Community Forums

greatlakes · 02-20-2013, 07:38 AM

Anyone have any experience with the RCA 1650 Antenna. I have searched this site as well at Amazon and Walmart and done a google search for antenna reviews. Lots of information and most of which is conflicting. Even within the reviews you can have as many 5 star ratings as you have 1 star. So depending on a lot of variables it seems these indoor antennas can be really good or really bad.
The most interesting review I read said the $5 rabbit ears from Radio Shack was as good as all the other digital attennas they reviewed including some that were as much as $75.
I'm not a full timer and dont care to watch TV that much when camping but I have replaced all my sets with flat screens and plan to just use an indoor antenna and was leaning toward the RCA flat panels and the 1650 comes with an amplifier for around $40. Plus I could mount it on the TV cabinet between the cabinet and the windshield.
So if anyone has some experience with this RCA or any other one you find to work well please let me know.

gajd33 · 02-22-2013, 06:56 AM

In my opinion the reason the reviews vary so much is a function of expections the folks have who review them. If you put the antenna up in an area that is far away or obstructed in the line from the transmission source then it doesnt matter how expensive or cheap the antenna is. Think of it like a satellite dish. If you cant get a clear shot of the sky you wouldnt expect it to work. The same applies if you have a brick wall next to the antenna. Gladly, tv transmissions arent a sensitive as satellite transmissions.

I have used a few of these antennas and the best results for me was the Leaf Paper Thin Antenna

greatlakes · 02-22-2013, 07:25 AM

Thanks its probably the same as the RCA just sold under different name. At least it looks the same. Yea while reading lots of the reviews it occurred to me that even dumb people can write a review. So depending on if they set things up correctly they might not have it work very well for them.
Still it seems that most of the indoor ones work about the same and are more dependant on location and obstruction to the signal.

Clay L · 02-22-2013, 11:11 AM

I would be surprised if it works any better than the Winegard crank up antenna with the Wingman installed. The Winegard a has a built in amplifier as I assume the RCA does.
Among other things antenna gain is a function of size and height and the Winegard would appear to be ahead on both counts.