What are Digital TV Antennas?

Digital TV is a relatively new technology and many people are still confused about the whole thing – what it is, what it involves, its advantages and its disadvantages. One point of confusion is the digital TV antenna.

For those not in the know, digital TV antennas which have been specifically designed for the reception of digital TV are non-existent. Truth is, the same TV antenna which are being used for the older analog TVs are the same antennas used. These antennas are usually UHF/VHB capable which are also capable of receiving radio broadcasts. One major requirement is that this antenna can operate with the different broadcast channels.

Basically there are the indoor and the outdoor antennas and the outdoor is further subdivided into the grouped and the wideband. The grouped are tuned to cover only some parts of the UHF or the VHF bands. With the group more than one antenna would be needed to get the full range of the broadcasts in the locality. These also offer better reception compared to the wideband which are multi-directional antennas. The bow-tie antenna is one example of the wideband and this is the best type to use for long range reception.

Indoor antennas are more susceptible to unstable reception. This can get affected by moving vehicles and the shadows and glares which they can cast. The indoor antennas will also react to trains and airplanes. This is why most would recommend the outdoor for it is more stable.

Outdoor antennas get better signals, true, but they can also get obstructed by mountains, hills, trees and tall buildings. This is the reason why these antennas are usually placed on high ground where there is less obstruction for this way it can get the signal in a straight line. It is also important to only get the good quality antenna made from materials which are more durable for they are exposed to the elements all the time. Maintenance can be an issue especially in wooded areas where leaves can cause obstruction to the signal.