Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Signal Amplifier

by Winegard Company

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5 x 5 inches ; 1.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001DFVJ4W
• Item model number: AP8275
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #36 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Antennas > TV Antennas

Product Description

Technical Information - Frequency Range - 88 MHz to 108 MHz; Technical Information - Impedance - 75 Ohm; Technical Information - Gain - 29 dB - 3 dB Noise - VHF, 28 dB - 3 dB Noise - UHF; Technical Information - Housing - Zinc; Manufacturer - Winegard Company; Manufacturer Part Number - AP8275; Manufacturer Website Address - winegard; Brand Name - Winegard; Product Line - Chromstar; Product Series - 2000; Product Model - AP8275; Product Name - Chromstar 2000 AP8275 Signal Amplifier; Product Type - Signal Amplifier; Miscellaneous - Package Contents - Chromstar 2000 AP8275 Signal Amplifier Power Supply 6 Foot Coax Cable; Technical Information - Frequency Range - 88 MHz to 108 MHz; Technical Information - Impedance - 75 Ohm; Technical Information - Gain - 29 dB - 3 dB Noise - VHF, 28 dB - 3 dB Noise - UHF; Technical Information - Housing - Zinc;

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Winegard AP-8275 TV antenna preamp, mast mounted., April 18, 2009

By 

Book Nitpicker (TX, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Signal Amplifier (Electronics)

One of the highest-gain mass-market TV preamps you can get, good in fringe areas where all the TV signals are weak; however, if you also have a strong TV station nearby its signal can overload any high-gain preamp and degrade all channels. Also, nearby lightning strikes within a few blocks can blow preamps even without direct contact.

This one from ANTOnline worked OK, but be aware that Winegard has outsourced production to China and it seems that reliability of this and all items formerly made in the U.S. have fallen drastically (not just my opinion!) - this is the 2nd Winegard preamp I've bought and the first one (not purchased from ANTOnline) was DOA and had to be replaced under warranty with the added postage expense. So, if you get a Winegard preamp that works that's good, but don't be surprised if it doesn't. Geez, even the simple packages of pre-cut RG-6 TV coax cable you need to wire this preamp up can't be trusted if they come from China - I bought 2 separate U.S.-branded packs now made in China and one was shorted and the other open, I had to cut the connectors off and put on new ones. And that wasn't all - I also bought a new antenna rotator that had been outsourced from the U.S. to China, and it broke down in just 2 days! Give us a break! It almost seems like a conspiracy!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Reception Improvement, September 27, 2009

By 

Pileated (CT, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Signal Amplifier (Electronics)

I really didn't have high hopes for this device when I ordered it. All of the HDTV signals in my area (NE CT) are 40-60 miles distant over hilly terrain, and my house is surrounded by tall trees. After I bought my Panasonic Viera I experimented building a DB8 style antenna out of random junk I had lying around (coat hangers, curtain rods, hardware cloth---not pretty) and was able to receive no more than 7 signals usually at 50-60% signal level according to the Panasonic signal meter. I then tried running about 300 feet of cable to a point higher on my property and the DIY antenna pulled in a few more channels, sometimes over 60%. A lot of the time the Panasonic couldn't read any signals at all since it seems to need a minimum of 50% to form a good picture.

I hooked up the Winegard 8275 near the antenna, climbed down off the ladder and went back to the house to turn on the TV, not expecting much. But whoa---the Panasonic scanned 30+ signals, most of them 70% or better and a few at 100%! I only wanted PBS and a few local channels out of Boston, but I'm now receiving channels from all over Massachusetts and Providence RI. I watched the Patriots beat Atlanta today in high def and tonight was the first part of Ken Burns' National Parks special in detail and color that was hard to believe. If this keeps up I'll be living in digital heaven.

A word on antenna rotators: I didn't buy one for the makeshift antenna, first because I've had 4 or 5 of them over the years and they all fail after a few months(there's a dead one on the roof now mounted on an old antenna), and second because no matter where I aimed the DIY antenna the signals I could reliably tune were all in the same direction anyway (Boston). This is to say that all those 3 dozen channels come in WITHOUT rotating the antenna away from where it was. This can only be attributable to the Winegard preamp.

I can't say whether the Winegard will solve everyone's reception problems, but it has completely changed my attitude toward HD over the air broadcast. What a great device. Now if it only works for awhile. . .

*********************************************
2.5 Month Update:

The Winegard amp is still working very well though for some reason I no longer receive all the channels I did initially. I can't say it's the preamp or some other issue. I tried building another DB8 style antenna that's more sturdy than the first one but otherwise the exact same configuration and have no improvement. But I'm still getting fairly reliable reception from Boston and some Providence stations (Boston ch. 2 consistently 88%+ signal), so this purchase has more than paid for itself (understatement).

"Negatives:" 1) The HD picture I get with my antenna & Winegard amp makes my too-expensive SD satellite picture look comparatively sick. 2) The Patriots have been losing, though I now get to see them do it vividly (high def image of Brady's shell shocked expression---getting old . . .).

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Winegard, August 27, 2009

By 

John R. Neely - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Winegard AP8275 Chromstar 2000 Signal Amplifier (Electronics)

Ever since the change over to DIGITAL I have had problems. Mostly cut outs. It don't get fuzzy anymore it goes off and resets (about 5-10 sec) watching any program it becomes frustrating.(News especially) With the Wingard AP-8700 this is 95% improved and I get 5 more digital channels, I real would not expect anything less from Winegard. I live over 70 miles from LA on far fringes of Broadcasting area. I have a 110 element far fringe Wingard antenna which had always pulled in the analog channels, but since Digital I have been frustrated with cut outs. I firmly beleive it works because it is a Wingard. For the price this is the best solution on the market. Scary part is that the (POWER INJECTOR)(T-Adapter) get very hot. I think Winegard should let you know this is normal on their instructions sheet.