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With cord cutting on the rise, many people are learning how to ditch cable and satellite. Yet while streaming sources thrive, over-the-air (OTA) antennas have also witnessed a resurgence.

According to DSL Reports, 20 percent of broadband homes still receive TV from an OTA antenna.

Using an OTA antenna and a TV tuner, it’s simple to make a do-it-yourself DVR. This allows for free television programming from local broadcast stations. Check out the best OTA antennas and TV tuners available, and learn why this is essential cord cutting hardware.

Cord Cutting: Why Use an OTA Antenna?

Cutting the cord can result in massive savings. However, you’ll need to calculate the true cost of cutting the cordConsidering Canceling Cable? The True Cost of Cutting the CordConsidering Canceling Cable? The True Cost of Cutting the CordWhen you add everything up, do you really save money by cutting the cord? We do the math involved with cancelling cable in favor of Internet services.Read More. Canceling satellite or cable puts an onus on streaming and often leaves a void for live coverage and sports. If you’re considering snipping the cord, be wary of the several cord cutting pitfalls7 Pitfalls of Cord-Cutting You Should Consider First7 Pitfalls of Cord-Cutting You Should Consider FirstBefore you cut the cord to save yourself some money, there are a few things you should be aware of.Read More first. Then, determine if you should keep cable or cut the cordShould You Cut the Cord or Keep Your Cable TV?Should You Cut the Cord or Keep Your Cable TV?If you're still holding on to your cable subscription, but are debating if its time to make a change, we're here to help. This guide should help you make your mind up.Read More.

The Benefits of OTA Antennas

While there are plenty of free streaming news channels for cord cutters5 Free Streaming News Channels for Cord-Cutters5 Free Streaming News Channels for Cord-CuttersOne of the biggest drawbacks of canceling cable TV is the availability of news. Or lack thereof. Thankfully, things are changing, and here are now plenty of free news channels for cord-cutters.Read More, an over-the-air antenna is an inexpensive means to obtain free broadcast television. For a one-time fee, you gain a device that delivers live television directly to your home. Even with a streaming cable replacement service, an over-the-air antenna may be a necessity since streaming broadcast networks is difficult.

Yet, OTA antennas vary quite a bit. Primarily, channel lineups range a lot. Antenna Web features an excellent tool to help you browse your local broadcast networks.

Because over-the-air antennas rely on broadcast signals, placement is key. As such, you may need to hang an antenna on a window or prominent wall space. This could result in an unsightly antenna your precious natural light or cluttering a wall. But the free channels make this totally worth it.

Pros:

• Monetary savings
• Free live TV
• Affordable
• Simple to install

Cons:

• No over-the-top channels
• Signal strength is variable
• Channel lineups vary

The Best OTA Antennas

An over-the-air antenna is one of the best ways to reduce your cable bill. So check out the best OTA antennas you can buy.

Mohu ReLeaf

Mohu ReLeaf Indoor TV Antenna, Made with Recycled Materials, 4K-Ready HDTV, 30 Mile RangeMohu ReLeaf Indoor TV Antenna, Made with Recycled Materials, 4K-Ready HDTV, 30 Mile Range Buy Now On Amazon $34.99

Although there are tons of over-the-air antennas available, Mohu rose to prominence as a household name. The Mohu ReLeaf yeilds superb reception, muted design, and eco-friendly components.

Unfortunately, there’s no amplified iteration. You may also consider the amplified Mohu Leaf which doesn’t come with the eco-friendly characteristics of the ReLeaf but offers similar specs.

Pros:

• Great reception
• Made of 100 percent recycled materials
• Multi-directional

Cons:

• Non-amplified

Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse

Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse TV Antenna, 35+ Miles/55+ KM Range, Multi-Directional, Grips to Walls/Windows with Sure Grip Strip, 12 ft. RG-6 Cable, 4K Ready, Black or White and Paintable - ECLAntennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse TV Antenna, 35+ Miles/55+ KM Range, Multi-Directional, Grips to Walls/Windows with Sure Grip Strip, 12 ft. RG-6 Cable, 4K Ready, Black or White and Paintable - ECL Buy Now On Amazon $32.00

With its bold styling, the ClearStream Eclipse is an awesome over-the-air antenna. You’ll find the ClearStream Eclipse in 35-mile and 50-mile variants. Both include detachable coaxial cables, and the 50-mile ClearStream Eclipse is amplified.

The ClearStream Eclipse is as much eye candy as it is high performing. Adhesive and a replaceable coaxial cable come bundled, and its reception is top notch. However, the non-amplified version didn’t pull in many more channels than budget options such as the RCA111Z or Channel Master Flatenna. Still, the ClearStream Eclipse is a comprehensive antenna kit with spiffy styling.

Pros:

• Bold styling
• Amplified version available
• Great reception
• Includes adhesive
• Detachable coaxial cable

Cons:

• Average reception on non-amplified version

Mohu Curve

Mohu Curve 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Modern Design, Tabletop, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, Includes Stand, MH-110603Mohu Curve 50 TV Antenna, Indoor, Amplified, 50 Mile Range, Modern Design, Tabletop, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 16 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, Includes Stand, MH-110603 Buy Now On Amazon $59.95

Once again, Mohu dominates with the Curve. You’ll love the Mohu Curve for its excellent build materials, phenomenal reception, and modern, minimalist aesthetic.

The only downside of the Mohu Curve is that it’s pricey compared to competing OTA antennas. Sure, the Curve includes a USB power adapter for its amplifier, and sports a lengthy coaxial cable at 73 inches long. Still, for less money you can snag plenty of 50-mile antennas with detachable coax cables.

Pros:

• Great reception
• Lovely modern aesthetic
• Long (73 inches) coaxial cable
• Detachable coaxial cable

Cons:

• Expensive

ClearStream 4 Max

Antennas Direct ClearStream 4MAX TV Antenna, 70+ Mile Range, UFH/VHF, Multi-directional, Indoor, Attic, Outdoor, Mast w/Pivoting Base/Hardware/Adjustable Clamp/Sealing Pads, 4K Ready, Black - C4MVJAntennas Direct ClearStream 4MAX TV Antenna, 70+ Mile Range, UFH/VHF, Multi-directional, Indoor, Attic, Outdoor, Mast w/Pivoting Base/Hardware/Adjustable Clamp/Sealing Pads, 4K Ready, Black - C4MVJ Buy Now On Amazon $139.99

Although it’s listed as an indoor antenna, the ClearStream 4 Max is suitable to mounting outdoors as well. This OTA antenna features a whopping 70-mile range. Unlike flat, unobtrusive over-the-air antennas, the ClearStream 4 Max is a behemoth with a 20-inch mast, and multi-directional UHF and VHF antennas.

Oddly, especially for its substantial price, there’s no included coaxial cable. Regardless, the ClearStream 4 Max might be an expensive eyesore, but its performance is unrivaled. For a smaller option, check out the 60-mile 2Max.

Pros:

• 70 mile range
• 4K capable
• Indoor and outdoor mounting

Cons:

• Massive
• Expensive
• No coaxial cable included

The Best TV Tuner Devices

Just because everyone else is cutting the cord doesn’t mean you should too. Among the biggest cord-cutting pain points is the lack of live content. Pairing an OTA antenna with a TV tuner affords the ability to create a DVR, alleviating that challenge. These are the best TV tuners you can buy.

Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB

An affordable TV tuner, the Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB is an amazing budget DVR. Although the Homeworx lacks advanced features as found on pricier models from Tablo or TiVo, it’s a capable, no-frills DVR. There’s no required subscription or software.

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What’s more, since the Homeworx uses a standard hard drive to store recordings, you can transfer files to virtually any device. Disappointingly, the menu is difficult to navigate and scheduling conflicts are tough to resolve. Aside from minor shortcomings, the Mediasonic Homeworx is an awesome, barebones DVR.

Pros:

• Super affordable
• No subscription/paid software
• Can transfer recordings easily

Cons:

• Awkward interface
• Lacks advanced features

Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD TV Tuner

Hauppauge WinTV-DualHD Dual USB 2.0 HD TV Tuner for Windows PC 1595Hauppauge WinTV-DualHD Dual USB 2.0 HD TV Tuner for Windows PC 1595 Buy Now On Amazon $61.65

This stick TV tuner is capable of handling two television streams. Therefore, you can watch one channel while recording another, run picture-in-picture, or watch two channels simultaneously. It’s easy to set up with a small form factor.

In addition to PC compatibility, the Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD TV Tuner is compatible with the Nvidia Shield TV and Plex. Alternatively, you may want to consider the Tablo Dual TV tuner, which offers a similar feature set. Unfortunately, the Tablo is only compatible with the Shield TV, so it’s not the best option for PC users.

Pros:

• Easy to set up
• Works with Plex and Nvidia Shield TV
• Dual tuner

Cons:

• Barebones TV tuner

HDHomeRun Connect DUO

SiliconDust HDHomeRun Connect Duo 2-Tuner LiveTV for Cord Cutters (HDHR5-2US)SiliconDust HDHomeRun Connect Duo 2-Tuner LiveTV for Cord Cutters (HDHR5-2US) Buy Now On Amazon $78.79

The HDHomeRun Connect DUO by Silicon Dust is a top-tier DVR with dual-tuners. Thus, you can watch and record from two sources at once. It’s capable of handling 1080p resolutions and includes DLNA for network streaming.

While it’s a solid hardware choice, the Silicon Dust software is clunky. What’s more, the Duo lacks built-in video transcoding capabilities. For that, you’ll need to step up to the HDHomeRun Extend. Nevertheless, the HDHomeRun Connect Duo is a good bet as a solid television tuner.

Pros:

• Dual tuner
• DLNA streaming
• Works with Plex

Cons:

• HDHomeRun software is clunky

Tablo Dual OTA DVR

Tablo DUAL 64GB OTA DVR for Cord Cutters - with WiFi - For use with HDTV AntennasTablo DUAL 64GB OTA DVR for Cord Cutters - with WiFi - For use with HDTV Antennas Buy Now On Amazon

With its superb hardware options, Tablo has become a go-to in the DVR space. The Tablo Dual OTA DVR is its top choice for the average cord cutter. You’ll find two tuners, easy networking with Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and 64GB of storage space. Plus, it’s expandable via USB for additional storage space.

The Tablo Dual OTA DVR features intuitive set up, robust streaming apps, and the lack of a paid subscription. However, standard storage fills up quickly especially when recording in high definition. Moreover, storage is a bit limited and some live channels load slowly.

Still, it’s easily the best DVR you can find. If you need four tuners, check out the Tablo Quad DVR.

Pros:

• Dual tuner
• Easy set up
• Good networking
• 64GB storage space

Cons:

• Live channels sometimes slow to load
• Built-in storage fills up fast

Final Thoughts on OTA Antennas and TV Tuners

With loads of streaming sites, over-the-air antennas, and TV tuner devices, this is an ideal time to cut the cord. Notably, the WeTek Play 2 ranks among the best Android TV boxes for any budget, largely because of its built-in TV tuner capabilities.

Simply hook up an OTA antenna to use your WeTek Play 2 streaming box as a media player and live TV with DVR unit. Mohu and ClearStream generally provide the best antennas, while Tablo, Silicon Dust, and Hauppauge provide the top TV tuners on the market.

Are you still merely considering cutting the cord? Perhaps you should ignore set top boxes and use a PC insteadCord Cutters: Ignore Set Top Boxes & Use A PC InsteadCord Cutters: Ignore Set Top Boxes & Use A PC InsteadDitching cable? Stay away from dedicated media center devices. Your spare PC makes for an excellent alternative because it's cheap to set up, more powerful, and forever flexible.Read More.

Explore more about: Cord Cutting, Television.

Tv Tuner Software For Mac

I’d prefer to think I’m ahead of my time instead of a contrarian. My wife and I cut the cord many years ago, and have survived ever since on discs, downloads, streaming media, and over-the-air (OTA) programming. OTA has been a surprisingly rich source of enjoyable shows, especially from our local PBS stations and alternative standard-definition channels from network-affiliated broadcasters.

One thing we’ve faced, however, is a shortage of options to record programs. Because digital video recorders (DVRs) shifted a few years ago to being mostly a commodity item offered by a programming provider like Xfinity or Dish, the market for standalone units shrunk. There are a few: Tablo, Tivo, and a couple of more niche brands.

However, these standalone units record data to internal drives, and rely on apps, streaming, and other controls to give you access. Since I have a Mac that’s on all the time and has terabytes of available storage, I’d prefer keeping control in my hands, storing recordings locally on my Mac, and choosing how I time and space shift. It also gives me the option to trim out commercials before watching a movie.

During 2016, macOS choices increased from one—eyeTV 3, now from Geniatech—to four. Three new systems are in various stages of beta testing, and some should be in production release soon. DVR options are now available in public beta as part of Plex Media Server, as a server component that works the Channels set of tuner apps, and from SiliconDust, makers of the HDHomeRun networked TV tuner. (The open-source MythTV is a fifth option, but it’s not for the faint of heart, and after reviewing installation instructions, I opted against testing it.)

[Further reading: How to cut the cord without resorting to a pricey streaming-TV bundle]

The unifying factor in all these systems in the U.S. is purchasing a networked tuner from SiliconDust, which has three current models. All the DVR software I examined supports these models; SiliconDust’s DVR offering includes support for a fourth, discontinued model.

The HDHomeRun Connect ($93 on Amazon) and HDHomeRun Extend ($179.99 MSRP; available on Amazon) versions both have two tuners, but the Connect streams high-bandwidth uncompressed video (usually in MPEG2 format), which can run 20Mbps for HD content. The Extend has built-in on-the-fly H.264 compression, which produces a dramatically smaller file. (I reviewed the Connect two years ago. It’s essentially unchanged.)

There’s a third model too, called HDHomeRun Prime ($120 on Amazon), which adds an additional tuner connected to a slot for a CableCard, an erratically supported U.S. Intuit quicken 2018 for mac. standard that lets you use BYOB tuner/DVR with cable service, including encrypted signals, but not those that also have DRM on top.

All three versions plug into a network via 100Mbps ethernet and have a coaxial connection for an internal or external ATSC antenna, although each can also be used with subscription cable TV, from which it can handle Clear QAM (unencrypted cable) signals. When a networked app or device connects to one of the tuners, the hardware marks it as in use. You can attach multiple HDHomeRun boxes to a network if you need more than two simultaneous TV tuners.

I highly recommend the Extend version, even though it costs about $80 more than Connect, because transcoding MPEG2 into any more efficient format taxes most Macs’ processors. (eyeTV is the only app that even offers transcoding via export; the rest transcode on the fly.) Hard-disk storage is cheap, but H.264 is easier to move around a network or store on an iOS device for offline watching.

My longest experience on the software side is with eyeTV. I used it first with an Elgato tuner that’s no longer made, and then with an HDHomeRun Connect. (In other countries, you should have other USB or networked tuner options, and some of these software packages will work outside the U.S. with those devices.)

You might be surprised as to the number of channels you can pick up in your area and what’s delivered. AntennaWeb will show which channels should have available signals at your address, and the expected quality of reception. My wife and I had to put an antenna on our roof because we live in a radio shadow at the bottom of a hill on which many TV towers sit on the top out of line of sie. The roof-mounted antenna lets us pick up dozens of channels, with HD reception coming through just fine.

What each of the DVRs offers is a program guide; the ability to record at will or via schedules, including recurring programs; and access to your recorded programs from within a network. Some offer Internet-based remote access, live TV viewing, and native apps for iOS and Apple TV as well as other platforms.

eyeTV is in commercial release. The other three I cover are in testing, so we aren’t ready to review them until they’re in release form as a server or service. Instead, I’ll provide a feature overview.

eyeTV

The €79.95 ($85) eyeTV 3 macOS app is showing its age. Despite consistent updates and bug fixes, the fundamental software looks unchanged from years ago, and remains just as frustrating to use now as then.

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eyeTV orients itself around a programming grid, which in the U.S. requires a yearly €17.95 ($19) subscription to TV Guide. The subscription includes actors on shows and a brief description, but no show art and no links from names to find other shows they’re in. There’s no graphical way to browse or group by series, genre, or the like.

The app offers a variety of ways to record via the guide. You can record an individual TV program, but if it’s part of an ongoing show, series, or the like, the app provides a button to let you record all occurrences as a Smart Guide.

Smart Guides can have a number of criteria, so you can grab Saturday Night Live, no matter what network on which it appears, or only when it’s on your local NBC affiliate. You can also set up Smart Guides for actors, choose only HDTV broadcasts, or only shows with subtitles.

eyeTV is a scheduler, recorder, and player all in one, and you can tune live television through it as well. The app can be reached on a local network as a server through Safari using Bonjour to view a stripped-down playback interface.

There’s no Apple TV app, so the iOS app ($5) is the best way to push programs to your Apple TV through AirPlay. The experience is inconsistent and miserable, unfortunately. The iOS app can connect for remote access to eyeTV in macOS if you set up a free account and have the right network configuration. (I have a “double NAT” due to my ISP’s peculiarity. While some remote-control apps can traverse that, eyeTV cannot.)

Unlike the other DVRs in testing, you can transcode recordings from eyeTV to iTunes, and set that up as an automatic option after the app captures a program. The options include presets for a variety of iOS devices, Apple TV models, and HD formats, and you can customize the settings further. However, transcoding is extremely slow and can drag down the entire Mac as the app doesn’t throttle itself when burning CPU cycles.

Exporting to iTunes lets you use an Apple TV to browse for computers and then bring up the converted shows. However, there’s no way to delete the recordings from within eyeTV automatically. You can opt to prune what’s been stored or otherwise manage storage. As a result, my workflow results in duplicates of everything exported, with the originals chewing up hundreds of gigabytes until I occasionally go through and delete them. Likewise, I have to delete files from iTunes if I no longer want to keep the program.

eyeTV has been a marginally acceptable way for years, and it’s facing tough competition from up and comers, as I discuss next.

Plex Media Server with Media Pass option for DVR

Plex is a multi-platform media-organizing and sharing service that sweeps in audio, images, and video, and makes it available to desktop, mobile, and other devices, like Roku, Sony Playstation 4, and Apple TV.

The free version is pretty powerful, but the company added a subscription-based option called Plex Pass that includes a host of extra features, including access to a server-based DVR. The DVR is currently in beta, but it’s listed as just another current feature on the Plex Pass page. Plex Pass costs $5 a month, $40 a year, or $120 for a lifetime pass.

Tv Tuner For Mac 2018 Holiday

You view the program guide and set up recordings via the Plex Media Server in a Web browser. At present, those options aren’t available through an iOS or Apple TV app. You also can’t watch live TV: the DVR is entirely about setting up future recordings and seeing what’s scheduled. A rolling upcoming two weeks of rich programming data comes with the subscription.

Instead of a programming grid, Plex approaches available programs as it does other media, showing the kinds of things you might want to see instead of focusing on where they’re located. A main Discover view mixes everything together, broken up by Starting Soon, On Right Now, New Episodes Tonight, My Upcoming Shows (meaning TV series episodes), Recommended for You, and then upcoming categories for movies, sports, and news. Plex populates My Upcoming Shows based on recordings you’ve already made, while Recommendations are drawn from the broader Plex ecosystem of media you’ve loaded.

The Discover menu also lets you select Movies, News, Shows (TV series), and Sports, and then offers a custom approach to each topic. Under Shows, for instance, the default view is by series name, noting how many upcoming episodes are in the programming listing in the next two weeks. Click the show and it provides episode summaries and cast information. Click Record and Plex records all instances, with options you can choose. Or you can pick individual episodes.

The search features are very rewarding, as you can pull movies by title, actor, director, words in a program description, and other details.

Once you’ve picked anything to record, the Recording Schedule view shows a very very nice visualization of upcoming programs along a calendar view, which you switch to an “agenda” view that lists them in order. A Recording Priority sidebar lets you decide conflicts between overlaps with your available tuners for simultaneous programs.

New Tv For 2018

Among many nice touches, you can opt while setting up or revising a recording within advanced settings to Replace Lower Resolution Items. If you captured an SD version of a TV program, Plex will replace any recording in your library with an HD version if you schedule it. This can be useful for movies, especially.

Usb Tv Tuner For Mac

While the DVR feature is still in testing at this writing, it feels close to finished and tests out well. Plex including a DVR feature and programming guide as part of its larger package of features makes it a solid bargain. Plex Pass includes offline mobile access, cloud sync (to Dropbox, Google Drive, and personal OneDrive accounts), and parental controls, among other features.