It looks like something from a Mars Rover. But will the Antennas Direct Clearstream 2V live up to its sexy appearance? In part one of our review, we took a look at the latest version of the Clearstream 2. We've carried the Clearstream 2 for some time, and this update adds VHF-high to its already-impressive UHF capabilities. Our friends at Antennas Direct say this little baby's got a 50+ mil range, so let's put it through its paces.
It's not very likely that you would use this antenna inside if you had a choice. It's little large especially with the addition of a VHF dipole. However, if you didn't have a way to mount it outside, or if you thought it had a "modern art" quality to it, you probably want to know how it performs when used inside.
My test area was the same that I've been using to test the HD-BLADE antenna. I'm using a cheap TV and I'm over 50 miles from the towers. I connected the Clearstream 2V using our Razor-Thin Cable and laid it down flat, in the spot where my HD-BLADE performed best. I then did a channel scan and hoped for the best.
Obviously, you wouldn't want a UHF antenna to sit flat like the picture above shows, but if you were using it for just a short time you might put it on a desk to see what you got.
The results speak for themselves. I got roughly 15% more channels with the Clearstream 2V. Of course it's about 6 times bigger so that's not a huge surprise. What is a surprise is that it did so well laying down. No question this is a powerful antenna and it's a good choice for those who are looking for a smaller package that's well suited to life outdoors.
In our final review of the Clearstream 2V we'll put it outdoors in its natural habitat and test it against a much larger outdoor antenna.