TV Antenna In Tacoma?

[cbzdel]

This is a longer read but just to explain my story.

I canceled my $80/month cable account a couple weeks ago and have been very happy with it expect for the fact I can not get easy access to NFL games, right now I just found a website that provides so-so quality streaming, and I doubt it is even a legal website. So I went to a store to pick up a TV antenna, I figured an antenna is just that so no need to research.
I bought his one first:
<broken link removed>

I got nothing but Spanish and religious stations, so I figured it was defective, returned it and bought this one:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/rca-indoor-hdtv-antenna-white/8939839.p?id=1215217075905&skuId=8939839

It was slightly better than the previous one, and I was able to get FOX, but I still really wanted to go for the big channels, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and possibly PBS and CW (I believe it is). So then I started researching and determined that the antennas I bought were not powerful enough to pull in those stations which are 25-30 miles away from my location.

Which gets me to my next question, what is the most cost effective way to make this work? I have looked at wall mounted, indoor/outdoor antenna, and even attic antennas and really I just want whatever the cheapest method will be so I can get the channels I am looking for.

I was thinking about getting this one:
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...qid=1419264199&sr=8-1&keywords=amazon+antenna

But part of me says go big and be done with it and get this one and I could mount it in my attic or possibly even up on my roof. And I believe this one could feed my whole house vs the one listed above for an individual TV set.
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...qid=1419264199&sr=8-4&keywords=amazon+antenna

Then again I know there are the large metal attic antennas which are cheaper and I don't have a problem hooking up, I have a storage platform in my attic so it is easy for me to work on projects up there. But I do not know much about these antennas so I really have no idea where to start. I know I just do not want one of those large metal antennas outdoors, plus I doubt my neighbors would like looking at that haha!

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[lucifermonkey]

Do yourself a favor and pick up a Mohu Leaf.

I have the basic version and I am closer to the station transmitter, but they have versions with up to 60 mile range. It picks up crystal clear HD channels that other antennas don't even see.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Start here:
<broken link removed>

 

[cbzdel]

Start here:
<broken link removed>

I have done that, I know what I should be getting, problem is what I bought was not capable of receiving the signals, both of my antennas that I bought were capable of 40+ miles and neither were able to pick up signals in the Seattle area which are less than 30 miles away from me.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a Mohu Leaf.

I have the basic version and I am closer to the station transmitter, but they have versions with up to 60 mile range. It picks up crystal clear HD channels that other antennas don't even see.

I was looking at the Mohu leaf, upon reading reviews the AmazonBasic brand its pretty much identical to the Mohu, just cheaper in price.

Really what its coming down to for me is should I stick with the Mohu 50/AmazonBasic 50 or get something even better?

 

[jbett98]

Do you have line of sight to Seattle, or is something blocking the digital signal.

 

[Jamie6.5]

I have done that, I know what I should be getting, problem is what I bought was not capable of receiving the signals, both of my antennas that I bought were capable of 40+ miles and neither were able to pick up signals in the Seattle area which are less than 30 miles away from me.

Okay, good.
Time to set one up outside.

We have a Gray-Hoverman outdoor antenna, on a 20' pole, and have no problem getting PDX stations from 50-60 miles out.
We get 41 channels total.

 

[cmica]

http://www.tvantennasale.com/Lava-HD-2605-Ultra-Outdoor-TV-Antenna-p/lavahd2605ultra.htm

friend of mine has one of these

 

[Gunwheeler]

Height is your friend. I have a pole that extends 39'. Must be secured with at least a tripod cable form the top and a centered tripod of supporting cable. And lightning rod protected. You would not believe what height to an antenna does.

 

[HenryJ]

Another Mohu leaf believer. Works great for TV in kitchen and bedroom. Living room is attached to a HUGE assembly on the roof and a UHF loop inside. It does do a little better than the leaf, but not enough to really justify it.
Don't get too excited about the "amplified" antennas. Adding a power supply and the "booster" never did anything for the ones I have tried. I have been through quite a few and still have a box of assorted failures in the garage. The Mohu Leaf has done better than all of those.

We now have four of them. I use one in the camping trailer too

 

[Oregonhunter5]

So glad we dumped cable a year ago. Apple TV is great.
I never thought I'd be able to miss the sports. Now,,,,,I don't even care. College football here and there. But with a house full of kids, I'm busy.