RCA ANT1050 Digital Flat Passive Ultra-Slim-Profile Antenna with Enhanced Reception (Black)

by RCA

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 4.5 x 16.9 inches ; 12 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001GGAIGI
• Item model number: ANT1050
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #18 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Antennas > TV Antennas

Product Description

This RCA Digital, Flat Passive Ultra-Slim-Profile Antenna receives free, uncompressed digital signals and supports 1080p signals. Broadcast digital TV gives you more free channels, easy-to-use effective parental controls, and enhanced services such as digital closed-captioning. To preview digital TV, go to www.StayTuned2TV.com. This antenna receives local HDTV and DTV, as well as analog UHF and VHF, and has enhanced reception for harder-to-get channels. The sleek black design disappears into its surroundings. RCA backs this antenna with a 1-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Try the cheaper antenna first, November 22, 2008

By 

Fred J "FJJ" (Marion, IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: RCA ANT1050 Digital Flat Passive Ultra-Slim-Profile Antenna with Enhanced Reception (Black) (Electronics)

Bought a $40 antenna (that would have cost $80 at local big box stores) and then decided, just out of blue, to give this antenna a shot.

I live in a smaller (200K population metro area) midwest city where the transmitters are about 15-30 miles away by air. I hooked this antenna up and my weakest signal with a Dish over-the-air box is 80% for ALL my local high def stations. This is not the ultimate antenna but it works for most applications for price (about 1/3 the cost of most you find online). Be sure to buy it online too, because it's twice as expensive at local bigger box stores.

Some comments here that the antenna has to be assembled are true. But come on, it's 3 small screws that line up with the 'wings' of the antenna - no big deal. Very simple. It also has a small hole to hang it on a hook but you can tuck this antenna away in the back of the flat panel or in the back of a cabinet very easily.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing with a Preamp, June 17, 2009

By 

Hasan al-Basri "hasan" (Ogden, IA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: RCA ANT1050 Digital Flat Passive Ultra-Slim-Profile Antenna with Enhanced Reception (Black) (Electronics)

I decided to try this antenna after 4 of our major stations moved from UHF to VHF on June 12th. I had tried three other antennas:

RCA Flat Panel (white) with preamp.
Philips MANT940 (preamp), UHF only.
Philips Rabbit Ears with Silver UHF Plate and Preamp

Channels of Interest:

FREQUENCY
5.1 VHF Lo-BAND (77.25 MHz)
8.1 VHF Hi-BAND (181.25 MHz)
11.1 VHF Hi-BAND (199.25 MHz)
13.1 VHF Hi-BAND (211.25 MHz)
17.1 UHF (483.25 MHz)
19.1 UHF (525.25 MHz)
23.1 UHF (525.25 MHz)

The frequencies are listed so one can observe the performance of the antennas across the frequency spectrum, separating Lo-Band VHF from Hi-Band VHF and above.

Distance to the transmitter complex is 27 miles. Rural location. All stations are at the same site.

The Philips MANT940 would not receive the Lo-Band VHF signal on 5.1, no matter how it was adjusted. Higher frequency channels strength was solid from Channel 8.1 and above. Overall, it does an excellent job on anything but Lo-Band VHF, but for this reason it is not acceptable. As a UHF only and Hi-Band VHF it is outstanding (if mounted correctly-Horizontal, narrow part of wedge forward) This makes sense as it is rated as a UHF only antenna.

The RCA Flat Panel was very good on UHF, but a single placement could not be found for Hi-Band VHF, and it would not receive Lo-Band VHF at all. I could live with this antenna if it worked on Lo-Band VHF.

The Philips Rabbit Ears and UHF Plate antenna would not receive 5.1 Lo-Band VHF, but did a decent job on all UHF stations and was marginally acceptable on VHF Hi-Band. The MANT940 (UHF only) actually does a better job on VHF Hi-Band than this antenna does.

RCA ANT1050 (Black Flexible Batwing:

I was very skeptical of this antenna. It looked like nothing but a simple dipole in fancy plastic dressing. On closer examination, however, I noticed that it has two traces of considerably differing lengths, which led me to believe it might work better on VHF Lo-Band, while still working well on UHF. It's design still appears to be a couple of dipoles, so it should not be omni-directional. Rather, it should work best broadside to the arriving signal.

To keep the test fair, (all other antennas had preamps), I stole the preamp from the RCA Flat Panel and used it with this antenna. I am amazed.

At the same location as the other antennas, I was able to receive a stable signal (and much stronger) on VHF Lo-Band channel 5.1.

Table of Results ANT1050, Laying on Wooden Balcony Railing (15'):

Signal Levels:

CH STN FREQ RCA ANT1050

5-1 WOI-DT 077.25 VHF-LO 3/6
8-1 KCCI-DT 181.25 VHF-HI 6/6
11-1 KDIN-DT 199.25 VHF-HI 6/6
13-1 WHO-DT 211.25 VHF-HI 6/6
17-1 KDSM-DT 483.25 UHF 5/6
19-1 KDMI-DT 525.25 UHF 6/6
23-1 KCWI-DT 525.25 UHF 6/6

3/6 Means 3 out of 6 bars signal quality on HDTV Tuner Stick. WOI-DT is low power along with low frequency.

I have tried two other preamps with this antenna. Both worked well. I used a Channel Master CM 7777 (high end, low noise antenna mounted preamp), and a cheapie from Wal-Mart ($24). In both cases I was able to receive Ch 5.x, and with the CM 7777, I got one more bar of signal quality on Ch 5.x (now 4/6). (23 June, 2009 edit)

Summary:

With a preamp, this antenna does a very nice job at 27 miles (rural) with an indoor height of 15 feet. It outperforms the other 3 antennas I compared it to. It was the only antenna that would receive Lo-Band VHF.

Hints:

Do not place it on metal. Do not orient it vertically (pointing up and down). Keep it away from sources of interference/noise like TVs! Get the antenna as high as you can, and then move it left/right while observing signal strength. I was able to improve the signal by 20% by just moving it horizontally about 14 inches.

The ability to receive Lo-Band VHF through UHF with stable and mostly consistent signals is a big plus for this antenna. The fact that it is inexpensive makes adding a preamp reasonably cost effective.

I only gave it 4 stars because it does require a preamp at the distance I am using it.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars flat rca antenna, December 8, 2008

By 

Bill C. Youngquist (Ankeny, Iowa.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: RCA ANT1050 Digital Flat Passive Ultra-Slim-Profile Antenna with Enhanced Reception (Black) (Electronics)

I bought it at Walmart for $20.00 . Originally I placed it in an upstairs bedroom I liked it good enough to replace my HD 65inch Mitsubishi's antenna philips power boasted antenna in living room I have a signal strength of 3 of 4 also the Picture looks outstanding. I need no power for it and it works well also you can,t see it on the back top of tv using a 2 inch piece of electric tape to hold it in place. I might buy 1 more for motor home. It has a specific order to place 3 pieces together its not hard to do 3 philps screws 3 nuts hold it together.