Mohu's Leaf antenna. Goodbye, bunny ears.
Mohu's Leaf antenna. Goodbye, bunny ears.
Credit: Mohu
The best part is that companies with an antenna can't track what you watch. As Nielsen said in a January 2024 blog post:
Big data sources alone cannot provide insight into the viewing behavior of the millions of viewers who watch TV via a digital antenna.
Antennas have also become more versatile. For example, in addition to local channels, an antenna can provide access to dozens of digital subchannels. They are similar to the free ad-supported television channels that are gaining popularity among smart TV users today, in that they often show niche programs or a steady stream of old shows and movies with commercial breaks. You can find a list of channels you are likely to receive with an antenna at this Federal Communications Commission website.
TV and movies watched through an antenna are likely to be less compressed than what you get with cable, meaning you can get excellent picture quality with the right setup.
You can also add DVR capabilities, such as record and pause, to live broadcasts through hardware, such as a Tablo OTA DVR device or Plex DVR, a subscription service that allows antenna users to add TV broadcasts to their Plex media servers.
A diagram of the ports of the 4th generation Tablo.
A diagram of the ports of the 4th generation Tablo.
Credit: Tablo
Things to keep in mind
You're unlikely to get 4K or HDR broadcasts with an antenna. ATSC 3.0, also known as Next Gen TV, allows stations to broadcast in 4K HDR, but is being rolled out slowly. Legislation recently proposed by the FCC could slow things down further.
In addition, to watch a 4K or HDR broadcast, you will need an ATSC 3.0 tuner or an ATSC 3.0-equipped TV. The latter is rare. For example, LG dropped support in 2023 due to a patent dispute. A list of ATSC 3.0 certified TVs and converters can be found here.
Realistically, an antenna does not have enough channels to provide sufficient entertainment for many modern households. Sixty percent of antenna owners also subscribe to some kind of streaming service, according to Nielsen.
Additionally, obstacles such as tall buildings and power lines can negatively impact an antenna's performance. Another challenge is getting support for multiple TVs in your home. If you want OTA TV in multiple rooms, you'll need to buy multiple antennas or figure out a way to split the signal (such as using an old coaxial cable and splitter, running new coaxial cable, or using an OTA DVR such as a Tablo or SiliconDust's HDHomeRun).
