An Excellent Antenna for High Definition viewing
Written: May 08 '06 (Updated May 08 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The best antenna I have every owned.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for an antenna for digital broadcasts, the ZHD is probably for you!
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| luclin999's Full Review: Zenith ZHDTV1Z |
One major problem with the new HDTV revolution is that a major portion of the HD programming is only available from local broadcasters over the air and not through satellite or able providers. This means that to enjoy the latest technology ironically we have to go back to the "old fashioned" method of receiving TV signals, an antenna on top of the TV.
Once I purchased a High Definition TV, I spent the next three months trying several different antennas trying to get a stable signal from my local stations here in Houston.
I went through everything from an old pair of rabbit ears (which didn't do too bad of a job actually) to the expensive offerings from Terk and Radio Shack (which were less than impressive for their prices).
Finally I managed to get my hands on the Zenith ZHD "Silver Sensor". I had actually heard many good things about this antenna but had been having a very hard time finding one locally. Once I had it hooked up to my set I began to understand why it was so popular.
What it is
The Zenith ZHD is a non-powered, stand alone UHF antenna designed for indoor and outdoor use. Once removed from the package and assembled to its base (a process which takes about 30 seconds) the antenna measures roughly 12" high by 12" long by 12" wide at its widest end. The ZHD can also be used separately from its base allowing it to be placed outdoors or hidden behind your television (Mine rests hidden in a silk tree sitting in a corner a few feet from my set) and works quite well this way as the base is there only to provide support and contributes nothing really to the antenna's operation.
As I mentioned before, the ZHD is a UHF (High band) only antenna and is not designed to improve the signal strength from VHS (lower band) broadcasts. Since the majority of digital off air broadcasts are in the UHF band this works out quite well for receiving most digital broadcasts. However there are a few stations that broadcast their digital signals in the lower VHF frequencies. If your local stations are some of those that do, then you will need a different antenna than the ZHD.
How well does it work?
The Zenith ZHD is a directional antenna, meaning it works best when pointed in the direction of your station's broadcast antenna. This means that it may be necessary to adjust the ZHD when changing channels in order to get the clearest signal. For this reason I feel that the ZHD works best (at least for me) as an indoor antenna but I have heard of people who have used it successfully as an outdoor antenna as well.
It is also a non-amplified antenna meaning that the Zenith ZHD will bring the signal to your tuner without any artificial enhancements and has no built in electronics for boosting a weak signal.
How does the ZHD compare to other antennas? Fortunately for me the High Definition tuner my television uses provides a readout for determining signal strength when tuning each channel and allows a fairly accurate comparison of the different antennas which I have available.
Using the tuner's readout as a guide, these are the results for the following antenna models when using them here in the Houston market for the local digital channels I watch most frequently with the best antenna for each station in bold...
Channel 2 KPRC (UHF)
ZHD : 93-98 = Clear stable signal
Terk TV55: 45-58 = Unable to lock onto signal
Radio Shack 15-1892: 75-85 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Rabbit Ears: 70-83 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Channel 8 KUHF (VHF)
ZHD : 40-45 = Unable to lock onto signal
Terk TV55: 70-84 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Radio Shack 15-1892: 85-89 = Clear stable signal
Rabbit Ears: 72-77 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Channel 11 KHOU (UHF)
ZHD : 89-93 = Clear stable signal
Terk TV55: 60-68 = Able to tune in station but with many drop outs
Radio Shack 15-1892: 76-83 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Rabbit Ears: 77-84 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Channel 13 KTRK (UHF)
ZHD : 91-96 = Clear stable signal
Terk TV55: 62-66 = Able to tune in station but with many drop outs
Radio Shack 15-1892: 79-85 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Rabbit Ears: 90-93 = Clear stable signal
Channel 20 KTXH (UHF)
ZHD : 85-89 = Able to tune in station with occasional drop outs
Terk TV55: 45-53 = Unable to lock onto signal
Radio Shack 15-1892: 80-85 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Rabbit Ears: 72-77 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Channel 26 KRIV (UHF)
ZHD : 95-100 = Clear stable signal
Terk TV55: 70-74 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Radio Shack 15-1892: 92-97 = Clear stable signal
Rabbit Ears: 88-93 = Clear stable signal
Channel 39 KHTV (UHF)
ZHD : 88-94 = Able to tune in station but with occasional drop outs
Terk TV55: 68-72 = Able to tune in station but with many drop outs
Radio Shack 15-1892: 81-85 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
Rabbit Ears: 74-79 = Able to tune in station but with drop outs
As you can see from the results above, the Zenith ZHD managed to outperform every other antenna I have in the house for every channel except for KUHT which broadcasts digitally in the VHF band which the ZHD is not designed to work with.
It should also be noted that all of the above tests were performed from the same location (my living room) which is on the west side of Houston roughly 20-25 miles north of the area our local stations broadcast digitally from. These readings were all taken on the same day over the course of about 90 minutes. It is possible that the results might vary a bit from one day to the next due to changes in the weather, outside temperature, etc.
Obviously your results with this or any other antenna may also vary widely depending where you live and which stations are broadcasting in your area. However the numbers above should give most people some idea of just how each of the antennas compare to one another in a side by side comparison.
Final Comments
I can honestly say that it is the best antenna for tuning digital channels I have ever found.
For where I live the Zenith ZHD antenna serves my needs and has managed to consign my other antennas to a home in the back of the downstairs closet.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
luclin999
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Member: Leo Monaghan
Location: Houston, TX USA
Reviews written: 34
Trusted by: 19 members
About Me:
42 year old techie living in Houston, TX
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