Best short-range antenna?

[GO-NAD!]

Great news. Cable is so 20th century.
Get whichever antenna is the easiest to install. They look like they have similar gain. Those are both UHF antennae, but with local signals they might be good enough for upper band VHF.

Avoid using an antenna pre-amp (goes between antenna and TV) if you can. It can amplify noise as well as the signal. You'll also need electrical power for it in your attic. You can always add one later, if needed.

The worst building materials that interfere with TV signals are aluminum foil-backed insulation, or steel-reinforced concrete. I don't believe brick walls interfere nearly as bad with TV signals. You already know what works indoors. Try it and see what you get. You have local broadcast towers and I hope their signal is strong enough to work for you.

I believe they are both Hi-VHF capable, as well. One of my available channels is 8, which falls within the Hi-VHF of if I'm not mistaken. I hope I don't require any amplification. I'm quite capable of running power up to the attic, but I'd rather not have to do it, if I can avoid it.

 

[cpd]

I want to cut the cord as well and I tried last year. My big problem then was that I was trying to use my PC as a DVR, and I just couldn't get Windows Media Center to play nicely (i.e. wake up for a recording, update the guide etc.) I am not tech dumb, but I'm definitely not savvy enough or have enough time to constantly fiddle with something like that. So, I am now thinking about buying an OTA DVR (Tivo Roamio or Tablo) but could use some advice on antennas myself.

During my attempt last year I used a passive indoor MOHU Leaf. It worked great for all stations except one. FOX would come in, but at times it would drop the signal or introduce weird green artifacts. That's bad, because FOX is the one station I really want to come in well (NFL games). According to TV Fool, all of the broadcast stations are about 4 miles North East of me. The TV and Antenna areon the second floor of my house. There is a HUGE tree outside in that direction so that could be causing some of the problem. Any ideas for an easy to install (I really don't want to put one on the roof) antenna that may work better?

 

[GO-NAD!]

I want to cut the cord as well and I tried last year. My big problem then was that I was trying to use my PC as a DVR, and I just couldn't get Windows Media Center to play nicely (i.e. wake up for a recording, update the guide etc.) I am not tech dumb, but I'm definitely not savvy enough or have enough time to constantly fiddle with something like that. So, I am now thinking about buying an OTA DVR (Tivo Roamio or Tablo) but could use some advice on antennas myself.

During my attempt last year I used a passive indoor MOHU Leaf. It worked great for all stations except one. FOX would come in, but at times it would drop the signal or introduce weird green artifacts. That's bad, because FOX is the one station I really want to come in well (NFL games). According to TV Fool, all of the broadcast stations are about 4 miles North East of me. The TV and Antenna areon the second floor of my house. There is a HUGE tree outside in that direction so that could be causing some of the problem. Any ideas for an easy to install (I really don't want to put one on the roof) antenna that may work better?

You may have also accounted for this but, in which band does FOX broadcast in your area and what band(s) is/are covered by your antenna? If there is compatibility, perhaps you need an attic antenna? Don't take my word for it though, as I'm no expert.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I now have my Amazon cart filled with the gear I need: CM DVR+, RG6 coax cable and compression connectors, RCA ANT751R antenna, Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STEA1000400) and a splitter (to feed both displays). My total is over $600. I am in Canada, after all. Still, that's far less than 1 year of cable subscription. Just have to pull that trigger....

 

[GO-NAD!]

Well, I figured I'd do this in stages - I ordered the RG6 coax and antenna. Installed the antenna in the attic on Saturday and ran the cable from there to the furnace room in the basement, where a inserted a splitter, so I could get a signal to the kitchen TV and to rec room HT. I tested both runs and got a great signal in each location. Now, to order the DVR and external hard drive...