What is the difference between amplified and non-amplified TV antennas? I’m getting rid of cable soon and will need to get an antenna for my TV. I’ve checked Best Buy’s online store, and they offer both types of antennas, but don’t give an explanation as to why I should choose one over the other. Should I be cheap and get the non-amplified antenna, or should I spring for the amplified?
I should note that I live in the city of Chicago, and so am very close to where all of the major television stations are broadcasting from in our area.
If you’re talking about set-top antennas (rabbit ears), you can get the non-amplified kind for $1-2. If that works, fine. If it doesn’t, it’s not much money wasted, so try that first.
What to do then, if it doesn’t work?
Amplified set-top antennas are a bit of a wank.
The idea behind amplified antennas is that it’s better to provide amplification at the source (the antenna) rather than at the TV set. That way, the signal from the antenna is less likely to be stuffed up by noise picked up in the cable between the antenna and the TV set.
But, the length of cable between a set top antenna and the TV set is negligible, and you wouldn’t expect the amplification to be of any benefit at all.
So. If the cheap rabbit ears don’t work, the next thing to look at should be an outdoor antenna.
The antenna picks up both signal and noise. The cable between the antenna and the TV set also picks up (mostly) noise and (a bit of) signal.
The TV set has an amplifier that will amplify whatever mixture of signal and noise that it gets. It also has filters to separate the signal from the noise.
For best reception, the idea is to maximise signal and minimise noise.
As some one who can get cable and does not have the proper line of sight for satillite and loves watching TV, I can speak from experance. Amplification seems to help alot for me. On a good night I can get channels way out of my viewing area. The FCC might not like that but i figure screw the FCC! Over lapping of shows can happen becouse of getting channels out of my area. It’s been my experance that over lapping happens rarely and the amount of channels that come in decent becouse of amplifing far out weighs the few over lapping and therefor scrambled channels. One night i was getting in 34 channels. 24 of them had a decent picture. For some reason channels come in much better at night. Hower I only can get 12 or 13 of them in reliably. Your milage may very of course. Over amplication can happen on all ready strong channels. this will create bars of distortion. Becouse of this make sure if you get an amplified antenna that it has a dial to control amplification. That way if a channel is over amplified you can turn the dial down and fix it. turning down the amplification can also fix over lapping channels. I would say an amplified antenna is well worth the money.
Another option is to buy a stand alone amplifier and run a antenna that does not have an amplifier through it. Radio Shack has a great stand alone amplifier for around $25 bucks and a good return policy if you decide amplification does not help that much. However I think you will agree amplification is da bomb.
Amplified antennas do work and make a considerable difference.
I live in a valley. Briefly, I was without cable as I waited for it to be installed after I had moved into a new place.
I bought $20 amplified antenna. I attached it and plugged it in and searched for what channels I could get. Then I unplugged the antenna and saw how reception was.
With the antenna plugged in, I could get six channels, unplugged: only one.
Over lapping of shows can happen becouse of getting channels out of my area. It’s been my experance that over lapping happens rarely and the amount of channels that come in decent becouse of amplifing far out weighs the few over lapping and therefor scrambled channels. One night i was getting in 34 channels. 24 of them had a decent picture. For some reason channels come in much better at night. Hower I only can get 12 or 13 of them in reliably. Your milage may very of course. Over amplication can happen on all ready strong channels. this will create bars of distortion. Becouse of this make sure if you get an amplified antenna that it has a dial to control amplification. That way if a channel is over amplified you can turn the dial down and fix it. turning down the amplification can also fix over lapping channels. I would say an amplified antenna is well worth the money.