Do they have constant noise and Artifacts in the picture? Does the picture stop completely and come back after a few seconds? Does he stutter Ton in the car radio or do you have no reception at all? Sounds like they need an antenna booster. With an antenna booster, weak radio signals in the car and at home can be amplified in such a way that your end device, for example your television or car radio, has reasonable and clear reception again.
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Basic information about antenna amplifiers
Antenna boosters serve a simple purpose: to turn a weak input signal into a strong output signal. With a good old analogue Radio This principle can best be explained: If, without the signal amplifier, strong noise and interference impair the listening pleasure, the reception is crystal clear after the antenna amplifier is switched in.
Signals transmitted through the air (terrestrial) are not only used by FM Radios used: SAT amplifier for improved satellite reception, cable amplifiers to improve cable television or radio reception and DAB aerial amplifiers for digital car radios. If video signals are to be transmitted from one room to another, a TV amplifier, which transmits the amplified television signal from one room to the other without interference, is often an option with long cable lengths.
An amplifier cannot do magic, but it can do many things better
One of the basic principles of radio technology is: Even the best amplifier makes a bad one Signal no good. Therefore, with the installation of an antenna amplifier, another positioning or another antenna should be considered. It is also crucial for the later reception quality that possible interference is minimized: the large number of WLAN devices with more or less good radio shielding, which are set up by the thousands in Germany every day, cause a large number of interferences.
Digital and analog signal amplification
It is relatively easy to check the quality of analog signals: everyone is familiar with the phenomenon of a hissing radio. Either the transmitter is too far away, the antenna is still retracted and there are strong interferences: There are many reasons why a Radio may be hissing on FM or AM reception. If the reception conditions are optimal and possible sources of interference are excluded, an antenna amplifier can improve the signal directly and noticeably: looped in between the antenna and Radio it directly ensures clear reception with significantly less or no interference noise. The same effect could also be observed with analogue television in the past – however, this has been completely switched off in Germany for some time.
Digital signals, on the other hand, behave somewhat differently in the event of interference: Short interruptions occur here with low signal strength, and the sound or image playback completely breaks off quite quickly. For radios, a DAB antenna amplifier should be interposed here.
For video signals, for example via satellite or DVB-T, disturbances in the input signal become noticeable through so-called “artifacts” in the picture: the picture freezes, individual parts of the picture are shifted or the picture freezes completely. Such problems can be solved with a satellite amplifier or a cable amplifier; It is not uncommon for poor television reception to be caused by an old or weak domestic installation. If a satellite amplifier or a cable amplifier cannot solve this problem, you as the homeowner should either consider replacing the internal antenna cable or inform your landlord about the poor television reception.
In the cable network in particular, the signal strength is also decisive for the data transmission rate of your DSL connection via cable: the same interference signals, only invisible to you, can also have a decisive effect on the data transmission rate of your DSL line; Here, too, a signal amplifier can help and enable higher data rates. Here, too, make sure that the cables are in perfect condition and that the connection sockets are in good condition.
Antenna booster in the car: Not a matter of course, especially with retrofit radios
In grandpa's day, a long telescopic antenna, steep and up to one meter long, protruding from the fender, ensured good reception from Sicily to the North Cape. With the miniaturization of car antennas, however, antenna amplifiers built into the vehicle became necessary: The small rear or stub antennas cannot deliver any reasonable signals to the car radio without additional signal amplification.
Is in the car the standard provided by the manufacturer Radio installed, the antenna amplifier provided by the manufacturer is used as standard in the car; reception is possible without any problems under normal conditions. However, if an aftermarket radio from the accessories is installed, the manufacturer often does not provide any antenna reinforcement: either the circuit has to be specially adapted or the retrofit radio is not compatible with the vehicle manufacturer's antenna reinforcement. In older vehicles in particular, which are not yet designed for digital broadcasting according to the DAB standard, it is almost always necessary to install a good DAB antenna amplifier.
The antenna amplifier in the car can be operated in different ways: Some radios offer so-called phantom power directly via the antenna cable, here the amplifier is supplied with power directly from the antenna cable. However, other car radios or other car manufacturers rely on an external power supply. Here the antenna amplifier is usually installed somewhere in the vehicle and is supplied with voltage via the on-board electronics.
Conclusion: Permanently good reception is possible
With a good antenna amplifier, you can permanently improve your reception, no matter which device you use. When making your selection, pay attention to quality, a well-known manufacturer and good operating instructions. Installed according to installation instructions, your reception problems should soon be a thing of the past. We wish you a good reception at all times!