Monoprice

By:  Sam Grobart

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Q.  I tried to buy a high-definition antenna and antenna cable for our Samsung HD TV, but B&H sells cable in only 12-foot sections. What are the basics of going to antenna and ditching cable? What are the gotchas? The antenna needs to go on the roof.

A.  Hey, if you don’t mind losing all those cable channels (and some people would consider that a blessing), then going antenna for your HD needs can be a great move. Assuming you’re in a location that pulls in a good signal, you will be getting a clean, uncompressed digital (so no static) image.

The uncompressed thing is huge. Cable companies offer many HD channels, but  for them to serve up so many, the signals have to be scrunched down, which can affect image quality. When you pull in, say, WNBC-HD from its transmitter atop the Empire State Building, you will get the full signal in all its high-definition glory.

I love B&H and always include them in my search for a good price, as I find they are often competitive. But if you’re seeking out cables, let me refer you to Monoprice.com, which is by far the best place to get any cables, cords, connectors and other synonyms that start with “c.” You can get HDMI cable for your antenna in all kinds of lengths, and Monoprice’s prices will make you rue the day you ever forked over double-digit dollars for cabling at a big-box store.