The Best TV Antenna Signal Amplifiers from an Installer

This video highlights three of the best antenna preamplifiers (aka signal amplifiers, signal boosters, ect) for three scenarios. Keep in mind that not everyone needs a preamp as setting one up in a strong signal area can lead to overload.

NOTE THAT MOST OF THESE MODELS ARE NO LONGER IN STOCK. You can find an updated list of recommended preamps at the link below:

All outdoor antennas need to be properly grounded per NEC regulations. Below is a guide but I will be posting a video demonstration in the coming weeks:

Subscribe to my channel and do not hesitate to ask any questions about antenna recommendations, preamps, and grounding.

🔌 Did my videos help you cut the cord? If so, consider a PayPal contribution, Patreon, or a Channel Membership:

For an antenna recommendation visit my website:

Sign up to my e-mail list:

Like my Facebook page:

Note: this video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission.

[AntennaMan]

📡 Also note that an amplifier is only as good as the antenna. If you don't have the right antenna no amplifier will help. You can sign up for an antenna recommendation from me below:

[johnnyrocco]

You're a good guy for helping the older friend on fixed income. The world could damn sure use more people who think of others, not just themselves.

[GodManCan]

Tyler, I started out my electronics career working on televisions, radio & audio amplifiers many many years ago. I even worked for a company that repaired & aligned TV tuners. Very few people in this world can do what you do, especially when it comes to RF. Your knowledge & wisdom is greatly appreciated. I'm sure that most of those who subscribe to your channel would echo back to you my words. The general public doesn't understand & would not want to put in the endless hours needed to break down & convey what you do in your videos. You are providing priceless knowledge to those that watch your channel. Keep up the great work!

[wakzy]

Excellent job, Tyler. Cannot beat experience. I am a retired antenna installer, among other talents, and the stories I could tell. Glad to see the world is in good hands with your expertise. Thanks for the videos.

[Techno.Junkie]

I’m a retired electronic tech, fixed TV’s, stereo’s & installed antennas in the 79’s, then a Field Engineer fixing ATM’s, Financial & Retail systems for 38?years. Love watching your videos, I’m currently renting a bottom floor apartment in Glens Falls, NY. Landlord let me install a Clear Stream 2Max under the eve, also tried a Clear Stream 4Max but the 2Max works better, go figure, gotta love RF. Installed the Onn Antenna Amp mentioned in this video, it helped with a couple Albany stations, 52 miles away, didn’t want the higher gain models as we have a couple low power repeaters locally 5 miles away. Keep posting the videos & stay safe.

[TexasScout]

Thanks for making mention of grounding the antenna, back in the early 80s I lost several of these preamplifiers due to lightning close by but not on the antenna. One other problem I have found out here in the rural areas is interference from powerlines. Until I became a ham radio operator I had no idea how much powerline interference was going on at my residence. Once that was solved, TV cleared up quite a bit.

[DyLemmaOG]

months later after finally giving an expensive preamp a try, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! The difference is insane. I was using cheap china PBD 25-30$ preamp, bought a channel master medium gain which ran me about 70 bucks, and I saw about a 40% signal improvement. I went from about 50-60% signal on channels I struggled with, to 85-100%. Just want to spread the word, do not cheap out on antenna equipment, unless you literally live 20-30 miles away from high powered towers, then you can obviously get away with cheap stuff. In my case, the towers were 2 edge and 56-60 miles away. I went through 4 antennas and 1 crappy preamp, now I have a great setup with a wineguard platinum and channel master medium gain :D very happy

[MalhelHall]

Great job Tyler. You are very knowledgeable and cover all the angles. Terrific having someone like you out there in internet land helping us less knowledgeable folk. From Ottawa, Canada.

[davidwood]

Thanks to you I have finally cut the cord. I went with GE indoor pro crystal HD amplified antenna. I live in Dallas Fort Worth and I am currently able to get 67 channels. One thing I found out was the coax supplied with the antenna is not good, I doubled the number of channels by changing to a better cable. This will save me almost $3000 a year. Thank you.

[Columbus]

Thanks Tyler, I have one of those cheap "HD" antennas with amplifier mounted in my attic, I was getting over 40 channels but two network channels were weak and pixelating. The amp was installed at the TV end of the cable, so I moved it to the antenna end (on the antenna), where as you say it amplifies actual signal, it worked! The two network channels now lock in crystal clear, and I'm up to over 50 channels.

[richardbrunelle]

Absolutely the best antenna info I've seen. It proves somethings I already knew and raised questions about stuff I didn't. Thanks Antenna Man!

[russsimmons]

I live in the backwoods of Mississippi outside of Tupelo. I wasn't getting the stations that I wanted on my Channel Master antenna. I took your advice and tried the Onn powered amplifier. You're amazing dude. I can now get the channels that I actually put the antenna up for.

Edit: Just recently I lost my channels. Somehow, and I don't know how, water got into it and ruined it. When I pulled the boot seals off of the cables they were wet. I installed everything correctly and somehow water got inside the unit on the pole.

[patrickbullock]

In addition to an FM trap, I would also recommend an LTE filter, even if the amp has one built in. Place the filter between the antenna and amplifier.

[MrAmkrd]

Whoa!!! I didn't know radio shack was still alive online!! That's huge. I used to buy from that store for all this kind of stuff, and was lost when they all closed. Thanks for the info . Keep em coming.

[terrytruth]

Thanks for the info. Bless you for helping the Elder. TV means so much to them as they become less mobile.

[davenwin]

The RCA preamp you showed is one I used for 9 years, before I had to move. I don't need it for full market Chicago stations, but needed it for most low power stations from Chicago. My last antenna setup was separate VHF and UHF antennas, Antennacraft CS600 (all VHF channel) for VHF and the Antennas Direct DB8 for UHF. I bought this preamp, simply because it allows me to hook up separate VHF and UHF antennas into one preamp. I dread the day when I have to replace my VHF antenna, because of Antennacraft being out of business, and they were the only manufacturer that made separate VHF and UHF antennas, and while I don't really need the Antennacraft CS600 antenna in Chicago, my eventual plan is to move to Milwaukee Wisconsin, and I need it there for WIWN 68 because they're on RF 5. In Chicago, WOCK-CD 13 on RF 4 change networks on their subchannels frequently, that I sometimes want that station. I need a preamp for this station, because I otherwise cannot pick it up, due to their signal only transmitting at either 300 watts, or 810 watts (under ATSC 3.0, they're supposedly going to 3kw). If it weren't for the LPTV UHF stations in Chicago being directional, with less signal going towards Indiana, I wouldn't need a preamp, because unlike VHF not being powerful enough in digital, the 15kw UHF signals are strong enough to reach my home, but the preamp gives it the boost it needs.i like the RCA model you showed, and hope it stays around indefinitely, as I want to continue with using separate VHF and UHF antennas.

[ladafnda]

Thanks Tyler, you have encouraged me to pull out my homemade antenna from 09. At the time i lived in Aurora CO. I had found on YouTube a video on how to make an antenna with a 2' 2x4 and hangers. of course everyone said - that wont work. I was able to pick up everything, i never went to cable. Then I moved to Evergreen CO, again everyone said you have to have a dish to get anything up here in the mountains, hmm I had to prove them wrong, again my 2x4 & hangers worked.
Left Colorado in .14 now I am in West Branch, Iowa 52358, tougher area cause the stations are in multiple directions. Surprisingly I can pick up about 28 channels, some are pretty weak with no pre-amplifier, although the channels are lets say not much to watch.
The tv I have is a Insignia 55" NS-RC03A-13, yes it is a bit old.
Which preamp or tuner would you recommend for an in door antenna zip code 52358

[bruceb]

I have been working with TV Antennas since the 1950s and just came across your channel. I usually agree with your conclusions and reviews. For preamps noise figure is the most important specification since it determines how much the amplifier degrades the signal to noise ratio and the lower the noise figure the better. If we only look at that then the best three preamps would be the Kitz Technologies KT-200-COAX, which is what I use now (noise figure 0.4 dB), the Winegard Boost XT (noise figure 1 dB), which I have not used, and the Channel Master CM-7777 which I have used in the past (noise figure 2 dB). You indicate that the Winegard is not reliable which leaves the other two. I know I had a Channel Master preamp up from 1984 until 2004 without any problem so I would rate it as very reliable. I have only used the Kitz Technologies amplifier since 2012 but with no problem so far. It has been the best preamp I ever used in terms of pulling in weak signals.

[mothman-jzug]

Your video is excellent - and useful. I really appreciate you producing this! As for Radio Shack, they fell victim not to a recession, but to their own poor marketing strategy. They were once an excellent source of electronic parts and, as you pointed out, for antennas, amps, etc. HOWEVER, they became primarily just another cell phone store in an already glutted market. Come on, you can wear a blindfold and find a cell phone store in 3 minutes or under in most areas. Antennas, etc? Not so much...Radio Shack was the source until they decided being the 743rd cell phone retailer on the block was the way to go.

[kevinjones]

Got rid of the onn amplifier and got a better amplifier and helped my channel strong now cant complain now hopefully ill get more soon