Terrestrial Digital antenna blends performance with style
By Matt Burns 
posted Feb 21st 2006 11:03AM
posted Feb 21st 2006 11:03AM
The
rule of thumb about antennas has always been "the uglier it looks the better it will perform." The HD signal
though allows for 'cleaner' looking antennas. Terk has had nice looking antennas for a while
but Terrestrial Digital has kicked it up a notch. The Lacrosse not only looks good but also has a 10.8 dB gain. It is 14" tall and 20" wide and only weighs 6.8 lbs. It has a max range of 40 miles and starts at $179, plus it looks good for the fashion conscience in all of us.
UHF only. Ain't gonna work in Chicago. Still need an ugly monstrosity here.
I wonder why the antenna industry refuses to admit that the FCC now allows VHF DTV broadcasts. They are still hawking their UHF only antennas as HDTV specific antennas, and they are not.
Also, note the promo pictures orientation, suggests it has something to do with satelite reception, instead of vertical and looking like some form of "slab". Interesting.
Terk may make nice looking antennas, but they don't work worth a crap. The best antennas are those that build upon 100 years of antenna technology. If you're buying an antenna because it's 'HDTV' rated, you're buying nothing but marketing.