If you have trouble getting your local TV channels, an HDTV antenna amplifier can help clean up your fuzzy picture and garbled sound. Even with the switch to a digital broadcast, it’s still entirely possible for your over-the-air (OTA) to suffer from poor reception. Depending on how your cable is set up, an antenna amplifier could be the cure. There’s a popular misconception about how TV amplifiers work, and it’s important to keep in mind that it isn’t a guaranteed fix. We can help you figure out whether the best HDTV antenna amplifiers can help you upgrade your basic cable, and help you pick the right one for your home.
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You are watching: The 7 Best HDTV Antenna Amplifiers for a Better Signal
The Expert:
Before we start talking about all the ways that HDTV antenna amplifiers can improve your TV setup, we need to establish what they can and cannot do.
HDTV antenna amplifiers counteract poor picture and sound on local TV broadcasts caused by a degraded cable signal, which may occur when you use an extra-long run of cable or a line that runs through multiple splitters on the way from the antenna to your TV. They are not range extenders, so they will not help you pick up new channels or improve the signal quality of channels at the edge of your antenna’s range.
While an antenna amplifier can enhance the quality of your signal, it may not be necessary or even effective in every situation. If your signal’s fuzzy because of a signal obstruction like a large tree near the antenna or because a channel’s out of range, it will not improve things.
In fact, using an amplifier could worsen your antenna’s reception by overpowering strong signals, causing increased noise or pixelation. It can also generate unwanted interference and noise from nearby electronics or other broadcast channels, degrading the quality of the picture.
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We recommend assessing the signal strength of your antenna before buying an amplifier. Check the locations of nearby broadcast towers and signal coverage maps to figure out what channels you should receive, and which ones are on the edge. You can also check Antennaweb.org, which will tell you the signal strength of free over-the-air channels available from local television broadcasters. If you’re getting a fuzzy picture on every channel, make sure your antenna is placed as high as possible, without any physical obstructions that could prevent it from getting a clear signal.
You should also take stock of how much cable you’re running, and if you plan to split the signal to multiple TVs in your home. A signal can weaken over a long cable run-we’re talking hundreds of feet. If you need over 100 feet of cable to hook up all the TVs in your home, make sure to use a high-quality coaxial cable to help minimize signal degradation. Taking these steps should give you a good idea of whether you’d benefit from an amplifier.
If you find that you need an HDTV antenna amplifier, it’s a small, affordable, and relatively easy upgrade to install. Before you run out and buy the first one you find, there are some important technical considerations that you should keep in mind to ensure it works as intended.
There are two types of HDTV antenna amplifiers-preamplifiers and distribution amplifiers.
Preamplifiers, or “mast amplifiers,” amplify the signal before it runs through the cable to your TV. Mounted on or close to the antenna, preamplifiers generally have a higher “gain,” so they boost the signal more. If you have an outdoor antenna, make sure you buy a preamplifier designed to withstand the elements.
Distribution amplifiers work more like extenders. You install them mid-way between the antenna and your TV to boost the signal and prevent signal degradation. The output ports in a distribution amplifier will all have the same strength signal available, but the actual signal boost (gain) is determined by the number of outputs on the amplifier. The amplifier provides a fixed amount of gain, so the signal boost weakens with each cable you add.
Gain, measured in decibels (dB), indicates how effectively an amplifier can enhance the signal running from the antenna to your TV. The higher the gain value, the greater the amplification. In general, a gain of around 5 to 15 dB should sufficiently bolster a decayed signal without amplifying noise and other interference.
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Typically, your cable signal will weaken by 5 dB for 100 feet of cable it passes through. If the signal is weak when it comes out of the antenna, it may become too weak for the TV to decode. In extreme cases, it may even be too weak to amplify with a distribution amplifier.
You only want to add enough gain to counteract the degradation from the extended cable. Some antenna amplifiers come with adjustable gain, allowing you to fine-tune the amplifier to your specific requirements.
Many antenna amplifiers feature several ports, allowing you to enhance multiple cable lines. This is helpful if you’re getting a fuzzy signal across many TVs throughout your home. Make sure your amp has enough ports to accommodate every cable you want to boost. Keep in mind that the amp will be less effective as you add more cables, as it only has so much gain. If you’re boosting many lines, make sure to look for a more powerful amplifier.
TV stations use two frequency bands to broadcast in the US-Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF).
VHF signals can travel long distances and penetrate obstacles, including buildings and trees, relatively well. The frequencies range from 54 to 216 megahertz, and cover channels 2 to 13, with each VHF channel allocated a specific frequency within this range. For example, channel 2 is typically assigned a frequency of around 54 MHz, while channel 13 is assigned a frequency of around 216 MHz.
UHF signals typically have shorter wavelengths and are more prone to interference from trees and other obstacles. That said, UHF signals can generally carry more data and are less susceptible to interference from other electronic devices. The frequencies range from 300 to 3,000 megahertz, with channels typically numbered from 14 to 83. While most TV stations use VHF, some stations have shifted to UHF in crowded markets.
Antenna amplifiers strengthen the broadcast signal as it goes through your cable, so they will amplify whatever signal your antenna picks up. That said, you should consider your antenna’s frequency support when assessing whether or not you need an antenna amplifier.
To select the best TV antenna amplifiers, we consulted Lynn Claudy, senior vice president, technology, at the National Association of Broadcasters. Claudy explained the ins and outs of both antennas and amplifiers, helping me understand how they work and how to judge good from the bad. With his insights, we selected a wide range of amplifiers based on user feedback, professional reviews from publications like CNET and BestReviews, and previous coverage from Popular Mechanics.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
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