Will a 13db preamp help my signal?
 

Hi,

First time posting here so thanks in advance for answering my question. I have put a Digiwave 8 bay antenna in my attic. The reception is way better than I ever imagined and I'm getting 21-22 channels including the American stations (I live just outside Toronto).

I get NBC on and off. Typically there is no trouble getting it in the afternoon but at night it is often inaccessible. I'm thinking about installing a preamp that will give a 13db boost to the signal. Here is the unit: Channel Master 3042

This is my TV Fool report: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...46ae99b41c155a

I'm choosing this unit because it's only $20 as opposed to the $100 units that create 30db boosts. All I want to do is be able to access NBC more consistently.

Do you think this will work?

You should not expect an amplifier to do the job of an antenna. Also, don't expect an amplifier to compensate for a less than ideal antenna mounting location.

The primary role of an amplifier is to overcome loss in cable and splitters. It may also overcome some of the noise produced inside the tuner.

Go ahead and try if you like... But if we lived next door to one another, you'd see an antenna above my roof, not blocked and hindered by the building and close proximity to the electrical noise inside the house. I might also add an Antennacraft Y10713 for reception of real channels in the range of CH-7 through CH-13.

If I added the Y10713 I would opt for an RCA TVPRAMP1R preamplifier mounted outside with the antennas so that it can drive all of the cable in my system.

BrooklinOTA,

GroundUrMast makes excellent points.

I'll add that a concern I'd have in adding a preamp in your situation is the strong local signals you have. GUM's suggestion of the RCA preamp is excellent because of it is more forgiving of overloading. However, those stronger signals depending on your tuner could lessen reception. It is something to brace for. He is also spot on in that a preamp isn't an extension of an antenna. It primarily overcomes system loss.

The digiwave 8 bay, appears to be Solid Signal Xtreme Signal HDB8X copy. Before I spend any money, I'd take the antenna outside and perform some tests. Through testing determine if NBC reception becomes reliable or not. Attics are bad news for TV reception overall. You are introducing a solid object between antenna and signal. You are doing well even seeing NBC in my opinion. Normally anything below 15 db can be unreliable in an attic installation.

For the reliable reception out of Buffalo, the 8 bay antenna ought to be outside mounted on your roof free of obstructions pointing at about magnetic 170 for testing purposes.

You can likely point right at Buffalo and maintain your Toronto local reception. You might even gain a US signal or two.

Regards.

Wow, that's an old one.... It's been discontinued for quite some time.

Actually, Digiwave has been selling it for quite some time. Solid Signal just started selling it late spring or early summer of 2013. If you want to go in business selling it yourself, you can order it directly from China (min order 1K pieces). See http://www.qiaohua.com/products/AV-0948DT.htm

Follow up
 

Thanks for the great replies.

Yes I have the antenna pointed directly at the Buffalo stations and I get the Canadian stations just fine. The Digiwave antenna is the ANT7285: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...cafb2dfbbden02

I ended up getting this unit on a boxing day deal at my local shop: http://www.durhamradio.com/tv1001-10...io-canada.html

I installed it and I get NBC solidly at all hours now! I also picked up one more channel and none of my other channels were compromised.

Many thanks for the help and looking forward to watching the ball drop tonight!