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When you want entertainment as soon as possible, for as cheap as possible, the Best TV Antenna isn’t an option, sadly. The Philips SDV8201B is, however, a fair shot at being the Best Rabbit Ear Antenna on an incredibly tight budget. It’s small and compact, and captures UHF VHF signals from 30 miles away.
When you’re strapped for cash, but needing entertainment, the Philips SDV8201B is an incredibly cheap way to enjoy great channels. It can reach signals as far as 30 miles, and it’s small in design.
Unfortunately, clarity isn’t always the best with the Philips HD Rabbit Ears SDV8201B and its performance can be inconsistent. Buildings and even your own home’s powered devices can cause a fair bit of interference—so placing it as high as you can will provide the best results. When you do get a signal, it’s an uncompressed 1080p, provided your TV displays in 1080p.
Installing the Philips SDV8201B is as easy as it can get, and not any different from the Fosmon HDTV Antenna. This is a plug-and-play type of TV antenna, with just a power cord and coax cable. Even modern smart TVs these days still have a coax port in the back.
It’s mostly cheap plastic and metal. If you drop it from several feet high, expect it to break. It does have a weighted base and rubber feet though, which keeps it from sliding on whatever surface you choose. And since it’s small and compact, it doesn’t take up much real estate.
Its performance is tied to its range and, unfortunately, it doesn’t reach too far. The Philips SDV8201B is rated for 30 miles—but like the Philips SDV7114A HD Loop, its sweet spot is 20 miles. And even then you should really invest in an amplifier if the signal tower is further than that. For those who live a bit further out of town, you can opt for Fosmon HDTV Antenna that comes with a 40 mile range.
With the Philips SDV8201B, you’re getting the bare minimum and nothing more. At least Philips was decent enough to make it really cheap. However, you should also consider the cost of an amplifier, otherwise it won’t be worth it and you’re better off grabbing the Antop Indoor Rabbit Ears TV Antenna.
To be frank, the Philips SDV8201B is like scraping the bottom of the barrel, but even the bottom of the barrel can offer something with enough effort. Is it lackluster? Yes, but it is also incredibly cheap, small and compact, and it can output in 1080p with a good signal. And hey, no cable bill to worry about!
