Xtreme Signal HDB8X-NI 8-Bay VHF/UHF HDTV Bowtie Antenna

I install antennas as part of my business. I've ordered 50-75 of these over the last year, and overall it's a good antenna. Does real well with a good preamp. (60-75 miles). I've used the Winegard 8800HD and the Channel Master CM4228HD, which are quality antennas, but I've found this one outperforms them in most cases. I've had no failures/major issues with these HDB8X in the last 18 months. Build quality is pretty good compared to a lot of the stuff out there. Couple of things, however. The antenna lacks a locking system to hold its position if folded. You can tighten the wing nuts to hold it, but too tight and they'll snap off. I know... I had one on a 40-foot tower that moved after a major wind storm went though the area, I now set the angle, then drill a small hole in the movable bracket for a 8x1/2" screw. The wingnuts suck, I wish they'd just use standard bolts and nuts, I look real professional tightening stuff with a damned pliers, LOL! Get a tube of silicon grease and coat the fittings inside during assembly to weatherproof them. Same with the boots that go to the combiner. About 1 in 3 of every one of these I order, has bent reflector tubes, or holes in the box so that the some of loose hardware (screws and wingnuts) is missing- shipper issues for sure... Not really a deal-breaker, but extra work for me.

When purchasing an antenna, there are so many factors that have to be determined such as topology, distance to the transmitters, and various obstructions. With the advent of free HD tv and the addition of substations allowing more content, replacing your satellite or cable subscription with a reliable antenna and some streaming services to save some money are great investments.I happen to live where OTA content is abundant because of neighboring cities. My goal was to be able to capture channels running at various wattages from about 60 miles away. I also have local channels in the opposite direction about 25 miles away. Those are obtainable with run of the mill paper thin antennas, yet could not possibly reach the 60 mile destination. I had previously tried a highly priced and widely advertised 70 mile bay-type mounted on a 5 ft conduit pole for elevation. While it did a marvelous job at receiving stations omnidirectionally within a 50 mile radius, it just didn't have the power to hone in on my goal, even with a Wingard preamp. I was skeptical to begin with anyway. However, because I purchased that antenna locally, I knew I could return it if necessary.I returned it and opted for the tried and true yagi style knowing that I could get the long distance channels. However, I also figured that, without a rotor, my locals could be lost in the fray as typical yagis have difficulty with back reception. I reviewed the various brands out there and figured this one was worth the purchase.The construction of this antenna is solid. The elements were simple to unfold and snapped in place as expected. All other connections were seamless as well. The directions could use some typographical revisions, however, the pictures made up for that as a reference point throughout the process. Up on the conduit with a 50ft RG 6 new run of cable and a lot of finger crossing along the way.This antenna achieved my goal of 60 miles without hesitation. It is also able to bring in my locals from the opposite direction with surprising clarity. This added plus means I don't need a rotor or separate short range antenna. It has held up very well so far, including a couple of severe thunderstorms and heavy wind. I believe this will be durable throughout seasons and last for a long time.Taking into consideration its current price point, durable construction, and solid features, this antenna should be on your radar. There are plenty of manufacturers, designs, and advertising claims out there. After sifting through all the information, I decided to give this one a go and am very pleased with the decision!

Although I am only 36 miles from the NYC transmitters, I live in an extreme deep fringe area surrounded by trees and 200' hills directly in the path from my house to the NYC transmitters.After the "EXPERTS" looked at my tvfool reports I was told "it would NEVER work", so that's what motivated me.I opted to go with 2 mono-band antennas rather than an overpriced, oversized compromised dual-band antenna.I used the my HDB91X UHF Mono-band antenna in conjunction with a Steller Labs 30-2476 VHF High Band Yagi to compliment the HDB91X.I combined the 2 antennas with an RCA TVPRAMP1Z Preamp, into 75' of RG11 then into TV.I suspect both antenna are manufactured by the same company which is a good thing ! Both antennas were assembled in the same exact manner for example mounting of elements, wingnuts, and small "O-Rings" to ensure the nuts wont vibrate off the screw during shipping. They even share the same style mast clamps...I am now enjoying 62 channels with strong signals confirmed on my Digiair signal meter.I'm a happy camper, so much for the "Experts"