What are signal boosters?
Signal boosters (or signal amplifiers) are devices that are sometimes used in television systems to boost the signal strength or level in areas that receive weaker signals from distant broadcast sites. In other cases, these can be used to provide signals to several television receivers within an area.
In Australia, as a rule, signal boosters are not necessarily part of the antenna system, as digital television in Australia has been planned and implemented to enable adequate reception within the signal coverage areas without having to use a signal amplifier. This means that your TV reception should be good enough in most areas, so don’t go for a signal booster unless an antenna specialist advises you to do so, as an amplifier can cause reception difficulties and even interfere with your neighbours’ TV reception.
Is my TV signal weak?
Before considering installing a signal booster, make sure you ask an antenna man, as usually antenna specialists have got their own equipment that could help identify the problem. Also, you can check mySwitch website, it helps you identify the level of TV coverage in your area. If mySwitch predicts that you live in an area with variable poor coverage, you may consider installing a signal booster. If that’s not the case, you might still need a signal booster, as your signal reception could be adversely affected by local obstacles, such as trees or tall buildings, that make signal levels lower than predicted by mySwitch.
My signal is OK. Is it worth connecting a signal booster?
You should be able to get adequate television reception without using signal amplifiers. Your antenna specialist might still want to connect one to improve the signal, in which case it’s better to install an amplifier with a built-in filter or to install a filter in front of the amplifier to limit the potential impact of mobile broadband signals on your television reception.
Advantages of signal boosters
- Achieve a good reception in areas with poor coverage
- Achieve a good reception in areas with good coverage that is affected by tall trees or buildings that block and weaken TV signals
Disadvantages of signal boosters
- Signal boosters do not improve your signal quality, as they are only used to boost the signal strength
- They can make television receiving systems susceptible to high-level unwanted signal sources.
- They can also cause interference to television reception, mobile phone systems and radiocommunications systems.
Not sure if you need a signal booster? Contact Antenna Genie today.
