My digital box also doesn’t work well. Best estimate I got for an outside antenna install was $350. Not going to happen.
With analog TV, I recieved 19 stations, with the D-box, I get 3, and one of those comes and goes depending on the weather.
My digital TV and the one with the converter work so poorly that I seldom watch. It’s so frustrating. I miss analog and I’m NOT going to go out and get an antenna.
What kind of antenna do you presently have, and how far away are the TV stations?
You don't have to get an antenna that is "made for digital TV". In fact many are small antennas with built in amplifiers. If the signal is weak, it will amplify the weak signal (interference and all) and still give bad reception.
Antenna "surface area", distance to the TV station's transmitter, and the direction your antenna is pointed seem to be the main three factors.
Here is a page that will let you see where the TV stations are near you, how large of an antenna you'll need, and which way to point it.
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspxYou only need to enter your zip code to get a general idea, but to be specific put your (or your next door neighbor's) address in.
For an explanation of antenna type you would need, click on the link inside the color(s) shown on the results page.
Obviously you would need an antenna large enough to receive the weakest channel you would want to watch (if my wording makes any sense, it's late).
Okay kids, that's my take on TV antenna 101, feel free to pick apart my mistakes, but please be gentle.