The Antop 800SBS is a multi-directional TV antenna designed for UHF and VHF reception of local over-the-air broadcast channels.
A kit with metal brackets is included to mount the antenna on a roof, side of a house, or inside an attic. There is an adjustable amplifier you can use when you are struggling to get a clear signal from a distant broadcast tower.
Using an amplifier when you are too close to broadcast towers can over amplify your signal, and prevent you from watching the channel.
In my case, I chose not to use the amplifier because I am close to a few broadcast TV towers. I’m also pulling in OTA signals from over 40 miles away.
The AT-800SBS has an adjustable amplifier that Antop also sells as a standalone product. SBS stands for Smart Boost System. The Antop 400-BV outdoor antenna uses a smaller amplifier (called the Smartpass Amplified system) that you can easily switch on and off.
The Antop AT-800SBS was released in 2020, but still has a very relevant, and well-made design for today. The antenna has the same dimensions and overall design as its predecessor, the “Big Boy” 400BV. Both models weigh just under 10 lbs.
Specifications:
- Best Placement: Outdoor or Attic, but includes stand for indoor use
- Use cases: Good for rural areas, suburbs and metro areas with a mix of UHF and VHF broadcasters. Capable of reaching weak signals
- Antenna Reception: Multi-directional
- Receives Bands: Hi-V, LO-V, UHF
- Amplification: Adjustable Dial Smart Boost Amplifier System
- Frequency Range: 87.5-230 MHz, 470-700 MHz
- Gain: 18-28 dB
- Max Output Level: 100 dBμV Max
- Impedance: 75 Ω
- Noise Figure: ≤2 dB
- Weight: 9.83 lbs
- Dimensions: 10.83 x 6.5 x 22.44 in
Antop AT-800SBS vs AT-400BV
The key difference between the AT-800SBS and the AT-400BV comes with its amplifiers. Both amplifiers have a built-in 4G LTE filter that blocks 3G and 4G wireless signals that can impact digital TV reception.
Antop sent me a AT-800SBS to review from where I live in Boston. I am including recent results from testing the 400BV in Maine and Los Angeles for comparison.
Antop AT-800SBS Design
The Antop AT-800SBS is a smart panel antenna built to receive both UHF and VHF signals.
The body of the antenna has a vertical rectangular shape. It is made of heavy duty plastic with a weather-resistant finish. The antenna comes with two VHF rods that screw into a pair of mounting holes in the back of the panel. The poles are positioned horizontally just above the halfway point of the panel like the arms on a scarecrow.
The size of the antenna is similar in height to other outdoor TV antennas that I have tested.
The AT-800SBS is about two feet tall and includes a pre-installed metal bracket for mounting to a pole or the side of a house.
Antop says that the antenna can be used indoors. A stand is included for using the antenna indoors. But the AT-800SBS is made for outdoor use given its size and the mounting bracket.
Antop AT-800SBS weather resistant finish
Just like the 400BV, the AT-800SBS has the same waterproof, and weather-resistant finish.
The antenna includes 40 feet of coaxial cable that is coated with a rubberized finish, and a weather-resistant hood surrounds the coaxial port that connects to the antenna.
The rubberized hood and finish on the coaxial cable is a real plus if you live in an area that has routine harsh weather.
The weather-resistant finish and hooded connection points makes these outdoor antennas very useful in coastal areas where salt air can corrode metal antenna elements over a short period of time.
The rubberized hood covering the end of the coax cable tucks into a slot on the antenna so that no metal components are exposed to the outdoors.
Antop AT-800SBS Setup
To get the best performance out of the Antop 800SBS, you want to maximize your elevation. You should also make sure it’s pointed in the direction of the majority of towers in your area.
There are two ways to mount the Antop AT-800SBS for maximum elevation. You can mount this antenna on a roof peak or side of a house. The easiest way to do this is to remove the metal bracket from the backside of the antenna.
Once the bracket is screwed into the wall or roof peak, re-attach it to the antenna using the fastening bolt.
To maximize reception from distant over-the-air broadcast towers, I mounted the Antop AT-800SBS on the roof of my home. I bought a 38-inch mast pole made by Winegard. The 800SBS does not come with a mounting pole.
The metal bracket and mounting hardware included with the AT-800SBS makes attaching the antenna to the Winegard pole fairly easy.
Using the mounting pole also helped when it came time to re-position or adjust the direction of the AT-800SBS for the best reception. The roof peak was about 30 feet from the ground. The 40-foot cable dropped straight down to the ground floor.
Inside my garage, I had the antenna connected to a Tablo OTA DVR, an over-the-air DVR that makes OTA channels available across Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV-supported devices.
Performance
The company claims that the AT-800SBS has an 85-mile range, and is “4K Ready” with support for ATSC 3.0 also known as NextGen TV.
There are some important caveats, and marketing-speak to address on this front. I have found that receiving signals being broadcast from 50 or 60 miles away is more realistic based on the testing I did in Southern Maine.
As for “4K” broadcasts, you don’t need a specific antenna for NextGen TV broadcasts. You need a compatible TV tuner for ATSC 3.0, and currently no broadcasters are airing programming in 4K.
Here are my testing results from the AT-800SBS. I am including results from its sibling model, the Antop 400-BV “Big Boy” model, which has been tested in Los Angeles and Maine.
The performance between the two antennas are – in my opinion – comparable based on their near identical design.
Massachusetts reception
The AT-800SBS had no problem picking up more than 68 channels from nearby broadcast towers surrounding my home in Boston, and further UHF stations in Rhode Island.
I mounted the AT-800SBS to the Winegard pole, which was installed at my roof’s peak about 30 feet above ground.
My new channels with the AT-800SBS included an ABC affiliate out of New Bedford, Mass., which was on the UHF band more than 30.25 miles away.
An NBC affiliate out of Providence, Rhode Island more than 30 miles away also comes in crystal clear.
When facing the antenna north, I wasn’t able to get the ABC affiliate in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is on the VHF band. That station’s tower is roughly 50.5 miles away. However, three sub-channels on the UHF band from that same tower came in just fine.
Overall, I was pleased with the channels that I was able to get at this location.
Los Angeles, Calif. reception
I got some assistance with testing the Antop 400-BV in Los Angeles.
My brother and his son installed the Antop 400-BV on the roof of their home near the beach. The majority of the towers were on Mt. Wilson about 31 or 32 miles away.
Using materials around the house, they created a pole with some PVC pipe that was anchored by a five-gallon bucket.
In Los Angeles, a number of stations are still broadcasting on the VHF band, including the local FOX and ABC stations. (NBC and PBS are on the UHF band.)
They had previously tried an indoor antenna, which got them more than a dozen channels. The indoor antenna got them the local FOX and ABC stations.
With the Antop they get about 175 channels (Channels 2-64). The added channels included stations for local news and sports, including the majority of NFL games available in their market.
I was curious about whether they could get anything beyond 30 or 40 miles – so I asked about whether they could get a PBS station in San Bernardino that had a tower about 64 miles away. They couldn’t get a signal from that station.
But they still had a dramatic improvement with their channel lineup – mostly thanks to the VHF elements on the antenna, and by placing it on the roof.
Maine reception
When I tested the Antop 400BV a few years ago at my in-laws located in York County in Southern Maine, I was able to get 30 channels – mostly out of the Portland area. Those towers were located between 36 and 38 miles away.
And there was one New Hampshire station that was 53 ½ miles away that we were able to get. The channel itself wasn’t anything great, but it demonstrated that channels in the 50 mile range were definitely possible.
Conclusion
Based on all my testing, the 800SBS is a good buy if you want free over-the-channels from local broadcasters using UHF and VHF bands, including HI-V and Low-V.
It’s reasonable to assume you can get signals from about 50 miles away if you are mounting the 800SBS outdoors on a rooftop or inside an attic.
Of course, the local terrain and obstacles such as mountains, power lines or tall trees can impact your signal.
This review merits the Antop 800SBS being listed under the best indoor and outdoor TV antennas that I have tested.
