If you plan to attach an antenna to your small house, getting a small outdoor HDTV antenna is a must. An antenna is also a recommended expense slasher and freedom enhancer.
Opting for free TV using an antenna over a paid service like cable or satellite fits the frugal and tiny lifestyles in several ways. It aligns with the goals of keeping expenses low, breaking any chains restricting freedom, and choosing the nonconforming path over the common one.
When choosing an antenna, you want one that complements the design of your small house. This can be achieved by choosing one that is proportional to the size of your home and matches its theme. If you install a bulky standard-size antenna on your small house, it will look ridiculous. It would be like installing a sports stadium-sized, 80-unit, 50,000-watt floodlight cluster to illuminate your front porch. Obviously an exaggeration, but I’m sure you get my point. Let’s examine how the option to use HDTV antennas emerged and which one is the best choice.
After all the publicity by the media and retailers about getting a converter box when the television industry switched from analog to digital broadcasts, I didn’t even know you could use an antenna—at least I didn’t until I got my first HDTV.
Looking back, I find it strange that there wasn’t much media attention about the fact that you could receive these signals for free if you had an HDTV and an outdoor or indoor antenna. Being frugal and always on the lookout for bargains, I’m certain I would have picked up on this information if it were in the public domain.
I’m sure the cable and satellite companies wanted to keep this fact quiet, as the switch would mean they would lose new business from people with their analog TV connected to an antenna. When the switch happened, I would imagine that it was in the media’s best interest politically to avoid talking about how you can easily get free TV service.
When I read the manual for my new 22” HDTV, I discovered that I could connect my computer to it as well. This would free up a lot of space, so I was ecstatic. Later, however, I found that I was getting fatigued when I used it as my computer monitor, so I eventually upgraded to a combo unit. I wrote about my experience and the brand I chose in the article Advantages of the HDTV Computer Monitor Combo.
Initially, I connected my new HDTV to my cable TV service, which was mandatory since I had been using an analog television. Somewhere along the way, I discovered that I could receive digital broadcasts for free by simply connecting my HDTV to an antenna. I was sold immediately!
A digital broadcast over the air provides a higher-quality picture and sound because it is received directly, rather than secondarily, as with cable and satellite services. You’ll immediately notice a difference.
Since I had basic service with the cable company, I’m actually getting more stations than I did before, except that a few of them are different. The new ones feature classic movies and television shows, which I enjoy. There are also the standard network and PBS stations. Since I don’t watch the news much or a lot of TV in general, this lineup works well for me.
The number of stations you get will vary based on how far away or close you are to the broadcast towers. Being too close can reduce the number of channels you get, just as being too far away can. I know that doesn’t make sense. I felt the same way. Let me explain. If you live at the base of a mountain that has a cluster of broadcasting towers on it, as I do, the signal will be too strong for the more powerful stations. I’m not getting two network stations because of this, but they’re not my favorites anyway, so no problem.
I conducted an extensive amount of research, as I always do (one of the perks of being me), on which antenna offered the best value. I started by trying a variety of inexpensive rabbit-ear antennas, which were often recommended online. These worked fairly well, but I usually had to adjust the antennas as I changed stations to get a clear picture. So I decided to try a more advanced antenna.
I eventually landed on a moderately priced HDTV antenna that is designed for both outdoor and indoor use, and it’s just the right size! The one I found is the Winegard FreeVision. It measures approximately 20 H″ x 13 W″ and features an attractive, somewhat futuristic design (see image below). I found out firsthand that Winegard also has outstanding customer support. The lowest price I could find for the Winegard FreeVision (which may have a different name) was on Amazon.
The Winegard FreeVision attaches to a mast vertically, unlike a traditional rooftop antenna, which is positioned horizontally. Due to its compact size, distinctive design, and versatility for both indoor/outdoor use, your installation options are significantly expanded.
I love mine. I installed my Winegard FreeVision on my balcony by putting a wooden tree support post inside three stacked cinder blocks filled with rocks. Then I placed two potted plants on either side. It looks good. I’ve grown accustomed to the channel lineup and don’t miss the others.
I bought this particular size antenna not only for use at my current home, but more importantly, for use in the future on my small house. I envisioned it on the roof of my small house the day I bought it. And that’s the way it shall be. 🙂