Q: Which ways do I install white or black out

A: This is a "great" question Best Buy customer Bob! The idea behind the one side being white and the other side being black on this Winegard Indoor HDTV Antenna model FL-5500A (and also the Winegard FL-5000) was for the "interior designer" in mind. Some peoples' rooms are painted lighter and some rooms are on the darker side. My walls are painted off white; however, I have the "black" side of the antenna facing "in." I made that choice as my antenna is affixed to a window positioned to the "outside" of my vinyl blinds. My vinyl blinds are white so from the outside the white side of the antenna kind of blends in and you don't really see it. I "will" offer some advice with regard to mounting this antenna => 1.) This antenna's "factory" cable is an RG-59 cable--if you need to add an extension Coaxial cable, please make sure that it is an RG-59 and "NOT" an RG-6 coax cable as this can have a negative impact on reception as it did with me! 2.) Prior to installing this antenna, hold it up to the light with the "white" side facing you and you will see the "wires" inside of the antenna. I always try "not" to place the double sided mounting tape over these wires to enhance TV signal reception, but I don't know if it really makes any difference. 3.) If you are positioning this antenna in a "window" as high as you can go (this is the recommended method!), try to use "vinyl" blinds over aluminum ones as I have found that the aluminum blinds negatively impact the reception--particularly if the blinds are positioned between the antenna and the direction of the TV broadcast towers. Please don't forget to go on websites like TVFool.com (and there are others!) to identify the location and the distance of your TV broadcast towers and the TV stations that you should be able to receive and as the manufacturer of this antenna recommends every so often conduct re-scans. Sometimes your ability to receive channels increases when you conduct these periodic re-scans while other times existing stations change the way they broadcast their signal so you can "re-capture" them.

Q: Does this antenna screw into the back of the TV, using a female coax connection. I need a ability to attach the antenna this way, TV is a Sony HD 4K. thank you

A: Hello Best Buy customer Ted! As you know, but others may not, the Coax connector which is attached to the TV from the factory is a "male" Coax connection. This Winegard Flatwave FL-5500A Indoor HDTV antenna comes equipped with an integrated "female" connector so you will have no problem at all pairing the two. Please keep in mind that if you want or need to add a Coaxial "extension cable" to this antenna, my personal recommendation is to use an RG-59 Coaxial cable as this is the type of Coaxial cable incorporated into this Winegard antenna's design and connect both of those cables with a male--male Coaxial connector. Please see/open photo below. I have used "RG-6" Coax extension cables in the past and they certainly had a negative impact on broadcast reception! I did a GOOGLE search for you Ted and I entered the search term => Can a Winegard Flatwave FL5500a antenna be used with a 4k TV? Indication was made (as you can see for yourself) that this model of Winegard Flatwave Indoor HDTV Antenna is 4K ready! Please keep in mind that many product review organizations/sources rate these Winegard Flatwave antennas with the highest ratings.

Q: I live in Henderson NV.....I want to hook up a tv in my kitchen and bring in local tv channels. I am totally igniorant of what device to buy...or how to proceed. Please advise....thanks

A: Hello Best Buy customer dutchy1038! Although it is some 1 year and 8 months ago since you asked this question and you have most probably "already" chosen which course of action to take, I will attempt to offer the best answer which I am capable of providing as, perhaps, there are other Best Buy customers living in your area or in other locales across the nation who will benefit from learning of a way to optimize their chances of getting the best over-the-air broadcast reception with an amplified antenna such as this Winegard model FL5500A--or some other indoor HDTV antenna! The website which I use to determine the location, distance, and TV station names is TVFool.com. One can also conduct a GOOGLE search and enter the search term => Websites that help you determine over-the-air broadcast reception. You can also find websites like Antennaweb.org and other websites and other tutorials to assist you in the process. When I did a GOOGLE search for Henderson, Nevada, I was able to see that there are twelve (12!) zip codes for your area. The zip code I used as reference was 89012. While on the website TVFool.com you will see "check your address for free TV." Then, below that, click onto the words "click here." Then enter your zip code and the height that you will be placing the antenna--best to place the antenna in a window and as high as you can go. Then, click "find channels." Try to limit the length of the add-on extension Coaxial cable (if incorporated), make sure that it is an RG-59 Coaxial cable for "this" particular antenna, and try using "vinyl" mini blinds over aluminum ones as I have found that vinyl blinds distort the broadcast signal less. For your area (i.e., using the above zip code: 89012), I was able to see that with an "indoor" HDTV antenna someone living in this area could possibly receive as many as eighteen (18!) TV channels and with an outdoor/roof antenna possibly an "additional" thirteen (13) over-the-air broadcast channels. According to this website, most (but not all!) of the TV stations are locate nearly south/southeast of the zip code 89012. What is amazing to me, according to the TVFool.com website, most of the TV stations which one can receive with an Indoor HDTV antenna in that area are under five (5!) miles away--and many are less miles away than that, Your town of Henderson, Nevada must be near a "major" city! You might want to phone the Winegard tech support line at 800-288-8094 for additional product support, but if you are that close to your broadcast towers, you might want to consider purchasing the Winegard Flatwave FL5000 "non-amplified" version of this antenna which Best Buy also sells as if an antenna is too strong in the way it pulls in TV station broadcast signals it can work "against" you. Best Buy sells the non-amplified version and its Best Buy SKU number is: 2938649 . Please check things out prior to making any purchase. Happy over-the-air TV viewing Best Buy customer dutchy1038 and other Best Buy customers who may benefit from my attempt to respond to your great question.

Q: How's its reception in the hilly Chino Hills, CA area ?

A: Hello Best Buy customer Deedee! There are "several" zip codes for Chino Hills, California; however, the one which I used was 91708. I hope that this is somewhat nearby to where you live. I went on the website TVFool.com (and there are many others like this website which offer assistance in identifying which TV channels are "possible" to receive with an HDTV antenna, the distance, and the direction of the broadcast towers are from you. After entering the above zip code and indicating that I would place this Winegard Flatwave FL5500A antenna at a height of eighteen (18) feet, indication was made with an "indoor" HDTV antenna that it "may" be possible to receive as many as twenty-four (24!) over-the-air TV stations in your locale. If one were to use an HDTV antenna mounted "outdoors" there is the possibility of getting as many as an "additional" fourteen (14!) TV stations in your immediate area. While you are on the website TVFool.com or another similar website of your choosing, please make note of the distance that your broadcast towers are located from you and what direction they are located. People believe that purchasing the most expensive/amplified version of an HDTV antenna is the best choice; however, if your broadcast towers are not that far from you an amplified antenna "can" work against you--in terms of providing interrupted reception performance. Try placing this antenna in a window as high as you can go and try "swapping" your aluminum mini blinds (if you are using them) with "VINYL" blinds in the window that this antenna is placed in. My broadcast towers are mostly South--Southwest of me. I live in a condominium cul de sac and adjacent buildings stand in the path of my signal. I have my antenna placed in an "Eastbound" window and I get some 45+ over-the-air channels. The amount of over-the-air TV channels you are potentially able to receive is really great as well. Please keep in mind that everyone's experiences are different and that even atmospheric conditions like rain "can" negatively impact one's over-the-air viewing experience--although not by a whole lot. Please don't forget that you can supplement your TV viewing enjoyment/experience by connecting a laptop to your TV if they both have an HDMI port or you can also use a streaming device. You would have to configure the TV and computer settings so that the image on the TV screen fit properly; however, there are a lot of "FREE" Internet based viewing options out there. I get a lot of enjoyment going on YouTube.com and playing the music videos. There are lots of songs that I've heard over the many decades, but now I am finding out that I never knew all of the "actual" words contained in those songs--after all of these years! To sing along with the selections, I will go on GOOGLE and enter the song's title followed by the word "lyrics" and while the song is playing on one search engine, I am able to view the words on another. There's also a lot of TV programs available in their entirety and other forms of entertainment. The range for this Winegard Flatwave FL5500A model is up to "50" miles; however, there are many variables which affect reception! The "non-amplified" version of this Winegard indoor HDTV antenna is model FL5000. If you ever want to amplify the signal for the Winegard FL5000 to make it have the same functionality of the Winegard FL5000A (amplified version) you can add Winegard's product known by model number LNA-100 Boost. This LNA-100 Boost amplifier can only be used with "non-amplified" antennas. Before giving up, I would phone the knowledgeable and caring people of the Winegard corporation at 1-800-288-8094. They really care about their products! You have indicated that you've tried other brands of indoor HDTV antenna; however, this Winegard model (and the non-amplified version) are top rated by a lot of sources--and for quite some time.

Q: I live in a mobile home with metal siding, will this antenna get reception?

A: Hello Best Buy Customer pd! I am the "right" person to ask this question--for "several" reasons! I do not have cable TV nor do I stream from Netflix, Hulu Plus, etc. I live in a condominium development where buildings adjacent to my unit could potentially block the over-the-air TV broadcast signal and I live in a rural area with tall trees, etc. Your goal, respectfully offered, should be to "maximize" the performance of an indoor HDTV antenna--if you cannot mount an HDTV antenna outside of your mobile home. I will answer your question under the assumption that you are restricted to the use of an "indoor" HDTV antenna. I may be wrong for making this assumption! It is best to place the antenna in a window as high up as one can go. I have found that having aluminum mini blinds (versus "vinyl" mini blinds) negatively impacts broadcast reception--vinyl blinds are better I have found. Next, I would suggest that you go on websites like TVFool.com (and there are lots of other websites!) and enter your zip code and if given the opportunity enter the height that the antenna will be mounted and you can find the direction of your broadcast towers and also the distance that they are located from you and the specific TV stations that are mentioned. Keep in mind that purchasing the most expensive (i.e., amplified) antenna "may not" always be the best option to suit your needs. If you can receive some of the major TV stations with a "non- amplified" indoor HDTV antenna, for example, and you opt to get an "amplified" antenna to pull in the weaker stations, you could lose or distort the reception of your stronger stations (a.k.a. the larger networks). Also, please keep in mind that some of the top rated indoor HDTV antennas like the Winegard brand model FL-5000 (non-amplified) or the Winegard model FL-5500A (amplified) incorporate an RG-59 Coax cable. If you need to add an extension to the factory cable, please use an RG-59 Coax cable and not an RG-6 Coax cable as I found that this negatively impacts signal reception--at least, this was my experience! Try not to make the extension cable (if needed) too long. So...the short answer to your question is "Yes" there is a possibility of your being able to get TV reception in a mobile home; however, this is probably the most difficult question of all to answer as there are so many factors involved! If you need to make an extension to your antenna's factory cable, you will also need a female--female Coaxial coupling. Winegard's tech support phone number for home antennas is 1-800-288-8094. The tech/product support people there have been extremely helpful to me over the decades and they sure are knowledgeable about their products. Thanks for your question pd as your outreach will help a lot of other Best Buy customers I am sure!

Q: Will this work with a Roku3 I currently have hooked up to tv? Is installation straight from box or do I need to purchase additional cables etc? I do not like purchasing something only to find out I needed cables or something else to make it work.

A: Hello Best Buy customer Ms! This Winegard Flatwave FL-5500A Indoor HDTV antenna works "independent" of the Roku 3 media streaming device. The only commonality they share is their need for the TV's screen for program viewing. I went on YouTube.com and I entered the search term => "Roku 3: Unboxing & Review". This Online video tutorial is 14:32 minutes in length; however, there are other instructional videos concerning Roku 3 setup as well. You will need to add an HDMI cable as from what I've read this Roku 3 does not come with one. Indication is made that an HDMI cable will enhance your viewing experience. They say that to do the initial set up you'll need to conduct Internet browsing. You will also need a router to connect wirelessly. There are also minimal Mbps requirements. I did not stop there in my attempts to address your concerns! I conducted a GOOGLE search and I entered the search term "What is needed for best performance of Roku 3?" That "search" led me to the awareness of the website support.roku.com and there is a great deal of information provided "directly" from the manufacturer of this media streaming device--information from setup guides, program availability, ways to view "free" programming, etc. I hope that my attempts to answer your question help a little! Happy viewing Ms! (P.S. Please don't forget that the Roku 3 unit has a re-set button just in case you want or need to set the unit back to factory default settings and begin the setup process all over again! Please refer to the photo I have provided below--the tip of the pen points to the location of that reset button.)

Q: Three questions. 1. How does it mount 2. Has anyone in Chandler AZ area had any luck with it? 3. What's the return policy at Best Buy if it doesn't work??

A: Hello Best Buy customer elisern! Thank you for asking this question as a lot of people are "cutting the cable" these days and there is a lot to enjoy with over-the-air TV station viewing. First, I ask that you please accept the fact that TV broadcast reception questions are probably the most difficult ones to answer with accuracy as there are so very many variables involved which can have a negative or positive influence on one's TV viewing experience. Your 1st question concerning how does it mount. I have heard from many sources (and it has also been my experience) that the best place to mount this Winegard Flatwave FL-5500A Indoor HDTV antenna is in a window--facing in the direction of where most of your TV broadcast towers are located; however it does "NOT" have to be! For example, I live in a condominium development in a rural area with lots of tall trees. So, already, I have at least "2" strikes against me--buildings blocking my broadcast signal path and tall trees as well. Most of "my" TV broadcast towers are South--Southwest of me yet I have my Winegard Flatwave FL-5000 (non-amplified version of this FL-5500A) antenna positioned in a window which faces "EAST!" I am able to easily pull in 45+ channels. Some are audio only and some are shopping channels which I choose not to watch. Some would believe that having a more expensive (i.e., amplified) antenna is better than a "non-amplified;" however this is not always the case. Place this antenna as high up as you can and use "VINYL" blinds over aluminum ones as, many times, the aluminum blinds can have a negative impact the TV broadcast signal. This antenna comes with 3m Command strips which are double-sided adhesive that are designed to easily be removed with no damage to paint, etc.--you just pull on a designated part of the adhesive strip (at least the product description states this and I have had good results with the 3m Command Strips in the past as well). I've even heard that this antenna can be laid flat on a table, but I haven't tried this. Now...about your Chandler, Arizona location and what you can expect from the use of this or other HDTV antennas. I did a little research for you. I did a GOOGLE search for your location and Chandler, Arizona must cover a lot of territory as there are "lots" of zip codes for this town. I used the zip code of "85225" as a location of reference. I went on the website TVFool.com which is just one of the websites people use to identify TV Broadcast matters. If you go on that website, you will see the words => "Check your address for Free TV." If you scroll down, you will see "If you'd like to check your location click here." I entered the above zip code and I then entered the height where I would position the antenna (N.B. your antenna's placement height may be different!). I selected 18 feet. Then I clicked on => "Find local channels." You will then see the words => "Loading terrain & transmitter bases." There are over-the-air HDTV channels shown in green, yellow, and red areas. Those channels in the "GREEN" areas are TV channels that one should be able to get with an "indoor" HDTV antenna; however, please remember that there are no "guarantees!" TVFool.com for the zip code of 85225 (Chandler, Arizona) shows that there are 20 channels that "could" be received--again...with an "indoor" HDTV antenna. The TV channels shown in the yellow and red areas are for attic and rooftop mounted HDTV antennas and indication is made that there is a possibility of receiving yet an "additional" eleven (11) over-the-air TV channels. Finally, for your last question, according to Best Buy's website for this item the return policy would be 15 days, but please confirm this with the store or Best Buy's Internet sales representatives.

Q: We're can I buy an extension for this antenna?

A: Thank you for asking this question Best Buy customer Rick as a detailed answer will most probably help a lot of other people! Respectfully offered, "prior" to even considering the purchase of an "extension" for this antenna, please know that the "TYPE" of Coaxial cable incorporated into the design of this Winegard Flatwave FL-5500A Indoor HDTV antenna is an "RG-59" Coax cable and "NOT" an RG-6 cable! I made the mistake of using an RG-6 Coaxial cable as an extension cable and it truly had a "negative" impact on my ability to pull in TV stations' broadcast signals and maintain consistent performance of many of those that I could easily get. The best answer to your question is to conduct a GOOGLE search for => RG-59 Coaxial cable with female connectors. You can also specify the approximate length that you want, but make sure that the cables which you are thinking about purchasing already have the connectors incorporated into their design--unless you want to add them yourself. They say that the gold plated connectors (or gold in color!) are the best, but I don't know that for certain. Please keep in mind that it's best not to make your extension cable too long in length. Also, this Winegard Flatwave FL-5500A Indoor HDTV antenna has an amplifier. There are two (2) ways to connect this amplifier. One is by using a USB cable connected directly to your TV. With this type of connection, the antenna's amplifier will turn off when the TV does and it "may" extend the life of the antenna's in-line amplifier. If your Coax "extension" cable is longer, you may have to connect its amplifier by using the amplifier's A/C adapter and you may need an additional A/C extension power cord for that. I have provided a photo below for your review Rick which shows the male--male Coax cable connectors which are necessary if you are going to add an RG-59 Coaxial cable extension. I cut the cable long ago and I receive some 45+ over-the-air TV channels and I hope that you have a similar enjoyable TV viewing experience. Please don't forget to go on websites like TVFool.com (and there are many other websites!) to identify the location (i.e., direction), distance, and available stations in your area, and also remember to periodically conduct "re-scans" to optimize your TV viewing experience.