Has your streaming service budget caused your eyes (and wallet) to bulge? If you’re ready to tighten your entertainment budget belt but want to keep a wide range of programming, you should consider picking up an indoor/outdoor TV antenna such as the Clearstream MAX-XR.
With a TV antenna, you can receive free over-the-air HDTV reception. The antennas are easy to set up and use and can help you cut back on expensive cable, satellite and streaming service bills. The antenna works by picking up the signals that are broadcast from TV towers and converting them into a format that your TV can understand.
With TV antennas gaining in popularity (again), it can be easy to get overwhelmed with the choice of which one is best for your home and needs. You need to know how your home’s location and layout affects a antenna’s performance.
To help minimize the confusion this choice can create, The EW Scripps Co’s broadcast engineers tested several digital antennas to help give readers insight into the best product option for their home and entertainment needs. One of the high-performing models was the ClearStream MAX-XR.
The ClearStream MAX-XR HDTV Antenna can be installed either indoors or outdoors, according the manufacturer. Designed to receive signals from more than 60 miles away, this multi-directional TV antenna can pick up both UHF and Hi-VHF signals and would be a good option for people living in distant suburban or rural communities farther away from broadcast towers.
During our experts’ testing, the ClearStream MAX-XR HDTV Antenna performed very well during its indoor-only testing, which was measured at 6-feet off the ground. The antenna received 87 channels, which over performed the engineers’ predicted 67 channels based on the home’s location.
The ClearStream MAX-XR HDTV Antenna model our engineers used did not have any indoor mounting equipment or a USB power amplifier included, so you will want to make sure you buy the model that includes the both the antenna and the full installation package, which you can find on Amazon starting at $119.99.
This package also includes the 20-inch mast with base, mounting hardware, a 30-ft. Cable, a 6-ft. USB cable and USB power adapter.
Consumer reviews for the ClearStream MAX-XR are positive on Amazon, Best Buy and other websites. Nearly all of these reviews talked about how impressed they were with the antenna’s ability to pull in more channels than they anticipated and said it was a great value compared to both other antenna’s they shopped around for.
“I have been trying to find an antenna for a while so I could receive broadcast stations and cut the cable,” wrote verified Amazon reviewer Ken C. “I tried 7 different antennas before this one, and none of them could pick up all the stations in my area. This was the 8th and it works perfectly!”
So, if you’re ready to start trimming your TV bills, the ClearStream MAX-XR might be the antenna to give you free entertainment with a reasonable one-time investment.
