Customer Reviews for Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

Model: CPA19

SKU: 9156334

UPC: 853748001194

Improve the signal power of your TV antenna with this TV antenna amplifier.

Average Customer Rating:

4.3

 out of 

5

(3 Reviews) 3

Rating Snapshot 3 reviews

5 stars

2

4 stars

0

3 stars

1

2 stars

0

1 star

0

100% of customers would recommend this product to a friend 

(

3 out of 3

)

Date: Newest Date: Oldest Helpfulness: Highest Rating: Highest Rating: Lowest Top Contributors First Staff Reviews First Business User First Customer Reviews for Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

Review 1 for Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

It works

Customer Rating

5.0

Posted by: dimaclay

from Jefferson, OR

on 01/19/2011

Value for Price

3.0

Reception

4.0

Ease of assembly

5.0

Durability

4.0

What's great about it: Easy install

What's not so great: Price

I had a different amplifier (The highly recommended Channel Master) up there before and after only a few months, it died. I went for a long time before getting another amplifier and this one does the trick. I think the price is a bit high, but I had a gift card and went for it.

I would recommend this to a friend!

+6points

9out of 12found this review helpful.

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Review 2 for Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

Great VHF/UHF Preamplifier

Customer Rating

5.0

Posted by: dsmithcsep

from Fringe area East of Dallas TX

on 01/20/2010

Value for Price

4.0

Reception

5.0

Ease of assembly

5.0

Durability

5.0

What's great about it: Low noise, weather tight, easy install, both VHF & UHF, robust electrically, 10 yr warranty.

Jan 20, 2009.

NOTE: Found during product search that some web sites pull up CPA-18 for CPA 19. Suggest comparing photos with the Antennas Direct website to make sure the product is correct.

Installed CPA 19 with existing very old VHF and UHF antennas in a 'weak' signal fringe area. Went from half a dozen HDTV channels, some only occasionally available, to over 40 from Ch 2 to 60s. Note that channels 2-13 are in VHF range while 14 and up are UHF so antenna(s) have to handle both bands. Also note that in a fringe area, noise figure for the preamplifier should be low to reduce extra noise added by any amplifier. For reference, a 3 db difference is a 2 to one ratio in the noise level.

A previous review indicated that after installing the preamp, the lower channels didn't come in well. If the antenna was a UHF only antenna, this is to be expected and is not the fault of the preamplifier.

I had to install a VHF/UHF combiner before the preamp because there is only one input coax input to the preamplifier.

The unit design is robust. It turned out that there is probably an inaccessable splitter between my antennas and the cable to where the TV is that is a DC short to ground from the center conductor to the coax shield. When I first installed the power supply, there was no TV signal and the power supply got hotter than it should. It also turned out that there was an old amplifier in the attic that sent 16 VAC to the antenna.

After switching the antenna to an unused satellite cable which eliminated the DC short to ground and got rid of the 16 VAC to the CPA 19 preamp. I was pleasently surprised that neither the shorted cable nor the 16 VAC applied to the preamp (which has a DC input) damaged anything. After rescanning the HDTV, we are now able to get all local VHF channels with solid signals and only an occasional momentary dropout from pasisng high-altitude aircraft. We are on a main E/W airway about 60 miles east of DFW airport. We are about 62 miles from the antenna farm for nearly all TV stations in the area.

The kit includes two weather proof coax cables with O-Rings to prevent moisture entry as well as a mast mounting bracket for the preamp.

For reference, I am an electronic engineer and fortunately was able to trouble shoot the problems that I had, isolate the problems and fix them. Those with less experience would have given the unit a bad rap when after the initial installation there was no signal at all.

I would recommend this to a friend!

+29points

34out of 39found this review helpful.

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Review 3 for Antennas Direct ClearStream TV Antenna Preamplifier Kit for UHF and VHF TV Antennas

Didn't do the job entirely

Customer Rating

3.0

Posted by: VietTechi

from Los Angeles, CA

on 11/13/2009

Value for Price

1.0

Reception

3.0

Ease of assembly

4.0

Durability

3.0

What's great about it: It was quick to setup.

What's not so great: It didn't pick up the local channels I wanted.

Of all the antennas I tried, Clearstream is the only one that worked so that's why I wanted to try out their pre-amp kit. I thought this preamp kit would help me pick up the local channels I was missing: CBS, NBC & FOX. After I hook it up to my clearstream antenna located in the attic, I got FOX and another 10 channels from it but lost ABC. Strangely it picked up a San Diego channel but it couldn't with the locals.

Since I am up at the base of the foothills, my angle of reception might be limited. I think it will work great for those without obstructions in the basin.

I would recommend this to a friend!

+9points

11out of 13found this review helpful.

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