If you live way out in the far country, you really should get the best TV antenna booster for rural areas.
When my sister first moved to the rural areas to be with her family, I was excited. Because having a nice chilled place to rest whenever I could get the time, I could also learn more about TVs and how they worked in different areas. In fact, it wasn’t a surprise when she called me asking for the best tv antenna booster for rural.
If you live way out in the far country, this post is for you. First, you really should get the best TV antenna booster for rural areas even if your smart TV is connected to the best TV antenna for outdoor. From my experience, most rural areas will have obstructions due to terrain, building materials, and mountains, making it difficult to get a strong signal. It doesn’t help that most broadcast towers are in urban areas, thus a long-range TV antenna may also come in handy.
You should first decide whether you want a mast amplifier or an indoor amplifier. A mast amplifier is basically a preamplifier that enhances the TV signal as it comes through the antenna. On the other hand, an indoor amplifier is a distribution amplifier that is usually used to strengthen the signal through a signal splitter supplying multiple TVs. The latter is better if you have multiple TVs, but a mast amplifier is ok if you only need to boost one TV’s signal.
So, which is the best TV antenna booster for rural areas?
7 of the Best TV Antenna Booster for Rural Areas
1. Best Overall: Channel Master Ultra Mini Distribution Amplifier
Specifications
- F-type connector
- Single port output
- ATSC 3.0, NextGen TV, and 4K UHD broadcast ready
- Compatible with all TV antennas
- Supports digital and analog broadcast signals
After reading through a handful (I get obsessed) of the 3,000 Amazon reviewers, I agree that the Channel Master Ultra Mini Distribution Amplifier is the best overall. One of the reasons is its compact size and lightweight. It weighs only 5 ounces and measures 3.5” x 2.5” x 1”, so it can be discreetly installed. Another reason is its versatility, as it can work with any TV antenna except, of course, a satellite antenna and supports HDTV, analog, and digital signals. It is also ready for a 4K UltraHD broadcast.
The Channel Master amplifier is made of durable metal that is weather-sealed and covered with a powder coating to prevent corrosion. As such, it can be installed either indoors or outdoors. It uses an AC/DC power connection and a 6,000-volt surge protector. This amplifier gives your channel signal a 15dB gain with a noise figure of less than 2dB, which is quite reasonable at its price point. It is also easy to install and perfect if you just need a simple signal booster for your TV.
This is what my sister got, and I haven’t had a complaint about lost TV signals ever since.
2. Best Budget: GE Indoor Antenna Amplifier
Specifications
- For indoor use only
- Low noise amplification
- Enhances UHF and VHF frequencies
- Compatible with any non-amplified TV antennas
- Supports full HD broadcast
I get it, the price point for the Chanel Master Ultra Mini Distribution Amplifier can be a little out of reach, so I wanted to check which antenna will give the best quality at an affordable rate. Thus, my pick for the best budget antenna booster is the GE Indoor Antenna Amplifier.
Although it’s affordable, the amplifier is compatible with any brand of passive TV antenna. However, since it is designed exclusively for indoor use, you can only use it with your indoor antennas. It will still give you clear signals free from pixelation and fuzziness, reduce noise interference, and compensate for cable signal loss.
This indoor amplifier is compatible with both UHF and VHF signals and can also improve digital TV signal reception. It is quite simple to install. Just connect the amplifier to your indoor antenna, fix its power adapter to a nearby outlet, run a channel scan, and enjoy your improved viewing experience. Every purchase of this amplifier comes with a limited lifetime warranty and free technical support for US customers.
3. Best Runner Up: Winegard LNA-200 Boost XT HDTV Preamplifier
Specifications
- Maximum gain: 18dB
- Noise figure: 1dB
- Enhances UHF and VHF frequencies
- Compatible with any non-amplified TV antennas
- It can be paired with any streaming device
Coming in as a strong second-best HDTV antenna amplifier is the Winegard LNA-200 Boost XT HDTV Preamplifier. It is best used along with a non-amplified TV antenna to offer a clearer signal and enhanced signal reception range. This antenna features the TwinAmp Technology that amplifies both UHF and VHF signals separately, giving you a maximum gain of about 20dB. It also features Winegard’s Boost Clear Circuit Technology which not only lowers the noise to about 1db but also reduces signal dropouts and pixelation.
This preamplifier is outdoor-ready and can be paired with your streaming devices for maximum programming. Powered by a USB power cable, it also comes with a 110V adapter. It has adequate protection from voltage surges to ensure its longevity. With such great features, it’s easy to see why it would be my second pick. In fact, I would have recommended it to my sister.
After all, the antenna has the capacity to really upgrade your viewing experience when paired with the right antenna and with the correct installation.
4. Best for Multiple TVs: Antennas Direct 8-Port TV Distribution Amplifier
Specifications
- Maximum gain: 4.5dB per port
- Noise figure (average): 2.7dB
- Enhances UHF and VHF signals
- Compatible with indoor and outdoor antennas
- Supports both analog and digital broadcast
It’s normal to find a couple of TVs in a home, so if you need to connect multiple TVs to your antenna without compromising signal quality, then you should get the Antennas Direct 8-Port TV Distribution Amplifier. As its name suggests, you can connect a maximum of 8 televisions or digital converter boxes to this amplifier.
Further, if you have more than 50 feet of coaxial cable between your antenna and converter box or TV, you should certainly get this amplifier. While signal splitting does cause some signal loss, this amplifier counters that loss by boosting the available signal.
This feature is so effective that its eight ports get a 4.5dB gain at a noise figure of about 2dB. This amplifier can be used for analog, digital RF, off-air, CATV, and HDTV distributions, a testament to its versatility. While it is recommended for indoor use, you can take it outside, provided you have a waterproof F-connector and weather boots to protect the connections.
5. Best Underrated: ANTOP Smart Boost Amplifier
Specifications
- Built-in 4G LTE filter
- Adjustable power boost
- Enhances UHF, VHF, and FM signals
- Compatible with any TV and passive antenna brand
- Supports full HD, 4K Ultra HD ready
For all the features it offers, the ANTOP Smart Boost Amplifier has to be the most underrated TV antenna amplifier. This compact amplifier measuring 2.75” x 4.6” x 0.98” has dual outputs that allow simultaneous connection to two devices. Antop’s exclusive Smart Boost System upgrades these dual outputs so you can connect to multiple devices by increasing the amplifier strength of the antenna.
This built-in power booster can adjust the gain upwards to a maximum of 14dB, and you can turn it down as far as you want.That’s not all. the amplifier has a built-in 4G LTE filter that blocks both 3G and 4G cellular interference.
As expected, this reduces image distortion and lowers noise to less than 3dB for better image quality and FM audio quality. Installation is easy with this lightweight, 12.3-ounce amplifier which also comes with two 5-foot cables, wall anchors, an AC/DC power adapter, and an instruction manual. So with all these features, you can see why I feel that this affordable amplifier is grossly underrated.
6. Best LTE Filter: Channel Master Amplify Adjustable Gain Preamplifier
Specifications
- Adjustable gain: 30dB (high), 17dB (low)
- Noise figure: less than 2dB
- Blocks LTE interference up to 5G
- Compatible with indoor and outdoor antennas
- Ready to support ATSC 3.0, NextGen TV, and 4K UHD broadcast
You will no longer have to be concerned about LTE interference with the Channel Master Amplify Adjustable Gain Preamplifier. Since mobile carriers tend to operate on frequencies that come close to those of broadcast TV, they can cause interferences that weaken TV signals and cause pixelation or even channel loss. Many amplifiers simply enhance this disruption but not the Channel Master Preamplifier.
Luckily, the Channel Master Amplifier has built-in LTE filters that clear out all interference, including those caused by cellular 3G, 4G, and 5G signals. It works so well that it’s regarded as a professional-grade amplifier. Thus, with this adjustable dual gain amplifier, you can choose between a high gain of 30dB and a low gain of 17dB as you determine which one gives the best signal reception quality.
The amplifier’s die-cast, weatherproof metal housing facilitates both indoor and outdoor use requiring two powering options. For indoor use, there is a USB power cube or USB cable that can be connected to a 5V 1.0A USB port on your TV or set-top box. For outdoor use, a USB power inserter can be used with your coaxial cable to power the amplifier via a power adapter and injector.
7. Best Versatility: Antennas ClearStream Juice Preamplifier
Specifications
- Maximum gain: 17.5dB VHF and 19dB UHF
- Noise figure: 1.8dB
- Enhances UHF and VHF signals
- Compatible with outdoor, long-range antennas
- Supports full HD broadcast
Whether in cities, suburbs, or rural areas, the Antennas ClearStream Juice Preamplifier will certainly enhance your signal quality. It’s compatible with outdoor antennas, so you can install it at the antenna and use a coaxial cable to power it remotely. It has a high-efficiency power adapter making it energy-efficient. Its power can be harnessed so that your tuner won’t be overloaded.
The amplifier has a durable, weatherproof metallic housing with a grounding lug just in case you plan on using it outdoor. Integrated LTE filters in the amplifier protect your TV signal from cellular interference that causes image distortion and lower the noise to about 1.8dB.
The Abtebbas ClearStream Juice preamplifier enhances weak signals and makes up for inevitable signal losses that occur along with long coaxial cables of up to 100 feet. This results in impressive gains of 17.5dB and 19dB for VHF and UHF signals, respectively. Installation is easy as the amplifier comes with all you would need to set it up, plus an instruction manual.
Best TV Antenna Booster for Rural Areas FAQ
1. How exactly does a TV antenna booster work?
The quality of your antenna’s signal reception will depend on factors like distance from broadcast towers, signal obstructions caused by the area terrain, and even the weather. To boost your TV signal, an antenna booster will receive signals from the antenna through a matching transformer and amplify them.
Once amplified, their frequencies will be adjusted before the signals are sent to the TV receiver. This way, you will receive clear signals from what would have otherwise been distant or weak channels. As such, antenna boosters are great for rural areas where towers tend to be far and signal obstructions plenty.
2. How do I install my antenna amplifier?
Once you have found the best TV antenna amplifier, installation is pretty straightforward. First, unscrew your coaxial cable from your TV and connect it to the ‘input’ port of your antenna amplifier. Leave the other end attached to the antenna connection. Next, get another cable and connect one end of it to the ‘output’ port of the amplifier and the other end to your TV. Plugin your amplifier to its power source, and you should be good to go.
3. What is a TV antenna preamplifier?
A TV antenna preamplifier boosts your TV’s signal just as it comes from your antenna. It is located just before the point of signal attenuation, hence the name ‘preamplifier’. This means that your TV signal is amplified at its strongest point before any signal loss or entry of noise, as happens over long coaxial cables. That way, it is the signal rather than the noise being amplified, ensuring a better quality viewing experience. As such, an antenna amplifier is typically placed at the mast to catch and amplify signals immediately as they come through the antenna.
4. Can I use a TV antenna preamplifier and amplifier simultaneously?
Yes, you can use a preamplifier and amplifier on the same antenna. You only need to ensure that both get power without blocking each other. For instance, if you install an amplifier between a preamplifier and its power source, the amplifier will block the preamplifier’s voltage, and it won’t work. There are many configurations to avoid voltage interruptions, so perhaps you should consult a professional during the installation of both the amplifier and preamplifier.
