Believe it or not, football season is quickly approaching. One of the easiest, and most cost-effective, ways to view this competitive sport is via over-the-air antennas. Yes, your local broadcasting networks are still pushing free television to your region despite the age of streaming. Antop is a leader in this industry offering a great lineup of options and allowing us a few weeks with the Antop AT-500SBS Smart Bar and AT-406BV Mini Big Boy receivers.
Design
These two great HDTV antennas are both encased in a plastic shell. They can feel slightly cheap, but I don’t think it detracts from the overall presentation. The Smart Bar (I’ll be leaving off the numerical conversations from here) is an elongated design similar to an audio soundbar. The included stand allows the Bar to be orientated in vertical or horizontal seating.
The Mini Big Boy hearkens back more to traditional “rabbit-eared” antennas of old. You have a small box around the size of a shoe box but thinner with movable plastic antenna extenders sticking out the rear of the Big Boy. At the bottom is a removable cradle to keep the Mini Big Boy upright and standing.
Both antennas are aesthetically pleasing in a sense. Are they plastic “boxes”, sure, but I’d wager that these would blend into most decor without being a huge eyesore. In a perfect world, you’d like them hidden behind the television, but sitting out in the open isn’t a deal breaker.
Setup
Installation of both of these Antop antennas is roughly the same with similar tech. Both offer VHF-enhanced signal capability, 4G LTE filtering, and inline signal boosters. The booster on the Smart Bar allows you a dial to increase or decrease your needs while the Mini Big Boy only has an off-and-on switch. Either of the antennas is rated to allow for up to 80 miles of signal coverage.
Getting these hooked to your TV is simple. You have a dual-lined coaxial setup where you connect the booster to each antenna and then the booster to your television. You can then decide how to mount the Smart Bar or Mini Big Boy. Both can be standalone with the included stand but the Big Boy also has additional hardware to give you the ability to place in an attic rafter or outside the home.
Once you have the antennas installed, you need to then take the setup to your TV. Models and brands offer different ways to get there, but the result is the same. My Roku TV from TCL has a menu option to scan for OTA channels in a few steps and then goes thru pinging the broadcast towers in your area. After the scan is over, you are presented with the results and can immediately start watching.
Daily use
Normal usage has been mixed for me and will be variable in everyone’s environment. I’m roughly 35 miles from all the major network stations in my region. I’ve successfully been able to watch 4-5 that should be picked up. For me, that’s enough as the last option is PBS and not something I’m concerned with. I’m generally only interested in the sports broadcasts that I should currently be able to now watch for free with the Smart Bar and Mini Big Boy.
Performance was similar with both the Smart Bar and Mini Big Boy. I’d give the slight edge to the Smart Bar and my guess is the dial booster is able to pull a bit more. HDTV over the air is a great option but does come with environmental restrictions you may encounter. Both the placement in your home and outside interference like electrical lines or weather can create issues.
Final thoughts
Antop has two quality OTA antennas for consumers to consider with the Smart Bar and Mini Big Boy. If you want to add free broadcast network coverage to your living room you should keep both of these in mind while shopping.
Check out the links below if you think the Antop Smart Bar or Mini Big Boy is what you need to add to your entertainment center. Both units will set you back $100 at its current pricing while the Smart Bar will cost up to $120 in different color variants than black.
Purchase the Antop Mini Big Boy
