Seeing Things Clearly With A HD Antenna - By: Aydan Corkern

Looking back at all of the neat technological gadgets in our lifetime, what old inventions have withstood the test of time and still exist today? Computers, cameras, televisions, and refrigerators are some of the household appliances and gadgets that we cannot imagine living life without. The same can be said with the TV antenna. For those who are subscribers to cable or satellite service, then you would have no use for an antenna. Although cable and satellite might be the most popular forms of watching TV, the antenna is making a comeback and it's coming back stronger than ever. What are the advantages of watching your TV with an antenna? After all, they may seem a little too old-fashioned and somewhat outdated by today's standards. Everyone has moved on to digital high-definition channels, so it seems that the antenna might not work well enough to get those channels. That thinking, however, is incorrect. Antennas are capable of picking up HD channels for free. There are absolutely no additional fees or surcharges to getting these channels because they are available through over-the-air signals. Over-the-air signals work simply. Channels are broadcast from the towers, and your antenna picks up the signals and transmits the channels to your TV. This is the way TV is meant to be watched because OTA transmission offers the best possible picture clarity. Cable companies rely on data compression to deliver the picture to your screen, which causes image fuzziness and distortion and compromises the sharpness. While the majority of viewers will not care about this lack of quality, there are some devoted TV viewers who want the best possible picture quality. As if the greater picture quality and clarity are not enough reason to give the antenna a go, there is the issue of money. Money is scarce in many people's lives right now because of the weakening economy, and it doesn't look like it will let up anytime soon either. In a period of time that is considered by many to be the worst recession in decades, saving money is crucial to surviving. When you only have enough money to pay for the rent, your car payment, utility bills, and buy some food, there is not much else you can do in terms of your TV. Cutting out unnecessary expenses, including your cable or satellite service, will need to be done to save that much-needed money. What may seem like downgrading, however, will actually open up people's lives to seeing how economical, practical, and reliable TV antennas are. Even after the economic depression ends, you might just be surprised to see some people keeping their antenna and passing on the expensive cable or satellite.