With more and more television broadcasters transitioning their signals to high-definition (HDTV), consumers are slowly but surely upgrading their televisions to enable the new HDTV signals. Since many cable and satellite providers still only offer a handful of high-definition signals, subscribers are often hesitant to spend the extra $400 or $500 necessary to purchase their provider’s high-def decoder boxes, a necessary hardware component to enable the television’s high-def signal.

Indeed, those who do not subscribe to cable or satellite at all would certainly be out of luck in relation to HDTV, unless they were able to pull the high-def signal from the airwaves. This is why a device such as Humax’s “HDTV Tuner” (Model # HFA100) is an important component at present, as it allows users to draw an HDTV signal using an external antenna, just like in the old days, when rooftop antennas dotted the landscape of suburban America.

The best thing about using an HDTV antenna and set-top tuner is that your local broadcast stations’ HDTV signals then become absolutely free, with no cable company charges, or expensive programming upgrades needed to draw true HDTV into one’s living room. HDTV becomes a one-time investment of around $200 for Humax’s tuner, in addition to the cost of an HDTV-capable antenna from another vendor.

The downside of this approach to enabling HDTV is that users may not be in range of an over-the-air HD signal, and if their proximity to the signal is borderline, their reception may be spotty. Although a high-def signal is either “off-or-on,” the signal can certainly fade as reception ebbs and flows, making for some times of blank space if the signal is weak for a period of time.

Humax has found a market niche for its “HDTV Tuner,” but receiving and tuning a high-def signal over the airwaves can be fraught with frustration. As long as purchasers are aware of the pitfalls of using and HDTV box in association with an antenna, this may well be an excellent option for many users who are not willing to shell out for monthly cable or satellite service or for the cable or satellite company’s expensive HDTV hardware.