The net result was a tiny indoor antenna with surprising pulling power.
Tests over the last year have indicated that television sets with indoor antennas generally cannot receive a reliable digital picture.
Rabbit-ear indoor antennas have been used, but heavy interference from the steel bars makes for awful reception.
As for indoor antennas, most are equally ugly and less effective.
A few indoor antennas have come on the market that are both handsome and powerful.
The alternative of indoor antennas used to be unsatisfactory.
The difference is smaller than one would expect, attesting to the new indoor antenna's effectiveness.
But until now, no one had run an organized series of tests indoors, using inexpensive indoor antennas.
Often, reception can be cleared up instantly with an electronically amplified indoor antenna.
Most consumers will then be able to use just a small indoor antenna to watch digital TV.