While a preamp and an amplfier are two different devices, I think in some cases you are talking about the same thing.
That small device that goes up on near the antenna outside, and has a small power supply for it inside is a preamplifier. The power goes back up the cable somehow to power the preamp.
A distribution amplifier is just a box that boost the signal and can be put anywhere it can be plugged in, obviously the closer to the source the better. I have an amplifier on my cable TV system. The cable signal is split too many ways in my house. The picture quality is reduced without it.
If you ever get a distibution amplifer for cable TV and you have broadband internet, make sure it is a push-pull design, or in other words allows the signal to go in both directions. Your internet will not work for obvious reasons if the amplifier does not let the signal go backwards out of the house. All new modern amplifiers for cable do this. Some old models do not, so it might be best to buy a new one and don't try to save money on an old model used.
My CATV distribution amp is a commercial grade Winegard model.
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