HDTV Reviews Blog

Terk FDTV1A Flat Digital Omni Directional Amplified Indoor Antenna Black

Are you ready for antenna reception of DTV? Digital Television (DTV) is an advanced broadcasting technology that will transform your television viewing experience. DTV enables broadcasters to offer television with better picture and sound quality. It can also offer multiple programming choices, called multicasting, and interactive capabilities. The switch from analog to digital broadcast television is referred to as the digital TV (DTV) transition. In 1996, the U.S. Congress authorized the distribution of an additional broadcast channel to each broadcast TV station so that they could start a digital broadcast channel while simultaneously continuing their analog broadcast channel. Later, Congress set June 12, 2009 as the final date that full power television stations could broadcast analog signals. As of June 13, 2009, full power television stations will only broadcast digital, over-the-air signals. Your local broadcasters may make the transition before then, and some already have. The digital transition is underway. Prepare now! On Feb. 17, some full-power broadcast television stations in the United States may stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital. The remaining stations may stop broadcasting analog sometime between April 16 and June 12. June 12 is the final deadline for terminating analog broadcasts under legislation passed by United States Congress. TERK digital flat indoor antenna has a reception technology that outperforms traditional antennas. 360-degree reception pattern eliminates the need for constant adjustments. The removable Extremely Low Noise (ELN) amplifier provides maximum flexibility and performance and gives you outstanding digital TV reception without saturating the signal. Its high-gain design picks up further stations. This antenna is optimized for HDTV reception and has a flat profile designed to blend in with today’s high-end HDTV systems.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Oh, Dang!!!!!!
I should’ve trusted my instincts, which was not to buy something like this online. Now, I’m stuck with this antenna that doesn’t even work equal to my 10+ year old rabbit ears, and I have to pay shipping & handling to get only part of my money back. I was limited to the combined length of the antenna & tiny amplifier. I have a tall bookcase next to my television, so I stood on a chair and attempted to play around with a location that could pick up all DTV channels. Didn’t work. So, I thought maybe the amplifier could boost the old rabbit ears I have, and nothing, nada, zip! It didn’t matter whether the ears were hooked to the amp or not. The flat antenna was worth nothing without the tiny amplifier, either.

What is it with the quality of things these days? For the money, I expected better than old rabbit ears. Now, I’m left disappointed, and looking for a satellite company where their satellite doesn’t cover JUST the southern skies. I hate cable monopolies. Crap!

5 Stars Excellent Indoor Antenna
Because I live in an apartment and cannot connect an outdoor antenna, I have to depend on an effective indoor antenna, with all its attendent problems. This Terk FDTV1A Flat Digital Omni Directional Amplified Indoor Antenna is particularly effective in a less than optimal situation and I am very pleased with it.

5 Stars Actually works!
I bought a Terk TV-55 antenna around a decade ago (still sold today), since it was one of the most expensive antennas around, and I was hoping there was something to it.

It worked, but I’ve never been convinced it does any better than more traditional antennas. It does do a better job since the digital transition, but I had to play with it’s positioning quite a bit to get everything to come in.

Originally I figured I’d pick up another one of those, but when I saw this, I thought I might as well take a chance on a newer design.

Pulling it out of the box, it’s amazing how small and light it is compared to my TV-55…it had me skeptical that it could really do as well.

Before hooking it up, I used the signal strength indicator on my Tivo HD to check how well each station was coming in, so that I could see if this antenna really did better or worse…

I swapped antennas, threw this FDTV1A on a chair near where I have my TV-55, and checked again. To my pleasant surprise, EVERY channel comes in stronger. Channels that were above 80% already are now maxed out at 100. Channels below that have all gained at least 10+ to 30 on the signal meter. I even seem to be able to pull in one station from another market decently that didn’t come in at all on the TV-55.

And all that was without doing any more positioning than just throwing it on a chair next to my TV-55 (which is by an outside wall). (I should note that I have channels coming several different directions, so on my TV-55 it’s challenging to find an orientation that gets all of them decently-this model really does seem to be omnidirectional, or at least far more so than a normal antenna).

So I’m very happy with this thing’s performance so far, and would absolutely recommend it. For YEARS I’ve wondered why someone couldn’t make a better antenna, with all the technology we have now…and it looks like they actually did.

The small size, and small AC adapter are nice too.

One note-if you’re already getting channels in super strong, I’ve heard there’s a chance that amplifying them may actually make them worse. I didn’t have that happen in my situation at all. Even the channels that were already at 92 or 96 on my signal strength meter just bounced up to 100 without issue, but possibly some people might want to try it without plugging in the amplifier, if their signals are already super strong.

1 Star What a waste of time and money
I was sooooo excited when this thing got to my door about 20 minutes ago.

Now I am sooooo disappointed. I’m upset that I spent money on this.

I call myself upgrading to an omnidirectional antenna. I had a Terk amplified antenna on there in the first place. The performance was okay; it got a little better after the transition (the Terk Low-Profile Indoor Antenna (TV5)) but alas, I wanted to have the perfect picture. I went to retail store and saw this one (salesman said, “I don’t get any of these returned”), went online and found Amazon had the better deal.

Well I hooked it up and I got more “No Signal” messages, more pixelation, and more absent pictures than with my original Terk…on a station that even the non powered rabbit ears could pull! I’m heated right now. I tried adjusting it with no success. And while it is flat, it doesn’t allow for versatility. The construction feels flimsy so if the best signal is on top of the tv then I’m in trouble because it will surely fall and break into pieces. I think I want my money back. And to think this costs more than my other antenna! What a f-in rip off.

4 Stars BEST OF THE INDOOR ANT.
Have used an earlier version from Terk ($39)and it wasn’t all that good. This is worth the price; I compared it to a multiple rooftop ant. At times the signal strenth was equal to the rooftop. During bad weather one would cut out, but the other provided a signal. People are going to be very frustrated over getting a digital signal.

First you have to connect everything with a long run of RG-6 cable. You will have to run around the room looking for that “sweet spot” that will get all the stations. Plan on two hours, a few inches off can make the difference. There seems to be no pattern to rely on for signal strength, as many stations are not yet at full power. Being portable, it is easy to adjust. Be sure not to get the smaller version of this antenna.

This is the best performing indoor unit that I have experienced. Just remember that even with a roof ant, the signals will vary and, as you know, with digital, you will have a picture, or a whole bunch of black screen. By the way, DishNet’s HD signals (incl. locals) are excellent on a 50″ plasma, as well as a 22″ LCD.

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