Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna

Looking more like some newfangled kitchen appliance than an antenna, the Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV antenna by Televes is a solid performer with excellent signal focus. The result is that you don't waste your time with patchy channels that are unwatchable. 

To help justify its rather steep $149 price tag, the Zapperbox A1 includes a couple of forward-looking antenna features that may (or may not) be useful in the future. 

Can it compete with some of the best TV antennas? Read on to find out.

Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna: Design

Designed in conjunction with Televes, a manufacturer best known for its outdoor antennas, the Zapperbox A1 includes a large antenna (about 14 inches square), as well as a slightly larger flat, metal reflector that you can attach to the back of the antenna to help focus radio frequencies. 

It's an amplified antenna and comes with a power adapter as well as mounting hardware to attach it to a pole for outdoor installations. In our indoor testing location, it sat upright on a wide window sill. However, its size means it would be quite conspicuous (some might say, unattractive) positioned on a credenza next to a TV, for example. 

The Zapperbox A1 has three ports on the underside of the antenna's chassis: one coaxial connection for a TV tuner, one for a 5G fixed wireless modem, and one for MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) broadcasts. The last feature is for possible future broadcasts, perhaps up to 8K, and other future features, such as datacasting to supplement a live video broadcast. However, at this point in time there's no supporting public standard for it yet.

Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna: Setup

To put it all together, the Zapperbox A1 comes with a generous, heavy gauge 15-foot coaxial cable, a USB cable and power block for the built-in amplifier, the aforementioned reflector, a wrench, nuts, screws, and a clamp that can be used for outdoor installations. For our indoor testing we had to unscrew the already attached pole mounting hardware from the included reflector and then use a Phillips screw driver to attach the reflector to the back of the antenna.

One minor gripe: the Zapperbox installation instructions have one step out of order. Rather than screwing the reflector to the antenna first, as the quick installation manual directs, you should attach the coaxial cable to the antenna first, otherwise it is difficult to properly attach the cable with the reflector in the way.

Since the Zapperbox A1 is larger than most antennas, it represents more of a placement commitment as well. So we suggest you first check to see what over-the-air stations are available in your area by visiting a site such as Antennaweb.org. By searching your zip code you can get a list and a map of the location of local broadcast towers and then decide whether the Zapperbox A1 is worth the money and effort. 

Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna: Performance

With the reflector attached and in tabletop mode with the power amp plugged in, we hooked the Zapperbox A1 up to our test TV, the 55-inch Hisense U8 Series QLED TV, which has a built-in NextGen TV tuner for the latest ATSC 3.0 broadcasts with higher resolution HDR pictures.

Our initial scans consistently produced a listing of 61 channels. We then tested every station, since virtually every antenna we've ever tested has had trouble creating a viewable signal from at least a couple of the channels it registers with an initial scan. No so with the Zapperbox A1.

The A1 lived up to its name, clearly bringing in all 61 channels it registered. That put it in the top tier of antennas we've tested, and put it in the unique position of being able to eliminate useless pixelated or distorted channels so viewers don't have to waste time skipping over unwatchable stations. The Zapperbox A1 pulled in everything from the CBS affiliate at the bottom of the band to Spanish language stations at the top. It also captured the clearest, most consistent picture of the weak ABC affiliate in our area.  

For extra measure, we tested the Zapperbox A1 in various other positions in our indoor location to see how it would affect its performance. Virtually any where it was put inside, the antenna turned in the same results, rejecting weak unwatchable signals and maintaining a solid picture clarity with the others.

Zapperbox A1 Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna: Verdict

For all of its features — and possible future features — the Zapperbox A1 commands a premium price. Certainly, there better performers in the outdoor antenna space, such as the $115 Winegard Elite 7550 antenna, which received 73 stations in our tests, and the $149 Antop AT-800SBS HD Smart Panel Antenna, which captured 68 channels in testing. 

However, the Zapperbox A1 is unmatched in terms of being able to reject weak signals, and the A1 can be used indoors. Plus, if you find you can't achieve the reception you want with the Zapperbox A1 indoors, then you have the option of putting it in the attic or outside. 

There are affordable options out there that can deliver decent results, but the A1 promises future functionality and placement versatility that no other antenna can match.

More from Tom's Guide

• This $12 TV antenna helped me finally cut the cord
• Forget 98-inch TVs — Formovie’s new 4K projector can hit a 150-inch max screen size
• Do you actually need Dolby Vision on your next TV? Here's the answer