Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Mohu taps military tech for its new SkyHD outdoor antenna, promises 1080p from up to 60 miles

Ian White
By

Mohu-SkyCutting the cord is becoming a hot topic again with yesterday’s potentially historic legal victory for Aereo, and a surge of new products to help you capture free OTA (over-the-air) HD broadcasts. Mohu has been busy this week with the release of its Jolt antenna amplifier and again today with the release of its new SkyHD outdoor antenna. At $190, the SkyHD doesn’t come cheap, and it faces some stiff competition from the DB8e antenna from Antennas Direct, but early results from our evaluation are showing it to be highly effective.  

The SkyHD is Mohu’s first multi-directional, outdoor/attic-mounted antenna and, at just 3 pounds and 1-inch thick, the should be an easy install.  

Recommended Videos

The folks at Mohu claim The SkyHD can pull in signals from as far away as 60 miles, thanks in part to a 15dB signal amplifier which can be powered by USB or DC adapter.  If those specs sound familiar, that’s because the  signal amplifier is essentially the Jolt bundled in the package. 

“The Sky antenna is closely related to the mudflap antenna developed for covert, wide-bandwidth, military communications by Mohu’s parent company, GreenWave Scientific,” said Mike Barts, Ph.D., Senior RF Engineer at Mohu. “The Sky belongs to a class of ultra-wideband antennas, which are inherently non-resonant and provide even performance over large frequency ranges. This is a big advantage for over-the-air (OTA) TV reception where the frequency range from high to low is more than 10 to 1. The Sky’s performance is remarkably consistent across the channels and we are extremely proud of it.”

“The patent pending Sky is a variant of an antenna developed for Naval Surface Warfare special applications and has no similarities to any HDTV antenna products on the market,” said Mohu Founder and President Mark Buff, Ph.D. “The design has inherent frequency independent properties, leading to optimized performance across the VHF and UHF bands.”

If the SkyHD works as well as the Leaf antenna in our extended testing, this may be a great way for those who live in apartments or with roof access to pull in some free HD broadcasts and save on their cable bill.

The SkyHD is already available for purchase and comes with 30-feet of coaxial cable, and mounting accessories.

Topics
Ian White
Ian White
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ian has been a full-time A/V journalist since 1999, covering the world of high-end audio, video, music, and film for Digital…
Best AirPods Max deals: New and refurbished for $440
A woman wearing the Apple AirPods Max.

Shopping the best headphone deals will turn up a number of options from a wide variety of headphone brands, but if you’re interested in what Apple has to offer in terms of premium audio, the Apple AirPods Max are where you’ll want to turn. The AirPods Max are Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, and while they churn out some impressive audio experiences, they also churn out a hefty price point. With the rumors of AirPods Max 2 going on you’ll be able to find some decent AirPods Max deals out there. We’ve done that hefty lifting for you, however, and have laid out the best AirPods Max deals below. You’ll find deals on both new and refurbished AirPods Max, but click quickly if one of these deals works for you, as Apple deals can be unpredictable and we don’t know how long these will last.
AirPods Max -- $519, were $549

The AirPods Max are Apple's first attempt at a set of over-the-ear headphones. They got a lot of things right. We love these headphones, even when compared against some audiophile options that prioritize sound quality. The AirPods Max have awesome noise cancelling. Everything Apple learned with the earbud-style AirPods works even better with the cup style of the AirPods Max. Along with great ANC comes a great transparency mode. With a twist of the Max's massive knob, you'll go from complete silence to feeling like you're not wearing headphones at all. The audio on phone calls is great as well, and they pair better with the iPhone than any non-Apple headphones could ever hope to.

Read more
Best AirPods Pro deals: Get Apple’s flagship earbuds for $122
The Apple Airpods Pro in their charging case.

Apple’s lineup of headphones has grown over the years. It currently makes a number of AirPods models that can be talked about among the best wireless earbuds. Among them are the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro are regularly in contention to be among the best headphones overall as well, and because of their popularity it can be difficult to track down AirPods Pro deals worth shopping. We’ve managed to find some out there, however, and below we’ve rounded up all of the best AirPods Pro deals you can shop right now. You’ll find discounts on both new and refurbished AirPods Pro models, as well as some information on why each model might be best for you.
Apple AirPods Pro (Refurbished) — $122, was $220

While there’s a newer model of AirPods Pro available, the first generation Apple AirPods Pro can still hold their own against some of the best wireless earbuds. Made for a slightly more premium user than something like the Apple AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro have higher end features, including active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, which allows you to hear and interact with the world around you while you have the headphones on. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is another impressive feature. This makes watching movies and other content a truly immersive experience. This refurbished model of the Apple AirPods Pro comes with free 30-day returns and a 1-year warranty.

Read more
Best Samsung TV deals: Save on 4K TVs, QLED TVs, OLED TVs, 8K TVs
A person watching a Samsung TV.

Sorting through some of the best TV brands is a great way to start a search for a new TV. Samsung comes in at the top of many people’s list, and the electronics giant has a lot to offer if you’re looking for a new TV for your living room, basement, or home theater setup. Samsung regularly kicks out some of the best TVs you can buy, and it offers some great value as well, as it regularly has models among the best TV deals. Currently you can find a number of Samsung TV deals out there. They include 4K and 8K TVs, as well as TVs utilizing a number of different picture technologies such as OLED and QLED. We’ve tracked down what we feel are the best Samsung TV deals to shop right now. Read onward for more details on how to save, and don’t be shy about making a purchase if you see a deal you like, as there’s no telling how long these deals will last.
Samsung 65-inch QN85C QLED 4K Smart TV — $1,300, was $2,000

We find the QN85C to be sitting at just about the perfect price for a TV right now, while still maintaining the qualities and freshness of a much more quality TV. While it is 4K, it uses mini-LED tech, which allows for fine-tuned light control. Remember that the best QLED TVs are typically renowned more for their brightness than contrast; this tech can tip that need for contrast in the QN85C's favor. Other great features of this TV include audio with Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound, 4K upscaling, and motion acceleration to keep fast moving content smooth.

Read more