I’m Katelyn with another unsolicited review. Here’s my review of ZetHot’s Digital HDTV Antenna.
Table of Contents
High Cable Bills
I have a love-hate relationship with cable. It seems there is always that one show on cable that gets my attention. However, when the budget needed cuts, I examined my love for the show.
Why should I pay what amounts to a utility bill to watch this show? When I considered alternatives, I decided cable had to go. Besides, the other shows I watched came on broadcast networks.
Then, I searched the internet for cable-cutting options. I didn’t want to sign up for any of the streaming services because that amounted to a monthly expense. I decided to try a digital HDTV antenna.
The Digital HDTV Antenna Price
I purchased my antenna from Amazon. It cost me $21.99 plus shipping. Shipping was free when I combined it with another item. Of course, I chose one of the cheaper ones. The description stated it had a 60-80 mile range. I hate spending a lot of money when I’m trying out something.
Appearance
When I received it, the box contained the antenna with attached 16.5 ft cable, external amplifier, power adapter, and four 3M stickers.
The antenna looked like the picture. For some reason, I think it resembles a bat. Both are black; the cord looks like a tail. Yes, I have a wild imagination.
Installation
Installation was a breeze.
I connected the F-male end of the coaxial cable to the F-female external amplifier. Then, I connected the other end of the F-male of the external amplifier to the ANT/IN connector on the back of my television.
Next, I placed the 3M stickers on the back of the antenna and placed it high on my wall behind my television. Afterward, I turned on my television and went to the setup menu. I set the tuner mode to Air. Then, I scanned for channels.
Performance
The first time I scanned for channels, the antenna added 18 channels to my television menu. However, only two I desired. I took the antenna off the wall. Unfortunately, paint came along with it.
I pulled off the 3M stickers because they wouldn’t stick on the wall. So, I used masking tape to stick the antenna on the wall. This time it picked up 30 channels. However, I experienced sporadic reception on the channels I desired.
Now, I hoped the third time resulted in success. I pulled the antenna off the wall and put it in another location. This location resulted in 27 channels. In this lineup, I picked up six desired channels. The reception for the 27 channels is decent in the daytime but seems better at night.
In Conclusion
I wasn’t able to pick up ABC or NBC which disappointed me. However, I watch the ABC shows online. I’ve learned to do without the NBC shows because you have to use a streaming service to watch full episodes of their shows online.
As a result, I’ve latched onto reading. Since I cut the cable, I’ve read more books. Truthfully, I used to hate reading books. So, cutting the cord helped me expand my vocabulary and knowledge.
Will I ever go back to cable? I don’t know. For now, I’m content with not paying a cable bill.
As for the antenna, it’s adequate.
