This $39 TV antenna didn’t get a Black Friday discount. You should buy it anyway
Like many other cord cutters, I was fed up with the constant price hikes from the biggest streaming services. So last year, I decided to really cut the cord by switching to an old-fashioned terrestrial antenna.
After much deliberation, I chose this model: the GE Outdoor HD Digital TV Antenna, currently selling for around $39 on Amazon. I’ve been using it for over a year and love it, and would happily recommend it even though it only has the smallest of Black Friday discounts.
I wanted an outdoor model because the cheaper, leaf-shaped indoor antenna I was using couldn’t pick up any signals in my Brooklyn basement apartment. But I also wanted an antenna small enough to mount on the exterior wall of my rental, since I don’t have roof access (we have a small backyard).
This GE antenna checked both boxes, and it was also easy to assemble (those long, thin aluminum rods slide easily into the antenna) and install (the mast and screw kit are included in the box, although I opted for a different mast due to my original exterior wall configuration). I grounded the antenna with copper wire, then pointed it toward the Manhattan TV towers.
Now, instead of barely receiving any channels, I get crystal clear reception for about two dozen channels, including my local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and PBS affiliates, which means I no longer have to worry about streaming channel blackouts. I also have decent reception for a dozen channels a little further away, as well as spotty reception for around 20 TV channels further away. Overall, I now have plenty of live channels to choose from. (I previously shared how I paired the antenna with the HDHomeRun Flex Duo 2 TV tuner, while using Plex as a DVR.)
I installed the GE antenna over a year ago and it has worked like a champ ever since. Most importantly, it withstood an entire year of harsh weather conditions in New York, including several bouts of high wind and torrential rain.
This antenna is called the GE Outdoor HD Digital TV Antenna, but there’s nothing inherently HD about it, nor is it intended exclusively for outdoor use. Yes, this particular antenna can receive digital HDTV signals, just like decades-old antennas. Plus, the GE antenna is small enough to fit in an attic if you prefer not to install it outside.
Now here’s the part where I would normally tell you about the fantastic Black Friday discount the GE Outdoor HD Digital TV Antenna is getting; unfortunately, this is simply not the case. As of this writing, it’s selling on Amazon for $38.98, just 5% off its list price of $40.99. Checking camelcamelcamel’s price history, the all-time low for the antenna was $28.96 pre-Covid.
Even with this modest 5% discount, I’d say this GE antenna is well worth its current price of $39. It’s easy to install, it’s small enough for apartment dwellers, it’s durable and above all, it works.
Buy the GE Outdoor HD Digital TV Antenna on Amazon
Check out TechHive’s other picks for the best TV antennas.
