Hi-Def Old School Television

What's the best way to receive your hi-def programming? Rabbit ears. No, really. An old school antenna. The catch? Um... it's free. It's free and better quality. Some catch.

High-def channels can be plucked out of thin air by antennas just like regular broadcast signals - no cable, no satellite dish, no monthly bill, no waiting for the cable man. It's like the old days, except this time antennas (which cost between $18 and $150) may offer the clearest picture. "More than 90 percent of our customers say they want the antennas for high-def," says Jerry Chapman, owner of online dealer SolidSignal.com, which ships "thousands of antennas." The downside - and it's a big one - is that antennas can only pick up the broadcast networks, not cable channels like ESPN or HBO.