Mohu Leaf 30 Indoor TV Antenna, 40 Mile-Range, UHF/VHF Multi-directional, Original Paper-Thin, 10 ft. Detachable Coaxial Cable, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, MH-110583

I am part of a small group of friends who are gadget enthusiasts. One of us was a cable TV technician for 20 years, before that a TV repairman who installed tower TV antenna systems. We find that the best indoor antennas tend to be inexpensive, about $14 tops. There are a lot of makers and retailers of "Amazing digital" indoor antennas that prove to be garbage and cost up to $130. We have tested dozens and in the end end up still recommending $4 RCA units sold by stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General. My favorite has been a no brand flat antenna made in China, sold by Big Lots for $14. With I pick up 9 to 11 digital & HD channels.Every $30 plus unit I've found recommended by buyer comments, I've ended up returning as the Big Lots unit did as good or better. Then, I ordered the Leaf. I did expect some improvement given the many very high buyer ratings.I was also thinking I may end up returning it. 1st, I was sceptical. As one buyer here put it: "it didn't look like much". Paper thin and paper light sealed in plastic. I thought "what the heck?I paid $44 for this?" My first placements and tuner scanning left me unimpressed. Then, I read the sheet that came with it. It read: 'best results from positioning it cable down. I recalled one buyer wrote she taped it up, I grabbed a thin tall box and taped the Leaf to it, so the cable could be at the bottom and the leaf hang down. I could move the box around the top of my entertainment system, which permits me to face the Leaf out a window.This time when I ran 'scan channels' I was amazed. My TV found 14 channels! I was seriously impressed as I sampled the channels. I got 19 channels and three more (two of them analog) that do not work well. I cannot wait to connect a low power amplifier. With that I am sure I will get 22 channels, all with small indoor antenna. I cannot wait to see what happens when I position the Leaf to pick up stations to the North of me. I live in Canton, Michigan, an hour from Toledo, Ohio. I would not have believed it, if a nieghbor told me he could get one Toledo channel with an indoor antenna. I am getting three! I am also getting Canada's CBC 9, an analogue channel.NOTE. I find many times buyers blame on an antenna, a fault I never see mentioned in buyer "reviews". I am surprised neither antenna sellers or makers educate buyers about this very real possibility, namely not all tuners are the same, not all tuners in the same TV model line work properly. For instance, I bought a Haier 10" portable as a gift recently. When I tested it, the TV worked fine. I bought another one a week later as a gift. The second Haier had a defective tuner. It finds only 2 to 3 channels with the same antenna and same locations and positions where I tested the first Haier I bought. The first TV found 9-11 channels and play them well, except for one or two. Also, the second tuner came up with different results each time I ran scan.When you find your results with a highly buyer rated antenna is poor, you want to make sure the problem isn't your tuner, not your antenna or your location, the electronics near the area, your house construction, etc. I point this out because people mention every possibility beginning with sorry antenna and including where their home is, walls in their home, etc., but NEVER suspect the tuner (Or a neighbor's overpowered poorly tuned illegal CB radio station). Consider also Solar activity & atmospheric activity, at the time. that may deflect TV signals.

We all know it, but it's true, location is everything, especially if you're on the edge of receiving TV signals like I am. I wasn't expecting the Leaf to work that well - but it did. I did my research, and from the fcc website, it appeared I would get one station (two channels) as I was in the 'moderate' range for that. The other stations/channels had a 'low' signal possibility so I did not plan on receiving them. I was cutting my cable bill 'cold turkey' and if all I was going to get was 2 channels then so be it.The details: I live on the second floor (of a 2 story building) and watched/read the info on the mohu website about placing the leaf antenna (when it arrived) near a window as this was significantly important, particularly for those of us who live in the middle of nowhere. I have a newish (a year + old) Panasonic plasma HD TV and just want to get some TV if possible. When the Leaf antenna arrived, it is as simple as they say, you attach it to your TV antenna (coaxial plug) and then find the 'happy place' for the antenna. I moved the antenna around significantly, from the wall behind the TV to right on the window (temporarily taped) where I received the best signal and the most channels. I had low expectations, but still, I ended up getting 16 channels, when all I thought I'd get was 2! I could not be happier! I was truly blown away by the quality of the image on the TV - cable (SD and HD somewhat) was so crappy compared to simple broadcast signal - I had no idea! I'd never used a TV antenna before. Wow, what I didn't know was a lot.So, to try and provide a helpful review here - let me say this - it matters where you put your antenna. It matters how far you are from the TV towers, if you're pretty far away like I am, then every little thing does matter and will probably determine if you get a signal or not, or at least, the quality of signal. For the best signal, do not add coaxial cable between the antenna cable and your TV. The greater the distance the signal has to travel the worst the signal will be. I'm right on the verge of watching many stations, but with the right location for the antenna (and therefore the TV as well) I got pretty much everything I wanted.I did buy a signal amplifier, and for my set-up, it works very well. I got it at walmart. It's a GE TV signal amplifier model 33341, powered (you plug it in) simple, you plug the antenna into it and then run a coax cable (a short one preferrably) [Cat 6 or better] to your TV antenna input. That's it. I did multiple tests, and it increased my TVs signal strength of the channels by about 10% - which made a significant different BECAUSE I'm on the fringe of getting these stations.All in all, I am incredibly surprised at the functionality of this leaf antenna. It outperformed my expectations and am very happy with it. O, and this is kind of funny, but - well, the only way I could get all the channels was directly in front of the main window. So I originally taped the 'leaf' to the window till I found a better way. The problem was, when spring came and I wanted to open the windows, it would mess up the antenna, moving it. So I, the handy-woman that I am, taped the Mohu Leaf antenna to the top of a hardwood stick/pole and then inserted it into the large potted plant that is also right in front of the window. Perfect. Excellent signal, I can open windows without moving the antenna AND, if I want to turn the leaf antenna just a little to the left or right it just rotates on the stick in the dirt. (it's a rather large pot with lots of soil) It is really the best way so far. I might take a pic of it and post it - just in case it might help others in their tv/antenna set-up. It is fabulous and a bit humorous too. Looks like a rather large plant identifier card on a stick. lol I could only be happier, I suppose, if I had an antenna on the roof, so I could get that last station over yonder, that I can not, for the life of me, get in. Otherwise, the Leaf is so worth the money spent. I don't miss cable at all. And I'm happy to find all these local stations I never got before.