GE Ultra Pro Signal Finder HD Amplified Antenna review

The GE Signal Finder HD Amplified Antenna is an indoor TV antenna with a built-in signal meter that will help you find the best place to install it. You’ll need it. In TechHive’s tests the antenna exhibited mediocre reception and didn’t displace the Winegard FlatWave Amped as our favorite indoor antenna.

The antenna is about the same length and width as a magazine and looks good with a smart black plastic front. A couple of rows of LEDs in the lower right-hand corner are the antenna’s main selling point.

Towards the end of the antenna’s 10-foot cable is an inline amplifier that requires power from a small wall-wart adapter. It uses a barrel-connector, and so it cannot be powered via a USB port on your television. This is unfortunate as it means you’ll need a spare outlet and installation probably won’t be as neat.

Performance

TechHive tests antennas by performing several scans to see how many channels are received. A pattern emerges over the course of the scans and we get to see how well an antenna pulls in the various strong and weak channels on air in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento regions.

In our tests, the antenna didn’t perform well. It managed to receive a maximum of four broadcast channels successfully (each digital broadcast channel carries several TV stations), with an additional two coming in just at the limit with broken signals. In contrast, the Winegard FlatWave Amped pulled in eight broadcast channels, with an additional single channel with broken signal.

Our top-ranked indoor antenna, the Winegard Flatwave, is similarly designed for UHF-reception only, but it managed to pull in a strong local VHF station, too. The GE Ultra Pro did not.

The marketing copy on the box advertises 60-mile reception, although this is perhaps only under perfect conditions. Numerous factors influence TV reception and these range claims shouldn’t be taken as a guarantee on this or any antenna.

Parts and Installation

The box contains three pieces: The antenna with attached cable and in-line amplifier, a power adapter for the amplifier and a plastic stand that can be connected to the rear of the antenna so it stands up on a shelf or desk.

There’s an included note that reminds customers to perform a rescan of their TV once the antenna is installed. It’s a perhaps obvious step, but enough people must forget to do it that the note is included. Presumably this is largely when people switch from cable TV to over-the-air and don’t realize a rescan is needed.

Conclusion

The GE Signal Finder HD looks good and the signal meter will help customers find a good position for their antenna despite its crudeness. The single most important thing with an antenna isn’t looks, however; it's how well it performs.

Abigail Smith is an inventive person who has been doing intensive research in particular topics and writing blogs and articles on  Printer Customer Support and many other related topics. He is a very knowledgeable person with lots of experience.