GE 24775 Quantum HDTV Antenna by GE
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List Price: Our Price: $28.40 You Save: $31.59 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $17.25 (click here) Category: Home Theater See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of GE 24775 Quantum HDTV Antenna
Digital camera Review: DOES NOT PICK UP VHF HDTV CHANNELS
Summary: 2 Stars
FYI this is post-digital transition so I am testing with completely digital channels at their final strength/configuration/location. I am also using a Samsung LCD with the built-in ATSC tuner (as the tuner used could affect results).
The UHF reception seems mediocre but I don't have another indoor antenna to compare to (maybe I should have bought 2 or more and taken the worst ones back)... I certainly would expect better performance from a $40 amplified antenna vs a $10-20 passive unit. It also seems more sensitive to direction than advertised.
I found the telescoping VHF mast antenna in the center (that little nub hiding in the picture) is completely useless. There are 3 VHF HDTV channels in the area (Seattle) and according to tvfool.com they are at or above the signal strength of some of the UHF channels I can pick up with this antenna, but I can't get any of them at all (the TV doesn't have a signal meter so I don't know if they are just weak or completely unreceived). Extending the mast or changing its angle does nothing.
This thing is going back to the store. I had good luck with an Antenna's Direct ClearStream4 at a cabin, so I might try their ClearStream1 Convertible (for tabletop use). I really need an indoor that works because the TV is moved between 2 rooms, and I should have adequate signal level for 2nd floor indoor use.
Digital camera Review: Decent UHF performance, weak VHF with only one VHF element
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a review of a few antennas and why I finally settled on the Terk HDTVa. I only tested them with ATSC signals, so I can't comment on any analog reception.
Mediocre, at best. This is one of the only antennas I've seen with ONE VHF element, which isn't exactly a problem in this market since most of our DTV stations are UHF, but don't count on being able to receive more than one VHF station with this setup. You'll find yourself moving the lone bunny ear around a lot if you've got 3-4 VHF stations you want to watch, even when the transmitters for these stations are on the same tower!
The UHF panel design is a gimmick at best, it does help if one station is in a different direction and you only want to aim one panel at it, but the reception for some reason is not consistent. The FIXED LENGTH power and coax cables are the nails in the coffin.
This antenna would be great at $10, maybe $15, not the $30 GE is trying to sell it at. For some reason, this antenna is also very limited in how many ways you can aim the VHF element; I'd prefer being able to aim the VHF element in whatever direction I want and have limited range on the UHF element since receiving those signals is much easier.
It did seem to like being placed in as high a location as possible; I'm on the first floor so it's not easy to get it very high up. When held to the ceiling reception did improve greatly, and as soon as I figure out how to staple it to my ceiling I'll find a use for it. Right now it's chugging along fine in the living room.
This antenna is definitely a good choice if you're in a tall building or out in the boonies away from any other buildings. WiFi, microwaves, and cell phones only bother it on certain VHF stations, but it can barely pull those in anyways.
Terk HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition Antenna for Off-Air HDTV Reception
I just ordered this from Amazon.com and I can say without a doubt that it's the best antenna I've ever used. I'm about 25 miles away from most TV transmitters, and it picks up all of them. I was extremely surprised and very happy to see that it also picked up NBC and FOX, both VHF channels here, at full strength, something I was never able to do with my other two antennas.
I ran a longer coax cable and put the antenna on a window sill, I never have to fiddle with the rabbit ears or move it around to get a clear picture. This is on the window sill of a first floor (3 floor building) apartment that is surrounded by other apartment buildings. Also, the UHF element can be mounted with the blades oriented horizontally or vertically, perfect for putting it on the window sill and still being able to close the blinds.
The only con I can think of is that the VHF elements aren't as freely moved as they are on a lot of other antennas, like on an old pair of bunny ears. Basically, if you want to aim them horizontally, they have to be pointing in the OPPOSITE direction of the UHF element, or straight up, or tilted slightly forward. Aiming them horizontally in the same direction as the UHF element is impossible. This is only a minor issue, since the reception is so damn good I could aim the VHF elements however I wanted to and still get a clear picture; this isn't even enough of a nuisance to take one star off for. DEFINITELY get this; it's the best indoor antenna you'll ever use.
This is also the only antenna I've ever used that didn't lose signal on every single channel, both UHF and VHF, when someone was using a cell phone. Definitely a good perk.
Philips High Performance Amplified Indoor Uhf/Vhf/Fm/HDTV Antenna
I used this antenna for the longest time, all while being mildly annoyed by it. First off, it pulls in UHF signals like nobody's business, regardless of how it's oriented or where it is placed. It doesn't seem to mind multipath interference at all. VHF stations are a completely different story; it takes hours and hours of messing with these rabbit ears to get any picture, unlike the other two antennas reviewed. And then when you DO finally have the picture, heaven forbid you start to move around the room or even move on the couch, the picture will drop out.
I had this antenna at my old 3rd floor apartment, and tried it in two locations in my new 1st floor apartment. In the living room, I really couldn't pick up anything useful with it, so I moved it to the bedroom and tried with a Pinnacle ATSC tuner. When I finally had the rabbit ears set up right, for some reason I could no longer tune the strongest UHF signal in the area, go figure.
On the third floor, the only thing I had to worry about was the fact that it was VERY susceptible to RF interference. Is anyone in a nearby apartment using a microwave or making a cell phone call? Signal drops out. Get a text message? No TV. On the first floor, you can only sit in certain spots while watching TV or you've got no picture. This was especially annoying since it was being used to record shows while I was away, the signal would get weaker without someone in the room.
It just might have been my unit that was poorly shielded, but the more I turned down the amplification, the less susceptible it was to RF interference
Digital camera Review: Does not perform well.
Summary: 2 Stars
This powered antenna only performs slightly better then regular cheap rabbit hears.
If you observe the product, in the middle, there is a cheap extensible antenna that needs to stick out.
In the picture it is retracted, so if your plan is not to have one of those, don't buy the product.
The blue LED light is disturbingly bright at night. We have it in our bedroom and I had to put a sticker on it.
Digital camera Review: Does the job in a bad reception environment
Summary: 4 Stars
I live near downtown Los Angeles in an older concrete-and-steel highrise. The structure and proximity of other large buildings in and near line-of-sight with local transmission makes for very, VERY poor reception. In switching to digital TV, I was lead to believe I'd get better quality, but that is only true if you have acceptable reception to begin with. If signal strength drops below a certain threshold, digital signals drop off altogether. And such was the case when I bought my DTV converter box.
The boosted rabbit-ears I had previously used were of no help, I needed an antenna designed for digital reception, and a rooftop was not permitted in my building. Research lead me on a wild goose chase, but ultimately I ended up with GE/Jasco 24775-1 Quantum antenna. Reception was still dicey, maybe 2 channels, but putting it in my window (clear of surrounding structure) helped, and with considerable trial-and-error in placement and positiong of the three panels, I found a 'sweet spot' that brings in clean reception for all major digital channels.
Placement in the window is a bit precarious, I'll have to fashion some sort of wood or plastic brackets to hold it in place, but it affordably solved the problem.
Digital camera Review: Doesn't work any better than my old rabbit ears.
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this product with the thinking that the grass was greener with an amplified antenna. I was wrong. It works okay, but when compared with my old rabbit ears it didn't perform. The box states that the smart design of the product is for optimal HDTV reception without repositioning. They are liars. If anything I have to reposition this more than my non-powered rabbit ears. I am going to return this product, which in the end will save me money since I won't be paying to power the annoying led light on the front of the unit.