"Booster" is the common term for television signal preamplifiers, since their primary function was to boost the weak signals received from distant stations, and so improve picture quality. As in so many things, the basic function is simple but the engineering challenges to achieve this were (and still are) complex. Engineers and designers had to balance cost, style and ease of use with gain, bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio. The results are displayed below. Though there were broadly tuned boosters with no user adjustments, and units designed to be mounted outdoors on or very near the antenna, I have concentrated on the set-top, tunable boosters.
All the units below are currently in my personal collection, with the exception of those marked as "Wanted!" in the comments box. If you have one of those models, or a booster you don't see here, please let me know! In addition, if you're interested in starting or adding to your own collection, I sometimes have duplicates of some models for sale or trade, at my For Sale page.
Click on the thumbnail photo to see a larger picture and more information on any booster.
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Manufacturer |
Model |
Picture |
Notes |
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Alliance |
AB-1 |
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Distinctive sloping front panel, bakelite cabinet, one central knob. Two 6J6 tubes, permeability tuning. Circa 1951. The AB series was also called TennaScope. |
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AB-3 |
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Appears almost identical to models AB-1 and AB-5. Circa 1953. |
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AB-5 |
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Appears almost identical to models AB-1 and AB-3. |
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Anchor |
101-50 |
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From about 1948; includes channel 1. |
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101-75 |
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Circa 1950; horizontal "dashboard" styling. Single-stage circuit. Also called Suburbanite. |
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101-100 |
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Top of the line, 2-stage circuit, "dashboard" styling. The Granger. |
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Astatic |
AT-1 |
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Handsome mahogany wood cabinet with 4 knobs, gain control, no channel markings. Also called Channel Chief. |
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The relatively rare blonde cabinet version. |
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BT-1 |
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Metal cabinet, woodgrain finish, continuous tuning. Uses Mallory Inductuner. |
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BT-2 |
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Plastic case version of BT-1. |
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CT-1 |
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Also called the Scanafar. Woodgrained metal cabinet, permeability tuning. 1952. |
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CB-1 |
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Combination booster and UHF converter. Metal cabinet, permeability tuning with 6J6 and 6BQ7. 1953. |
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Blonder-Tongue |
UTB-1 |
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Rare UHF booster, in a white plastic case. 6DL4 tube. 10dB gain claimed. |
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Bogen |
BB1 |
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Metal cabinet with single pointer knob; clean and simple. Permeability tuning. Two 6J6 tubes. |
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BB1A |
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Lower, sleeker plastic case version of the BB1. |
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Ivory plastic cabinet version of the model BB1A. |
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BB2 |
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Wood cabinet version of the model BB1. |
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Blonde wood cabinet version of the model BB1. (Not in my collection, alas, but included for completeness.) Wanted! |
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Bud |
TAB99 |
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Low band only (channels 1-6). Capacitor tuning. A very early booster; 1948. |
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TAB81 |
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Separate capacitor tuning for high and low band. Two 6AK5s. 1948. |
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Decimeter |
100A |
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Also called "Professional." Large solid-wood cabinet with projection channel display. Click-stop tuning, gain control, two 6J6s. |
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300 |
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Large wood veneer cabinet with projection channel display, click-stop tuning, gain control. 2 6J6s. Also available in blonde wood. |
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Electro-Voice |
3400 |
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Rare UHF booster. Two 6AJ4 tubes. |
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Inducto |
??? |
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Metal cabinet with gray crackle finish. Continuous tuning, single 6AK5 tube. |
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ITI |
UHF AutoBooster |
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Rare UHF booster. Bakelite cabinet. |
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Jerrold |
TV-FM |
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Smallish bakelite cabinet, single-knob click-stop tuning, with fine-tuning thumbwheel. Single 6AK5. From about 1948-9. Later Series B models had a tunable "matching" network on the back. |
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Marconi (Canada) |
TVA-117 |
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Metal cabinet. Appears to be a Regency db-400 inside, probably built under license. Two 6J6s. Circa 1952-3. |
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MASCO |
MTB-13X |
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Very early unit, in wooden cabinet. Rated "Not Acceptable" by Consumer Reports in 1948! |
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MB-2 |
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Called the Sky Chief. Metal cabinet, single stage circuit. About 1950. |
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MB-3 |
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The Super Sky Chief. Metal cabinet, two knobs, dual stage circuit. Essentially two MB-2s in series. |
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TVB |
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The Cascadian. Metal cabinet, one knob, 6J6 and 6BK7 tubes. Advertised as 35dB gain. |
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McMurdo Silver |
*unknown* |
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Wooden cabinet, click-stop tuning, bandwidth control. Single 6AK5. |
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Millen (James Millen Mfg. Co.) |
92101 |
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Single-channel preamplifier, normally used in Ham Radio rather than TV. No built-in power supply. |
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National |
TVB-1 |
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From a maker of Ham Radio equipment. Bakelite cabinet, 4 knobs, capacitor tuning, two 6AK5s. Circa 1949. |
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TVB-2 |
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Metal cabinet, click-stop tuning. 6AK5 tube. Circa 1950. |
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Oak |
100 |
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Like the Philco TB-3, uses a bakelite radio cabinet (in this case, the Truetone D1019). Continuous tuning, bandwidth control. |
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Philco |
TB-2 |
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Metal cabinet, no power supply. Two 6AK5s, capacitor tuning. A very early booster, circa 1948. |
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TB-3 |
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Built into a small bakelite radio cabinet. Permeability tuning. |
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"Ivory" version – painted bakelite. |
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Radiart |
100 |
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Rare. Single 6J6, permeability tuning, bakelite cabinet. |
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Regency |
DB213 |
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The earliest Regency booster. Handsome silver and gray metal cabinet. Independent high and low band permeability tuning. |
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DB400 |
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Bakelite cabinet. Permeability tuning, 2 6J6s. |
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DB410, |
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Bakelite cabinet with metal front panel. Permeability tuning, single 6J6. The db-410 came out in early 1951. |
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DB520 |
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Sharply styled bakelite cabinet with ivory plastic tuning knob. |
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DB550 |
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The Cascade. New circuit (12AT7 tube), old cabinet. |
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RMS |
SP-2 |
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Very early unit, wooden case. This one is rather beat up. |
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SP-4 |
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Wooden cabinet with metal front. Single 6AK5. Early versions had friction drive permeability tuning; later ones used rack & pinion. |
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SP-5 |
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"Industrial" styled gray wrinkle finished metal cabinet. Single 6AK5 tube. About 1951. |
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SP-6 |
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Plastic and metal cabinet, finally with a little style. Single 6AK5 tube. |
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SP-6J |
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Plastic cabinet. Single 6J6 tube. |
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Silvertone |
632.550 |
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A relabeled Regency DB550 |
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Sonar |
Pix-Boost |
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Painted wooden cabinet, capacitor tuning. About 1948. |
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Sonic |
IT-3 |
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Not in my collection. Cloth over wood cabinet, continuous tuning. |
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IT-4 |
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Plain outside, elegant inside. Cloth over wood cabinet, continuous roller-inductor tuning. |
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IT-5 |
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Elegant inside and out. Bakelite cabinet, continuous roller-inductor tuning. |
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107 |
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Almost identical to IT-5, except 2" less deep. |
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Standard |
B-50 |
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From a major TV-tuner maker. Continuous tuning, with a slide-rule dial in a plain brown metal cabinet. One 6AK5. Made in 1950. |
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B-51 |
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Thumbwheel click-stop tuning, bakelite cabinet, with an upside down chassis. Printed circuits. Single 6AK5 tube. 1951. |
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Sutco |
21A |
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VHF booster and UHF converter in one brown metal case. Booster uses one 6J6, permeability tuning. Late 1952. |
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22B |
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Booster and UHF converter in one brown plastic case. |
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16B (?) |
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Metal cabinet with brown finish. Permeability tuning, single 6J6 tube. |
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SEC (?) |
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Metal cabinet with brown finish. Permeability tuning, single 6J6 tube. |
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Teleboost |
??? |
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Wooden case. Single 6AK5, capacitor tuning. |
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TeleKit |
??? |
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Wood cabinet with plastic face. Click-stop tuning, with a single 6AK5. Not sold as a kit, despite the name. |
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TEC (Television Equipment Corp.) |
S-504 |
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Not yet in my collection. A semi-broadband unit, with only a few clickstops. |
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Transvision |
B-1 |
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Not yet in my collection. From 1948. |
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Turner |
TV-1 |
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Odd textured pressedwood cabinet, slide rule dial, continuous tuning. |
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TV-2 |
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Redish-brown bakelite plastic cabinet, slide rule dial, continuous tuning. |
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Videon |
B-122 |
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Wood cabinet, single 6J6 tube. |
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Videon Jr. |
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Metal cabinet, single 6J6, permeability tuning. Rarely seen. |
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Vision |
TVL |
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Low band (channels 1-6) only. Wooden cabinet, black bakelite front panel. Capacitor tuning. One of the earliest boosters, circa 1948. |
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TVX |
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Identical to TVL, but covers channels 2-13, in 2 bands. Wooden cabinet, black bakelite front panel. Capacitor tuning. |
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TVZ |
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Super DeLuxe . Wooden cabinet, full channel coverage. Projection channel display. |
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TVA |
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All wooden cabinet, full channel coverage. |
Updated February 23, 2009
