Let me start this review with a little bit of background information. My husband and I used to have DirecTV and we were loyal DirecTV subscribers for the last four years. Where we live, the cable company doesn’t offer nearly as many HD channels as DirecTV offers, so that was what persuaded us to switch from cable to DirecTV. One thing I never liked about DirecTV was that you get roped in with a GREAT price and then after the first year it more than doubles. I knew this going in, but still…it stings when your bill goes from roughly $35 to well over $100 (even with the AAA discount). Anyway, since this isn’t a review on DirecTV (although I may have to get around to writing one since I am extremely disappointed with their service) I’ll be moving on to the main event, my review on the TERK HDTVa Amplified Directional Indoor HDTV Antenna.
For the past 4 years we have been paying for an extra DirecTV (non HD) receiver in our spare bedroom. Honestly, we only have guests over about 2 or 3 times a year, so we thought it was useless for us to be paying for the extra receiver and it never being used and we cancelled the extra box and purchased the TERK HDTVa Amplified Directional Indoor HDTV Antenna. My husband set everything up, and I promise you the picture and sound quality was superior to that of DirecTV. Since this is a guest room, we basically set it up and forgot about it for the last few months. This past weekend we had some family come to visit who stayed in our guest room. After their first night, they commented on the superior picture quality and couldn’t believe it came from an antenna! They actually had my husband show them the website so they could purchase one on the spot! I was impressed!
After they left, my husband and I got to talking about cancelling DirecTV and only using an antenna in the master bedroom and the living room. I know this may sound cheap, but we honestly do not watch much TV besides the news. Once we cancelled our DirecTV, we went to a local electronic store to purchase another antenna (we wanted an antenna in the bedroom right away, didn’t want to wait for shipping) and were unhappy to see that the Terk was not available. After a salesman told us that the RCA - Amplified Indoor Off-Air HDTV Antenna would suit our needs. Unfortunately this antenna does not pull in the amount of channels that the Terk does and the Terk is cheaper. Thankfully we only purchased one! My husband ordered another Terk online, the Terk from the guest bedroom has now been put into the master bedroom and the RCA is in the guest bedroom! Sorry guests!! Picture of our RCA model below:
Some manufacturer information on the Terk antenna:
The HD television revolution is on, with more than 1,100 stations across the US now broadcasting free over-the-air signals in HDTV format. You can experience the clarity and resolution of HDTV with Terk’s new indoor HDTVa antenna that has been engineered to receive both UHF and VHF signals.
The Terk HDTVa is a compact unit that can be mounted horizontally or vertically for best reception of HDTV signals. The high-gain antenna has a unique feature that let’s you boost signal reception for weak signals to bypass stronger signals that may be nearby. To further simply installation, the unit carries both power and video signal over the same coaxial cable.
The Terk HDTVa antenna is designed to receive all local HDTV channels, with an operating spectrum that covers both the VHF (channels 2 to 13) and UHF (channels 14 to 69) frequency ranges. Engineered with highly specific log periodic UHF and precision VHF elements, it is designed to receive HDTV broadcasts with maximum signal strength while at the same time it filters out most noise and interference. The HDTVa can be used in apartments or condominiums where outside antenna installation is impossible or difficult. With it’s compact base and curved, polished-aluminum antenna it is visually appealing as well as functional.
Overall, I would highly recommend the Terk antenna to anyone. Whether you want to get rid of your cable, satellite completely or just want service in a room without having to have cable run or pay for an extra satellite box, this antenna fits the bill! You can purchase the Terk for less than $40 from Amazon. Enjoy! We have given up our $100+/month DirecTV service and are saving this money every month!
Maximize your television reception
The http://www.antennaweb.org/ mapping program, provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), locates the proper outdoor* antenna to receive your local television broadcast channels.
Based on geographical maps and signal strengths, AntennaWeb locates the best antenna for you — whether the antenna is for use with a home satellite system, high-definition television (HDTV) or a traditional analog set.
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