1/30/09

The DB-2 from AntennasDirect.com

The DB-2 and the Channel Master 4220 look very similar and probably have the same performance. The 4220M comes with a wall mount bracket.

This 2-bay antenna is without flaws. It is manufactured for outdoor use. But putting up a 4-bay is just as easy and not significantly more expensive. So this author has not found an outdoor situation to recommend this antenna.

The antenna is small enough to be reasonable as an indoor antenna. It is 19” wide, 13” high, and 4” deep. This is about the size of a Double-bow, and will fit on top of a TV. But it lacks a stand. If you buy it for indoor use, you will have to invent some kind of a stand to hold it up. (One reader reports he found a paper towel holder that served nicely, $14 at Bed & Bath.)

The effort is worth it. The DB-2 is the top performing indoor antenna presently available. If you are a renter in a poor-signal location, the DB-2 (and a Channel Master 7777 preamplifier) is your best option. To surpass it would take a 4-bay, which most renters would not consider reasonable indoors.

This page is part of “An HDTV Primer”, which starts at www.hdtvprimer.com