Tyler Kleinle is known as the Antenna Man on YouTube, where he features antenna reviews, reception tips and news about free over-the-air TV. He has tested and reviewed over 50 antenna models and provides antenna recommendation services for people across the country. The Free TV Project has partnered with Kleinle to provide in-depth reviews of top-rated antennas. Below is his review of the Channel Master FLATenna.
Antenna Man’s Review Of The Channel Master FLATenna
The Channel Master FLATenna is a relatively inexpensive indoor antenna that doesn’t claim to be anything it’s not. The design is very comparable to most other flat antennas on the market. The antenna has a reversible finish, one side is black and the other side is white to match any decor.
Unlike most flat antennas, it actually comes with a thick RG6 cable. The thick cable will prevent interference or signal loss compared to the hair-thin cables on most antennas. The cable is removable, which is great if you end up needing to connect a longer cable to reach the best spot for reception.
Channel Master offers both a 35-mile version without an amplifier and a 50-mile version with an amplifier. I found that the amplifier made reception worse in my situation so if you order the amplified version make sure to try the antenna both with and without the amplifier.
So how well does this antenna work? I tested it out in the same location as a bunch of other indoor antennas to see how it performs. Watch my full review in the video below:
Easy Set Up
The antenna is very easy to set up. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the antenna and the other end to your TV. Place it on a wall or window in the direction of the broadcast towers. Then, with your TV’s remote, go to the menu and look for either channel search or auto program to scan for available channels in your area. Keep in mind you may have to try different locations for the antenna and rescan your TV if you don’t receive all of your local channels right away.
The signal on WNEP, which broadcasts on UHF channel 21, was higher on this antenna than the last two antennas I tested. WYOU on VHF channel 12, WBRE on VHF channel 11 and WBRE on VHF channel 11 also had a higher signal level on this antenna than the previous two.
The antenna actually picked the repeater of NJ PBS on UHF channel 27 with one of the highest signal levels of any indoor antenna I’ve tested. Most indoor antennas cannot pick up this channel.
‘One Of The Best Flat Antennas I’ve Tested’
This is one of the best flat antennas I’ve tested. It picked up the high VHF channels well and came with a high-quality RG6 cable that’s detachable. This gives you the ability to connect a longer coaxial cable and not compromise reception. I’d highly recommend the Channel Master FLATEnna if you want to try out an antenna for the first time, or if you already have a flat antenna that doesn’t get you the best reception.
