BOOSTER ANTENA TV OUTDOOR TV
Have you noticed that many long-range directional TV antennas-like the RCA ANT751R-don’t come with a preamplifier? When Do You Need a TV antenna Amplifier?įirst, let’s talk about when you won’t need an amplifier. Normally you’d use either one of these, although there are situations where you might consider using both, which I describe further below. Unlike a preamplifier you attach to an antenna outside, a distribution amplifier is usually located indoors (e.g., directly after the coaxial cable enters the house and before or after the splitter)
BOOSTER ANTENA TV OUTDOOR INSTALL
A distribution amplifier boosts the signal in conjunction with a splitter device that you install in order to split the signal among multiple televisions.A preamplifier attaches directly to the mast or TV antenna itself, and boosts the signal immediately received by the antenna.
A TV signal booster is actually an amplifier. What makes terms relating to antenna amplification confusing is that people often use different words when they mean the same thing.įor example, people talk about boosting their reception, so they call it a TV antenna booster, or an aerial booster. – below I give some loss of the signal scenarios along with estimated loss numbers. This means it can add up to 22 dB of extra gain – for UHF signals – to offset any losses (“signal attenuation”) along the line caused by a lengthy cable, distant transmission towers, etc. Since you can use this thing to power both a VHF and UHF antenna at the same time, it offers two different (max) gain figures for these frequencies: 16 dB for VHF and 22 dB for UHF. (Elsewhere on this site I’ve also talked about “antenna gain (dB)” but that’s a different kind of gain - it’s basically the passive, receptive power of the TV antenna itself based on its own design.)Ī good preamplifier that I always recommend to people is the RCA TVPRAMP1Z (shown below). The power it’s adding to the signal is referred to as amplifier gain, which is measured in decibels (dB). You normally install an amplifier by attaching it somewhere along the line from your antenna to your TV, and then plugging the amplifier in to an AC power outlet. They strengthen your already-received signals, but they won’t help you get broadcasts you otherwise wouldn’t receive at all (say, from another country or from an alien galaxy). Notice I said, “travelling down your antenna or along the coaxial cable.” That’s key to understanding amplifiers. Do Amplifiers Work? What is a TV Antenna Amplifier?Īn amplifier is a device that strengthens the televison signal travelling down your antenna or along the coaxial cable to your TV or converter box.When Do You Need a TV antenna Amplifier?.
I’ve personally found that a TV antenna amplifier has improved my TV reception by increasing the number of available channels.īy some estimates, a properly installed amplifier can help you get up to 10-20% more channels.īut they won’t work in all circumstances, and may even hinder your reception in some cases.īelow, I’m going to describe where and when it makes sense to use an amplifier, as well as situations when you shouldn’t.
In this case, you might’ve considered getting a TV antenna amplifier.Īn amplifier is an AC-powered device that applies electric current to your antenna coaxial cable to boost your TV signal and improve reception under certain conditions, and it functions for various antenna types.įor example, if your TV antenna is located indoors and is weakened due to the walls of your home, a TV antenna amplifier works as a signal booster and can increase your reception quality.īut are TV antenna amplifiers the magic bullet for all reception issues? *As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases when you buy through links on our site.Īt one point or another you might’ve experienced reception problems and wondered how you could pick up more channels.
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