[Chris Patrick]

Thinking about getting a WaveMax for my apartment since I don’t want to pay for cable. I know it needs a window or something, but is it actually worth it if I’m just trying to get local channels? Not expecting a ton of channels, just the basics. Anyone using one in a similar setup?

[Susan Kennet]

For a small apartment the main thing is where your window faces. I tried a similar antenna and got maybe 15 local channels fine, but it really depended on which wall I put it on. If you’re near a city you’ll probably be okay, if you’re out in the suburbs it gets iffy.

[Jordan Writes]

I’d grab one if I were you. Mine pulls in the basic locals fine and I don’t miss paying for cable one bit. Worst case you’re out a few bucks and you still have your streaming stuff.

[Dani Moon]

For a basic local channels setup in an apartment, it’s fine. Mine pulls in the main networks without any fuss, and I’ve had it about four months now. The only real catch is placement, since I had to move it around a bit before it settled.

[Rivers]

Depends how close your towers are. If you’re within 25 miles or so, sure, it’ll grab the basics fine. Past that, indoor antennas get flaky and the 120 mile claim is nonsense. Check your address on a coverage map before buying.

[Khan]

I’ve had one in a studio apartment for a few months and it does the job for locals. Mine sits on a bookshelf away from the window and still picks up the main networks fine. If you’re just after basics, it’s a cheap way to skip cable.

[Mike Turner]

If you’re only after locals, it does the job and that’s about it. I ran one in a one bedroom for a while and got the big networks plus some junk channels I never touched. It’s not magic, but it beats handing money to the cable company every month.

[Greg T.]

I’d just put that money toward a cheap streaming deal instead. My sister has one in her apartment and the picture cuts out whenever a plane goes over, which got old fast. If you truly only want locals it might be fine, but I wouldn’t bother.

[Tessa Lane]

Mine picked up nothing but static.

[Mike Casio]

Mine worked great for about two weeks then started dropping channels every time the microwave ran. If your kitchen is anywhere near the TV, that’s your reality.

[L_Parker]

If I were in your spot, I’d just grab one and see what happens. I picked up a WaveMax about six months ago when I moved into a small place and didn’t want to deal with a cable bill. Mine sits behind the TV near a sliding door and pulls in all the major networks plus a handful of extras like old movie channels and a weather station. That’s plenty for me since I mostly wanted local news and the occasional game. The trick is placement more than anything. I moved mine maybe two feet and suddenly picked up a couple more channels, so it’s worth fiddling with before you decide it doesn’t work. For the price of a couple months of cable, it paid for itself fast. If your main goal is just the basics, it’s a no brainer in my book.

[Chris Miller]

If I were you I’d just get the cheap one and not overthink the model. I set up an antenna for my parents in their condo a while back and the whole thing came down to where the TV sits, not which box you buy. Their place faces a bunch of trees and they still pull the main local channels fine with a basic flat one taped near the window. A friend two floors up gets less because his living room is on the wrong side of the building. So yeah, for just locals in a small apartment, I’d say try it, but keep the receipt handy. If the scan comes up empty, it’s not the antenna being cheap, it’s your building blocking the signal.

[Mike38]

Mine pulled in everything fine without a window.

[Mike Hall]

Depends where your towers are.

[Paul847]

Not sure why everyone keeps saying you need a window. I’ve had mine sitting on a bookshelf in the middle of my living room for about four months now and it pulls in all the local stuff just fine. No window anywhere near it. My place isn’t huge either, so it’s not like I’ve got some magic setup going on. I get the major networks plus a few extras and that’s really all I wanted when I dropped cable. The picture comes in clear enough for me. I get that location matters and all that, but the window thing seems overblown from what I’ve actually dealt with. If you just want the basics for local channels, it’s been fine for that.

[Emma Mirren]

I think for a small apartment it’s a pretty reasonable choice if local channels are all you want. Mine sits on a shelf near the TV and I get the main networks fine. I’m not paying for cable either and I don’t really miss it. It’s not fancy but it does the job.

[Marcus Reed]

Yeah for locals in a small place it does the job.

[Gary Scott]

Everyone acts like these things are magic. Mine picked up maybe four channels and two of them froze every time a truck drove by. For basic locals in an apartment I’d say save your money.

[Sarah Kos]

For just locals in a small apartment, I think it’s a pretty easy yes. You’re basically trading a one time purchase for free channels, and if you only want the basics there isn’t much to lose. The only real question is whether your building blocks too much signal, and that’s something you just have to try.

[Max Connor]

I don’t have cable either and mine pulls in the local stuff fine. It’s not some huge upgrade, but for the price it’s been a solid trade. Setup took like two minutes.

[Cecily]

For a small apartment where you’re basically just chasing local channels, I think it makes sense. The thing people miss is that it’s not really about the size of your place, it’s about what’s between you and the broadcast towers. A tiny apartment with a clear path can pull in more than a big house stuck behind a hill.

I got one for my parents’ place, which is a small condo, and the biggest surprise wasn’t the channel count, it was that they actually stopped fiddling with it after the first week. That’s the part that sold me on the idea. With cable you’re paying every month whether you watch or not, and with this thing you pay once and then it just sits there doing its job. My dad checks the local news every morning and that’s basically it, and he’s happy.

One thing worth knowing, the whole “needs a window” thing isn’t as strict as people make it sound. Sometimes just getting it higher up or away from a big appliance helps more than pointing it at glass. My parents ended up moving theirs twice before they found a spot that worked, and it wasn’t near a window at all.

But I genuinely don’t know how many channels you’d get since that’s so dependent on where you live. If you’re in a decent spot for broadcast signals, the basics should come through fine.

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