Maybe it was a good idea to push the DTV switch date back after all.  We know that millions of people weren't ready for the switch on its original February date. However, it seems like a lot of those people spent the early part of 2009 clamoring for equipment, not just the digital converter boxes and digital televisions themselves, but the antennas required to make them work, particularly in outlying areas where reception can present a challenge. Manufacturer Antennas Direct just made an announcement that their first-quarter sales were up a whopping 224 percent over last year.

It sounds like someone was doing a lot of post-holiday shopping. Of course, now that the analog cutoff date has been pushed back (to this month, actually), the extra time seems to be translating into extra sales.

Either way, it's a pretty sweet feat, considering the state of the economy. Or maybe, because of the economy?  As consumers tighten their belts, they're taking a long hard look at expenses.  Paying $40 to $100 a month for cable or satellite TV?  Sure, no problem when money was flush, but is so-called "Pay TV" really worth the cost when times are tough?  Maybe not when less expensive alternatives exist.

Instead of forking over your hard-earned cash every month you can pick up a digital converter box (subsidized by the government via the DTV coupon program) and get local digital channels for free.  If you already own a digital SDTV or HDTV, then you probably already have the right tuner.  And then all you need is a suitable antenna.  And that's where Antennas Direct comes in.   

Antennas Direct offers a wide array of indoor and outdoor antennas optimized for DTV reception.  And with all of that free press pumping up the DTV transition, it looks like they've been in the right place at the right time. Now this former one-man operation has transformed itself into a multimillion-dollar business.

That one man, Richard Schneider, president of Antennas Direct, says that educating the public has always been one of the company's biggest challenges. "But people are beginning to understand -- not in technical terms, but results -- that there is a difference among antennas when it comes to digital reception," he says. "Our sales in first quarter of 2009 totaled over $2 million, which is more revenue than our company made the entire year of 2006."

The company has also added revenue by branching out in its distribution. At the end of 2008, Antennas Direct made an announcement that the ClearStream line would be available at Best Buy stores nationwide, in addition to online channels such as Amazon.com.  Will the money train keep a'rolling even after the DTV transition rush subsides?  Only time will tell...   

Where to Buy:

• Antennas Direct Antennas on Amazon.com

Also Check Out:

• Antennas Direct Unveils ClearStream Convertible Indoor DTV/HDTV Antenna
• HDTV Antennas Get Smart Courtesy of Antennas Direct
• How To Watch HDTV Channels for Free with an OTA Antenna