WaveMax without a window, still worth trying?

I think the window thing gets overblown a little. I had mine sitting on top of a tall bookshelf in a hallway with no windows nearby and it pulled in a decent amount of local channels. Not every single one, but enough that I stopped feeling like I needed cable for the local news and sports.

Honestly the window thing gets treated like some hard rule and it really isn’t. My place has the TV on an interior wall, no window within maybe fifteen feet, and I still get the major networks fine. The antenna is just sitting on the media stand behind the TV, not even in a great spot.

I think the bigger issue is what direction the broadcast towers are from your building. If they happen to be on the other side of your apartment, a window won’t save you anyway. And if you’re in a spot where the signal bounces around the building, being more central can actually work out okay.

The real test is just plugging it in and running the channel scan. Takes five minutes. If it doesn’t pick stuff up, move it a foot or two and scan again. I had to do that a couple times before I found the sweet spot. Definitely not a waste as long as you’re willing to fiddle with placement a bit.

If you can do a channel scan from wherever you set it up, id say go for it.

It’s probably worth a shot. I ran mine in a spot that was basically surrounded by interior walls, not even close to an outside wall, and it still grabbed a decent amount of channels. The window might help, but it’s not like the antenna refuses to work without one.

I’d say don’t let the window thing decide for you. The antenna doesn’t care where it sits as much as what’s around it. I’d just grab one and run a channel scan in a couple of spots before you give up on it.

The window thing gets treated like some hard rule, but honestly the bigger factor is just what direction your local towers are sitting in relation to your building. I have mine set up on a low entertainment center that’s basically in the middle of my place, and the only thing near it is a fish tank. Still pulled in a decent handful of channels after a scan, including the main networks which is all I really wanted.

The thing that helped me more than anything was just re-scanning at different times of day. Morning scan gave me one set, evening scan gave me a couple extra channels that came in clearer. It’s a bit of fiddling but it’s a one time thing.

For the price it’s not like you’re gambling a ton of money. If it doesn’t work you’re out less than a pizza. But I would not assume it’s dead on arrival just because you’re not near glass.

The window thing is overblown. I had mine tucked behind a couch in a room with no exterior walls and still got the main locals fine. Worst case you move it around a few times and rescan, but I wouldnt call it a waste of money just because you arent near glass.

I was in the same boat when I got mine. My apartment has one window in the kitchen and the TV is on the opposite side of the living room, so I figured I’d be doing a lot of trial and error. Honestly I just plugged it in, ran the channel scan, and got everything I needed without moving it an inch. The window thing seems to matter more if you’re in a really rural area or have a lot of buildings around you.

What changed my mind about it was having a friend who lives in a high rise with floor to ceiling windows and they get fewer channels than I do. So it’s not like the window guarantees anything either. I think people just say that because it’s the easiest advice to give, but the real answer is just try it where you want it first before you start rearranging furniture. You can always move it later.

My only gripe is that I spent way too long obsessing over placement when I could have just done a channel scan and been done with it. If you’re already set on the WaveMax, I’d say grab it and test it in the spot you actually want it. If it doesn’t work, then you can start messing with positions. No point stressing over the window before you even try.

I’ll be the odd one out here. I don’t think the window thing is the main issue. I’ve used mine in a room with a window and it still picked up maybe half the channels I expected. Placement mattered way less than the fact that my building is surrounded by taller ones on all sides. If you live somewhere with clear sightlines to the towers, a window probably helps. If you don’t, it won’t save you.

Honestly, I’d rather have a cable cord running across the floor to the one spot that works than rearrange my whole living room around an antenna. That’s just me though. I’m not moving my couch for free TV.