RCA Indoor Amplified Tv Antenna

We our in the western burbs of Chicago, in a wooded area, so OTA reception has been a challenge for years. Now with the DTV transition, our upstairs bedroom TV has no cable connection and was doing ok with OTA analog. After the digital transition, reception was blank screen.

Read the reviews and bought the RCA indoor antenna - NO change vs the VHF rabbit ears or UHF loop.

BTW - most folks do not realize that the analog TV signals were mostly VHF freqs, and the digital TV signals are mostly much higher in the UHF freqs, so that they both could co-exist for several months if not years.

SO... your DTV reception will pretty much mimic your old UHF reception.

I purchased this antenna after the final Digital conversion because my old RCA rabbit ears could not pick up all of the signals. However, it seems that the problems may be with the digital conversion itself. Perhaps after a year or two, the digital signals will come in more clearly.

My Experience:

- Constant Adjustment is needed to try and pick up a signal with the RCA Indoor Amplified antenna. Constant, Constant, Constant . . . Most days nothing comes through, so I turn off the TV.

- Not all channels are viewable in one sitting. Different channels come through at different times, but only a few are clearly visible.
So POTENTIALLY it can get all of the DTV stations, JUST NOT AT ONE TIME.

- The reception is easily distorted and blacked out by overhead interference.
Verizon Fios installed in our building has caused more problems. Air planes cause interference as well.

- The antenna cannot be placed too closely to my radio or other devices, or else they give off feedback noises.

IN FAIRNESS:
- My condominium building is 40 years, and an electrician recently informed me that the building was not designed for use with the newer high-tech devices. (My kitchen appliances were dying out, and he said that there was too much power drain on my old electrical system.)

- I get different stations in different rooms. My living room picks up the Maryland stations, while Virginia stations come through in another room. No D.C. stations come through, and my sister, (20 year PBS veteran who helped with their digital conversion) said it is because D.C.'s antennas are located in the uppermost region of D.C., so they are too far away from my area to receive a signal.

Perhaps in time the digital signals will improve. The products can only do so much. TV started out with glitches too.

I bought this antenna for a spare TV. I wanted to be able to get some of the channels I know are available to antenna TV only, and not through our Comcast connection. Guess what! I got three channels! One worship channel and two ION channels. I was astonished! I though that might be all I can get in my area. But I borrowed another antenna and viola - there were all the local channels plus the cable channels I had been looking for!

All I can say about this antenna is that you must have to be right on top of a big TV station antenna to get that station. I live outside Boston, and there are three network affiliates within 10 miles of my home, plus a FOX affiliate within 5 miles - yet this marvel couldn't pick any of them up!

Do I recommend this antenna. NO, emphatically NO.

It might seem like a good buy - but it's a bust.

The antenna works okay on about five channels in my area. It frequently loses the signal. The problem could be location, not sure.

Researched the internet and picked this one (regretfully). For me it doesn't work very good. Difficulty getting a signal and then if I can the picture won't come in clearly or without lots of lines, etc. Very disappointed and a waste of money for me.