.

Flat antennas sometimes come with an amplifier which isn’t always necessary if you’re only connecting to one TV. Try it with and without the amplifier to see what works best.

Almost flat antennas

An antenna that’s truly flat might be hard to put on a table. I’ve seen people tape them to the wall which is usually ok but doesn’t look very nice. That’s why these “almost flat” antennas exist. This one isn’t technically any different from the completely flat version but it’s in think plastic with a built-in base so it stands up.

Indoor-outdoor antennas

If you’re a little further away you might need a bigger antenna. Something like this one is technically designed to work outdoors, but it will work indoors too.  It’s really not that large and it almost has a sculptural quality to it that might make it look good in a modern home. Any outdoor antenna will work indoors, although at some point they get so big that you’d never put them inside.

Looking for the right antenna?

If you’re still confused, you can get a free antenna recommendation for your area. Our techs will look at your location and recommend the best antenna for you as well the best accessories to go with it. It’s all free and there is no obligation to buy. Of course we’d love it if you’d shop all the great antennas available at Solid Signal but no matter what, we’re all here to enjoy free TV together.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.