Product Description

Over the years, TV has evolved into an integral part of our lives. News, sports and entertainment programming shape our day and give us hours of enjoyment. Now, with the emergence of new technologies such as HDTV, viewing possibilities are endless. TERK helps you capture this potential with superior indoor and outdoor antennas that enable you to maximize your TV experience. TERK's family of TV antennas combines cutting edge technology, installation simplicity and unique design to enhance the reception of any TV, no matter how basic or advanced.

Product Details

• Brand: Terk
• Model: HD-TVS
• Dimensions: 24.00" h x 7.00" w x 24.00" l, 10.48 pounds

Features

• Lightweight and compact designed directional HDTV VHS/UHF antenna
• Utilizes non-traditional electromagnetic antenna design for superior performance
• Designed with a very high 20-to-1 front to back ratio that accomidates the reception and modulation of reflected signals
• Includes mounting mast, foot bracket, and mounting hardware

Customer Reviews

Incredible reception, worth the expense.
I had previously purchased the Terk Amplified Indoor HDTV antenna, somehow believing the word "amplified" meant that I would have better reception. It worked well when you could get it arranged well, usually this meant getting it as near the ceiling as I could manage and pointing it out a window, which worked great . . . when you could hold it there. It would not pick up many channels without reorienting, at one point it was even used with a cable running to another room just to get better reception. After purchasing a new LG 42" HDTV for the living room, I knew I'd need something more capable.

I was immediately interested in the Terk HD-TVS Slim Profile antenna just for its looks--it literally looks like no other antenna I've seen. Still, I was of a mind to be cautious after the previous experience with a Terk product and kept looking. Most of the higher rated outdoor antennas I saw were from Terk, so I came back to look it over once more. Other more typical antennas cost a lot less, but with my location and yard, I really wanted to get something mounted on the house; the roof at my home was still in the process of being renovated, and I didn't want to mar the fresh work by mounting it there when it was done either, that meant that I would likely be mounting it high on an outer wall. Once I had decided that, I have to be honest that I had decided upon the HD-TVS just for its looks alone. I could only envision the larger, forked antennas as looking tacky on the side of my home.

When it arrived I decided to try a quick test by replacing the indoor amplified antenna that had required so much waving around. Just setting this thing on the floor of the bedroom, I immediately managed to tune every local channel. The antenna is actually very light, probably a lot lighter than you think. It is roughly the same size as a DirecTV dish but about half the weight. Like many other users here, I consulted antennaweb.org for a good location, and now the antenna sits just beside a chimney under an awning. It took a couple of additional tilts in order to lock in a strong signal on two stations which are at the same angle from my house, as a bit unexpectedly, when adjusting for one, the other dropped just under 50% strength, but as of this writing I'm pulling in every local station at excellent strength. My place is in a rural area with LOTS of trees so I had been concerned about this after reading another review here, but with local stations between 20.7 and 28.3 miles away I'm thrilled with the reception. Best of all I don't look like a kook with a short wave radio in my house. I may never notice when analogue stations get pulled from the air, just because the DTV signal is so excellent with this antenna, highly recommended.

High cost, but high performance (and a mounting bracket)
I live in Chicago, and want to pull in OTA HD broadcasts. The first antenna I tried, a regular VHF/UHF indoor unit, pulled in a few of the channels, with some adjusting. But ABC was spotty, and I got no PBS or CBS. So I bought a Radio Shak Omnidirectional antenna, which brought in everything but CBS quite well.

Apparently, CBS is extremely problematic in Chicago because of its very low VHF frequency - and CBS doesn't care to change this for the, oh, 8 million viewers in the 'Chicagoland' area. I only live 5 miles away from their tower, and couldn't get squat. I can only imagine what suburban viewers have to go through.

Well, the Terk was my final try. It is identical as far as I can tell to the very well reviewed Wineguard 'Squareshooter.' In fact, it says "technology by Wineguard" on the box.

Indoors in my closet, and outdoors at my 2nd floor elevation, the Terk equalled the Radioshak. However, when I brought it up to the top floor of my outdoor balcony, it finally pulled in the elusive CBS signal at about 75-85% strength, which the Radioshak could not (enough for the signal to "lock" and come in crystal clear - OTA HD is an 'all or nothing' affair). All other channels come in at 95-100%. The Terk costs $20 more, but this ability to tune in low-band VHF makes up for it. Also, the included adjustable mounting bracket helps to add value.

So, to sum up: Screw You, CBS, for making something so obvious so difficult... Thanks Terk for putting out a relatively affordable solution which doesn't require climbing onto roofs and installing huge aerials. Recommended for people in tough urban areas - it worked for me.

Great performance from Terk HDTVs outdoor antenna
About a month a go, I bought the Terk-HDTVs antenna at a mall. I paid about $50 higher than what it is offered for on Internet Stores like Amazon. This is the same product as Winegard Square Shooter HDTV antenna.
Given the up/down terrain of our subdivision in suburban Atlanta, I was bit skeptic about the performance of this antenna at my house, which is on the lower plain. I mounted the antenna on the patio railing. The cable length was within 50 feet from TV. After mounting (which was pretty straightforward) it took me less than 20 minutes to adjust the antenna orientation and tilt to get good picture on all the channels that the TV tuner found.The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)web site www.antennaweb.org was great help in finding out available channels and orientation.
The TV menu recommended adjusting the antenna for strength of 60 or better. On most of the channels it was between 70 and 80. On couple of VHF channels it was between 40 and 50, but that did not seem to affect picture quality. No dropping out of signal.

What I have noticed is that the signal strength jumps up and down significantly during gusty and stormy weather and results in dropping out of signal. But, I guess that is given with all broadcast signals.
The antenna mounting hardware is very sturdy; performance is very good for both SD and HD programs. Sometimes the color saturation adjustment and color temperature adjustments need change between two stations - but that is not because of antenna. It is because of how the signal is transmitted by different stations.
So, you can rely on the performance of this antenna, but buy it from internet and save some money!!!