Channel Master 4228HD Long-Range Outdoor Rooftop HDTV Antenna

by Channel Master

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 41 x 33 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000FVVKQM
• Item model number: 4228HD
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #22 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Antennas > TV Antennas

Product Description

Channel Master's 4228HD antenna can receive digital and analog over-the-air TV signals in the UHF band and high VHF band. The 4228HD is optimized for "deep-fringe" reception of HDTV and receives digital and analog UHF and high-band VHF TV signals; range is 60 miles for UHF (ch. 14-69), 45 miles for VHF (ch. 7-13); 8-bay bowtie dipole design; 41"W x 5-1/2"D x 33"H.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for long range reception., June 29, 2007

By 

James Rose (Marysville, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Channel Master 4228HD Long-Range Outdoor Rooftop HDTV Antenna (Electronics)

I bought this antenna to replace an older Radio Shack VHF/UHF combo antenna. I've made the switch to digital only OTA TV and wanted an antenna that would bring in a stronger signal from my local stations, which are 30 miles plus away. This antenna brings then in great.
Installation was a snap. The antenna comes fully assembled. All you have to do is attach it to a mast. You may need to buy a new mast if you are using a rotator with a short mast. This antenna requires about 3 1/2 feet or so of mast to attach it to a rotator, unlike the 12 inches or so that a horizontal antenna would need when used with a rotator.
One caveat - The box it comes in is HUGE. Shipping costs may be high. I purchased mine locally and had to strap it to my roof rack to get it home.

**NOTE** This review was written based on the original 4228 antenna, not the 4228HD antenna.

271 of 301 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not the same as the earlier (excellent) CM-4228, September 3, 2009

By 

Douglas B. Moran "Computer+History/Politics+D... (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Channel Master 4228HD Long-Range Outdoor Rooftop HDTV Antenna (Electronics)

Note: I _strongly_ recommend that you also read the comments here -- several contain much useful additional info and two contain links to pages quantifying some of the issues mentioned below (positive and negative experience and assessments), esp H. Ziesing and John B.
And there are comments reporting very positive experiences with this product, including one of 15 Dec 2011 reporting comparative experience with current and original models. Recognize that in the years since this review was written, (some of) the manufacturing and design issues might have been fixed, or the commenter may have a unit or situation in which those problems don't occur, or ?

Regarding the star rating (added 2011-10-19 in response to a comment): There are two perspectives. If I had rated this model relative to the universe of antennas -- normal case -- it would have come in much higher. However, I chose to rate it relative to its "family". Since it didn't seem to provide any better performance than its smaller, cheaper sibling (the 2-bay version) and being larger had definite disadvantages, I decided a harsh rating was justified.

----

This is not a review in the traditional sense because after reading reviews elsewhere and examining the product in a B&M, I decided against purchasing the antenna. Instead, the primary intent of this "review" is to alert potential customers that the earlier reviews here were for an entirely different product. The secondary intent is to provide a summary of information that I found elsewhere to facilitate your finding such sources.
Note: I cannot give links to the reviews I found elsewhere: Amazon policy--enforced by automatic scanning of review submissions--prohibits such links in the product reviews themselves.
Note: Amazon collapses together reviews for models it thinks are (near) equivalent. This can be useful in cases such a paperback edition of a book or a movie in different distribution media (DVD, Blu-ray, download), but misfires badly in cases such as this.

The predecessor CM 4228 (no "HD" suffix) was widely regarded as one of the very best antennas. A corporate change moved manufacturing from the US to China and introduced a major design change--you can find pictures on the web of the original model and see that it has a starkly different reflector grid. Consequently, disregard the (rightfully positive) reviews of more than a year ago--Summer/Fall 2008--as applying to that previous model (and some of the newer reviews may also be for the old model).

For the 4228HD, there was widespread complaints about manufacturing quality (many times in reviews comparing it to the original 4228 model). So although some may have good experience with the new model, YMMV. For something where I have to climb up on my roof, "YMMV" is almost an automatic disqualifier. However, recognize that manufacturing problems can be fixed, so factor in the dates on various reviews.

One review I saw (elsewhere) said that the 4228HD's performance is so poor that it is roughly comparable to its 2-bay sibling, which has the advantages of being cheaper (about 40%), lighter and smaller.

Design problem: _Reportedly_ the antenna generates its own interference (but I don't know how big an effect this is): The wires connecting the elements on each side to the balun are different lengths and geometries, thereby creating an antenna that is broadcasting into the intended antenna. This is so, so very basic that it is impossible for me to trust anything else in the design. Note: the _total_ length of each wire from one side to the other is the same, but the balun is connected at different points (relative to the ends) on the two wires, thereby creating the antenna effect (from a review by someone who appeared credible and that was consistent of what I remember of my course in antenna design). Background: Every wire is an antenna, both receiving and broadcasting. Where the effect is _non-trivial_, the standard practice is to have the two wires be the same length (same frequency response) and parallel, close together with crossovers to cancel each other out. Recognize that in _ideal_ conditions--that both sides of the antenna are receiving the exact same signal--this effect cancels out. The typical buyer won't know if their location is far enough off this ideal to matter. If you were concerned only about the signal broadcast by the TV stations, this would be much easier to guesstimate, but you also have signals broadcast by a wide range of other devices, both intentionally and not.

Design problem, balun (signal): Observation that the balun's location in the plane of the antenna results in it radiating (broadcasting) into the antenna. Aside: The balun provides the proper impedance for the coax cable downleads (conversion by induction circuit).

Design problem, balun (physical): Complaints about difficulties connecting to the balun (sealed box; terminal is not adequately fastened and rotates until it breaks). Complaints that the projected/inevitable problems with the balun (as it weathers) are not easily fixable.

Design change: The reflector screens are very different and in ways that could produce substantial differences in performance between the original and current models. Recognize that the 4228 was designed when most stations were in the two VHF bands and the lower portion of the UHF band. [corrected & clarified 2011-10-19]: After the DTV transition, many stations moved out of the lower VHF band (channels 2-6), there are fewer stations in the upper VHF band (7-13) and the UHF band is being used by proportionately more stations in many areas, although the upper UHF channels (52-69) were surrendered (and auctioned off).

On the complaints about manufacturing in the (credible) reviews I found: Proper connectivity and isolation of elements is crucial to performance, but poor quality construction and assembly negates some elements (out-of-the-box or as it is buffeted by the weather).

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellant product and price, February 21, 2008

By 

darc87 "darc87" (Plantation, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Channel Master 4228HD Long-Range Outdoor Rooftop HDTV Antenna (Electronics)

I bought this antenna to replace my indoor Terk. This antenna brings in all the channels I received previously as well as about 15 additional channels reaching as far as 50+ miles away. I have it mounted in my attic.

If you are going to mount this unit in your attic be advised that you need a pretty large access entry otherwise you will need to disassemble and reassemble.