A good amplifier can rescue weak stations and long cable runs, and the wrong one can make reception worse. Here's when you need one, which type to buy, and the preamp, distribution amplifier, and filter we recommend from Winegard and Antennas Direct.
The best TV antenna amplifier for most people is the Winegard Boost XT (~$52): a mast-mounted preamp with 18 dB of gain and a very low 1 dB noise figure.
Near a cell tower, add the Winegard LTE/5G filter (~$20). To feed several TVs, use the Antennas Direct JUICE4 (~$60) distribution amplifier instead of a passive splitter.
An antenna amplifier doesn't pull in stations your antenna can't receive. What it does is make up for signal lost after the antenna, in long coax runs and splitters, and it lifts weak signals above the noise your TV's tuner adds. Use this as a quick guide:
There are two kinds, and they solve different problems. A preamplifier mounts on the mast right at the antenna and boosts the signal before it travels down the cable. It's the one that helps with weak, distant stations. A distribution amplifier goes indoors where the cable enters the house and splits the signal to several TVs while making up for the splitter's loss. If your signal is weak and you have several TVs, you may want both: a preamp at the antenna and a distribution amp inside.
| Product | Type | Gain | Noise figure | Solves | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winegard Boost XT | Mast preamp | 18 dB | 1 dB | Weak, distant stations; long cable runs | ~$52 |
| Antennas Direct JUICE4 | 4-output distribution amp | 8.5 dB per output | — | Signal lost splitting to several TVs | ~$60 |
| Winegard LTE/5G Filter | In-line filter | — | — | Cell-tower interference | ~$20 |
We only recommend amplifiers that are sold new on Amazon with solid owner ratings. Several well-known preamps are discontinued, sold out, not sold new on Amazon, or have weak owner reviews, so this list is deliberately short.
A low noise figure is what separates a good preamp from one that just makes the noise louder, and the Boost XT's typical 1 dB is excellent. Its TwinAmp design amplifies VHF and UHF separately to reduce interference between bands. The power inserter and wall adapter are in the box, and power travels up the coax, so there's no extra cable to run to the roof.
Worth knowing: Winegard says it's for non-amplified antennas only, so don't use it with an antenna that already has a built-in amp. There's no built-in LTE/5G filter; add the Winegard LTE/5G filter if you're near a cell tower.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.A passive four-way splitter costs each TV roughly 7 dB of signal. The JUICE4 replaces it and adds 8.5 dB to each output instead, so every TV gets at least as much signal as it would with one TV and no splitter. It's weatherproof and can mount outdoors under an eave or indoors where the cable enters the house.
Worth knowing: it makes up for splitting, not for a weak antenna. If your stations are weak at the antenna, add a preamp like the Boost XT too, and put the JUICE4 after the preamp's power inserter.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Cellular LTE and 5G signals now sit just above the TV band, and a nearby cell tower can swamp an amplifier, causing pixelation that comes and goes. This small filter goes in-line between the antenna and the preamp (or the TV) and blocks those signals before they reach the amplifier. If you can see a cell tower from your roof, it's cheap insurance.
Worth knowing: it doesn't add any gain, so it won't help with weak stations on its own. Put it before the amplifier, not after.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.For an indoor antenna on a short cable, a separate amplifier rarely helps. If your stations are weak indoors, an antenna with a built-in amplifier, like the Winegard FlatWave Amplified in our best indoor TV antennas guide, is the simpler fix. Don't add a preamp to an antenna that's already amplified.
Still missing stations after adding a preamp? The antenna itself may be too small or aimed wrong. Check the headings on our pointing map and see our long-range antenna picks.