Hello I have searched for my answers and found some info spread around.
I am buying a new 1080p plasma tv. I hate not being able to see dark scenes that is why I am going plasma. Even the old CRT or tube tv's are better for watching Batman, etc. All the dark scenes you are unable to see them on lcd. Also I am not rich and the plasma's are much lower cost!
My zip code is 22033.
As I said I live on the top floor of a 3 level apt. complex next to the Greenbriar shopping center. I am wondering if I want to receive the most/best stations should I buy or build a antenna?
Amplified or not?
Let me know if I am leaving anything out.
Thank you in advance for all the wisdom!

Look to see what fooltv recommends. You are close enough to being able to maybe use an indoor anetnna but it depends in which direction your place faces compared to the towers in DC.

Do you have any kind of cable service (Internet)? If so, just plug the coax into the TV and scan for digital cable - you'll probably get most of the chs you'd get OTA without the hassle of an antenna.

Does your 3rd floor apartment face east or have windows on the eastern side of the building? If you have a decent line of sight towards NW DC and Baltimore along almost the direction from your location and being on the 3rd floor apartment, a good non-amplified indoor antenna could do the job. However, you will need an antenna for upper VHF, not just UHF, as WJLA-DT ABC 7 and WUSA-DT CBS 9 are switching from UHF to their upper VHF 7 & 9 analog channels after midnight on February 17, 2009.

I wish other companies besides Terk would sell a Silver Sensor UHF antenna combined with VHF rabbit ears. The Silver Sensor is a good indoor UHF antenna; I've been able to pick up the Baltimore stations with one from the 3rd floor of my townhouse in Sterling, not just the DC stations. If you can find one, try the Terk HDTVi (i is the non-amplified model). Or if you can borrow one, you could try a cheap tabletop VHF rabbit ear and UHF loop antenna setup.

I live in the north end of Sterling in a townhouse. I currently get 18 digital stations over the air with a Channel Master 4221 4 bay bowtie UHF antenna and a Winegard upper VHF antenna in my attic. When WNVC-DT 56 in Fairfax goes back on the air and WPXW-DT takes over WUSA-DT's current UHF 34 antenna in DC on Feb. 18, I expect I should get those OTA as well. (I can only get WPXW-DT 66 in Manassas by aiming my antenna southward, losing the Baltimore stations).

For information about the DC and Baltimore stations, check the Washington DC & Baltimore local thread at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=793124&page=244.

I do have two windows on the opposite side of the apt. I am pretty sure they face NE.
When my new Panasonic Plasma arrives I will try just the coax cable as a antenna and then maybe some other antennas.

Keep in mind that unlike Analog tuners Digital tuners can receive two strong a signal and if they do you will get nothing just the same as when they receive two week a signal/

two strong ...two week a signal/

or... too strong, too weak :D

or... too strong, too weak :D

Must have had a senior moment.

How would I receive too strong a signal?

By using an amplified antenna when an amp is not needed.

Or just by having a outdoor antenna that is designed for use at a much further range from the transmitters then you are.