Cutting the cord has never been more popular, and more people do it with each passing year. Of course, there used to be a lot more value in it when subscription services like Netflix were a lot more affordable. Nowadays, it’s like build a cable package through various streaming services, and if you’re saving money, it really doesn’t feel like a lot. Still, it means you get to omit having a cable box, and that’s still a win in my book.
Many people opt for true cord cutting and go with indoor antennas. I tried out an indoor antenna for a while, and it worked pretty well. I ended up taking it down because it didn’t give me all the channels I wanted, and not having a DVR was difficult to work around. If you do like what your antenna has to offer, you might be interested in knowing there’s a feature that’s not included with every TV that can give you some extra quality.
What you need to be on the lookout for is a TV with the ATSC 3.0 tuner. This means your TV has built-in NextGen TV, and that’s how you get high-quality over-the-air broadcasts from your indoor antenna. Instead of blurry signals, you could theoretically get a 4K broadcast, but there are a lot of factors that come into play regarding whether you’ll get that or not.
The ATSC tuner is worth it, if there’s support
You need to do research
If you’re relying on an indoor antenna for watching TV, you might as well grab something that gets the most out of it. My older Sony X90J has NextGen TV support, and you’ll find that many of the Sony Bravia TVs have support as well. It’s not an overly advertised feature, so it’s very easy for it to fly under the radar. It’s also something that’s not included with a lot of TVs. LG doesn’t have much support for the feature, for example.
Fortunately, many high-end options from Sony, Hisense, TCL, and Samsung have the ATSC 3.0 tuner, so if you’re buying an expensive TV, or you have already done so, then you might have support already without realizing it. This is good news because I wouldn’t say it’s worth it to ditch your current TV in favor of something with NextGen TV support, but it’s a nice bonus for cord cutters.
In 2026, years after NextGen TV was released, it still feels like 4K resolution is a pipe dream. Don’t expect to get 30 stations broadcasting in 4K, but you can instead expect to see local stations broadcasting 4K in prime time. Things like the Super Bowl will get an increased resolution, but that rerun of Roseanne on Cozi TV will look the same as ever. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s very nice to have this as an option, but I don’t think you should expect it to be a transformative experience. Most channels will still broadcast at a lower resolution. I still think it’s impressive to get a 1080p broadcast over an antenna.
I don’t know if we’ll ever get 4K broadcasts being the norm, so you should just take what you can get. Antennas aren’t magic, after all.
- Type
-
Indoor
- Mount Included
-
Yes
Your stations may vary
You might not get a lot
Depending on where you live, 4K broadcasts might not be as concerning as not getting stations at all. I live in Detroit, so I get quite a bit from my indoor antenna, and that’s what first inspired me to pull the trigger on one. Rural areas might not be as lucky, and you’ll just have to deal with what you have. I gave my antenna to my dad, and even about 20 miles away from me, he didn’t get nearly as many stations.
I was using a 35-mile range antenna, and if you’re far away from your towers, you’ll have to spend some more cash and get one with a wider range. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to find these, but you will need to spend extra. While the antenna ended up not being for me, your situation might be different. I can’t lie that you can save a lot of money if you’re just somebody who likes to watch local news and sports, because there’s a lot of value with an antenna in that regard.
What I did before buying my antenna was type in my address on the Rabbit Ears website so I could get an idea of the coverage I’d be receiving. When I saw how many stations were around me and how close they were, I opted for a 35-mile radius antenna. I recommend that you do this as well before buying an antenna, especially if you’re buying a nice one. It’d be a shame to grab something only to come away with a station or two.
