HDTv Antenna LabsAll About HD Antennas
HDTv Antenna LabsThe role of an amplifier in over the air TV reception is often overestimated. It is important to understand that an amplifier is not an automatic remedy to poor reception and is always less important than antenna placement and directivity. No amplifier can compensate for a poor antenna placement. No ampifier can make an indoor antenna as good as an outdoor antenna without an amplifier. And no amplifier can make an omnidirectional antena as effective as a directional antenna pointing towards the broadcasting towers.
There are not so many outdoor amplified antennas out there. Sometimes you need an amplifier for an outdoor antenna, of course, but in this case the best approach is to get a pre-amplifier and mount it on an antenna mast. There are several very good pre-amplifiers on the market. IMHO, Channelmaster 7777 is great and is far superior to any built-in amplifier.
If you still want to have an outdoor antenna and an amplifier in one package, I would go for Terk HDTVo. It has a built-in amplifier with 12dB gain, and has been reported by many to be quite useful even in a blue zone. Check the reviews.
As for amplified indoor HDTV antennas - there is a plenty of them. With a great level of confidence I would say that Winegard SS 3000 is the best choice. I am not a fan of indoor antennas at all, but if you have a reason to choose an indoor model, take SS-3000. It is not as spotty as highly directional log-periodic models (Terk, Samsung, Philips and Zenith) and has an ability to pick very weak signals. Terk HDTVa is another popular option and is not bad for its price and size.
The table below lists amplified HDTV antennas.
| Antenna | Placement | Directivity | Amplifier | Band | Area | Total Reviews | Average Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winegard GS-2200 | Outdoor | Bi-Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | Green | 2 | 4.5 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Terk HDTVo | Outdoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | Blue | 159 | 4.1 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Terk HDTVa | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 976 | 4 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Magnavox MANT300 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 1 | 4 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Winegard SS-2000 | Outdoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | Blue | 27 | 4 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Winegard MS-2000 | Outdoor | Omni | Yes | VHF/UHF | Green | 31 | 3.9 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Samsung TV5.4 SAX | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 4 | 3.8 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Winegard SS-3000 | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 177 | 3.8 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Terk TV-5 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 153 | 3.7 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| GE Max Stealth TV94757 | Outdoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | Light Green | 3 | 3.7 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Terk HDTVlp | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 45 | 3.6 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Terk TV-3 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 11 | 3.6 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Samsung TVDA1000 | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 2 | 3.5 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| AntennasDirect LacrosseA | Outdoor | Directional | Yes | UHF | 11 | 3.5 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| PowerQ PowerHD-100 | Indoor | Multidirectional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 34 | 3.5 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Jensen TV-931 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 9 | 3.3 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Jensen TV-631 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 4 | 3.3 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Lava 2605 | Outdoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | Red | 22 | 3.3 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| Philips MANT950 | Indoor/Outdoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 33 | 3.2 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Terk TV-44 | Outdoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | Green | 27 | 3.1 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
| RCA ANT1250 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 44 | 3.1 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Philips PHDTV3 | Indoor | Directional | Yes | VHF/UHF | 177 | 3.1 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| Philips SCP050 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 7 | 3.1 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| RCA ANT150 | Indoor | Multi | Yes | VHF/UHF | 1 | 3 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices | |
| RCA ANT711 | Indoor/Outdoor | Multi | Yes | UHF | 7 | 3 | Read reviews | Write a review | Compare prices |
The term "antenna gain" is related to antenna directivity. It has nothing to do with a gain of an amplifier that may be built into the antenna. Both figures, antenna gain and amplifier gain, are specified in dB units and are often confused. Large directional antennas have very high gains but typically don't have a built-in amplifier whatsoever. Make sure you unerstand the specifications.
If you are located in a violet or pink zone (Here is the explanation of CEA color zones) you need an amplifier in addition to a large outdoor directional antenna. As far as I know, there is no antenna with a built-in amplifier suitable for violet and pink zones reception. In violet/pink zone, you will need a separate pre-amplifier that can be mounted on an antenna mast, such as Channelmaster 7777 or similar.
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