Why don't the new hdtv's have antennas?

Question

When all over-the-air tv programming goes digital in February 2009, only TV's with ATSC tuners will be able to receive those signals. So, why are they not coming equipped with antennas?

Answer 1

Even though channels are going all digital..that doesn't mean that EVERYONE is going to be able to recieve things with rabbit ears.

The whole rabbit-ears for HDTV thing was just a matter of convience for a lot of people. They might of only gotten acceptable rabbit ear reception before and therefore get excellent digital signal...people like me...can't even pick up digital signals with an outdoor antenna.

It's an unnecessary expense and something extra they have to bundle with the TV, it's cheaper for them (and more profitable for everyone else) to make you buy your own.

Answer 2

The optimal type of antenna you need depends on the distance from the broadcasts, AND how far apart the broadcast points are spread.

The situation is different if all the stations in your area are broadcasting from the same location or if you are in a market where there are some stations coming from another city.

Answer 3

Well, concidering the majority of people in the U.S. either subscribe to cable or satellite, manufacturer's must feel that it's an unecessary expense. You can pick one of the HDTV antennas for fairly cheap, about $25 at walmart.