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Antennas Direct's Clearstream2 Antenna Available for Pre-Order June 13, 2008: ST. LOUIS, Mo. - St. Louis-based antennas maker Antennas Direct announced its new, ultra-efficient, compact, digital TV antenna, ClearStream2, will arrive June 30. Orders are being taken now. ClearStream2 is Antennas Direct's latest model of digital TV antennas, which are optimized specifically for the 2009 digital conversion. "The ClearStream2, which is the first in a series of ClearStream DTV antennas, is unmatched in size and performance," said Antennas Direct President Richard Schneider. "Demand for ClearStream2 is high because of its strength, reliability and small form." The first DTV antenna created with the latest simulation software and test equipment, the ClearStream2 is designed to receive digital, over-the-air broadcasts, with a range up to 50 miles. Its wide, 70-degree beam width allows it to capture signal from towers spaced far apart, and its patented, tapered-loop design is 50 percent smaller than previous models. "This represents a breakthrough in antenna design. There hasn't been significant change in TV antenna technology for the past 30 years," Schneider said. "Although television broadcasts have changed -- with the introduction of digital programming -- antenna design has been stagnant. Antennas Direct was founded to foster research and development of stronger, more-efficient antennas designed specifically for digital television." After the nationwide switch to digital broadcasting in February 2009, millions of Americans who still rely on over the air broadcasts will lose picture unless they purchase either a converter box or a new digital television. "Since most antennas on the market were created for a different era, people may require an updated antenna once the 2009 digital transition occurs," Schneider said. "We continually educate the public regarding the type of antenna they will need to receive digital television and how to install it." Antennas Direct provides customers with a 90-day, no-fault return guarantee on all Antennas Direct antennas and a lifetime warranty against failure, corrosion, defects in materials or workmanship. If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Richard Schneider, please call Scott Kolbe at 636-379-3895 ext 13 or send an e-mail to scott@kolbeco.net
Antennas Direct is a St. Louis-based manufacturer and distributor of over-the-air antennas. The company was founded by Richard Schneider in 2003 and has since been widely recognized for superior product design and performance by a number of industry publications and main stream media outlets. Having invested major resources into the discovery and implementation of new technological advances in television antenna design, Antennas Direct continually tests and modifies antenna designs, raising the bar by which antenna performance and appearance are measured. For additional information on Antennas Direct, visit http://www.antennasdirect.com/index.html
Posted by Shane Sturgeon, June 16, 2008 11:12 AM
Reader Commentary That's the most BS I've read in a single press release in quite some time.... A single bow tie? 50 miles? :lol:... I thought this might stir up discussion. We should expect to see more of this from Antenna manufacturers as we inch closer to the Feb cut-off, and beyond. Perhaps we can put together an FAQ here in the forum and publish it as an article to clear up the FUD? - Shane... Its not a bowtie antenna, its a dual tapered loop antenna. Nearly the same gain as a 4 bay bowtie, but with better VSWR. The performance claims are not outrageous. There is still plenty of efficiency to be wrung out of antennas.... Well thanks for the input... would love to hear from Ken on this one...... The performance claims are not outrageous. Maybe not, but comments like optimized specifically for the 2009 digital conversion. are bogus. There is nothing magical happening to UHF/VHF broadcasts or reception next year. Any working UHF/VHF antenna will continue to work next year.... Its not a bowtie antenna, its a dual tapered loop antenna. Nearly the same gain as a 4 bay bowtie, but with better VSWR. We would love to see some performance data rather than marketing hype. http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/types.html... Bogus claim #1: That this antenna performs like antennas five times larger. (This claim is on the maker’s website.) This could be true only if the comparison antenna was for another band. Bogus claim #2: That this antenna is made for digital signals. In truth there are no differences between analog and digital antennas. Antenna designs tend to follow the rule-of-thumb “The gain-bandwidth product is always constant”. For example, moving the DB2’s dipoles closer to the screen can increase the gain, but it reduces the range of frequencies for which it is a good antenna. There are many other examples where such a tradeoff must be made in selecting antenna dimensions. What this means for Feb 17, 2009 is that the reduced band size (all channels above 51 are to be abandoned) is an opportunity for slightly higher gain antennas, plus a need to re-center the antennas around the new band limits. I believe all antenna makers who want to remain competitive will adjust the dimensions... As I own the company, I may be able to provide some insight into the Clearstream series. While the PR folks may have gotten carried away, there is technical merit to the new Clearstreams. We chose tapered circular loops for its potential to increase bandwidth performance over the uniform circular loop and fan dipoles. (bowties) This choice was motivated by a recent paper that analyzed the electromagnetic dual (tapered circular slot) of this geometry for application in ultra-wide band / short pulse applications. We have expanded upon this and adapted these theories to create new geometries targeting the core DTV frequencies. We are betting heavily on the new tapered loop elements, and will be releasing two more designs in the coming months based on this research: a single loop (Clearstream 1) and a quad loop (Clearstream 4). Short version; It’s not a miracle antenna but it is a breakthrough. It is has nearly the directivity as our larger bowtie designs, but with significant i... PR claims are nothing new. In the 60's I worked for an antenna manufacturer and we stamped the cartons of our antennas with "Approved for Color", even though the same antennas had been sold for ten years for black-and-white TV reception. For purists it is worth noting that the magnitude of the "gain-bandwith product" (which is constant) of an "electricaly small antenna" will always be less than that of a full size (compared to wavelength) design. Therefore, if you want the best, accept the size (and bandwith limitation) of, say, a single channel Yagi. Everything less is a compromise. But we all live with compromises.l... More in Category: Digital (DTV) Transition
About Shane SturgeonShane Sturgeon is the Co-Publisher and Chief Technologist of HDTV Magazine, an industry publication with HDTV roots going back to 1984, when Dale Cripps founded The HDTV Newsletter. Today, HDTV Magazine is a leading online resource for HDTV news and information and captures the eyes and imaginations of over 3 million visitors annually. Mr. Sturgeon has a background in information technology and has served in various consulting capacities for Fortune 500 companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Verizon Communications, Proctor & Gamble and Nationwide Insurance. He has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Wright State University. |
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