TELECOMMUNICATION ~ Difference between Repeater and Amplifier
Repeater and Amplifier are devices used to improve the power of the transmitted signal. The difference between them is that the repeater is used as a signal regenerator that also eliminates noise from the signal. On the other hand, the amplifier simply improves the amplitude of the signal waveform and does not care about the noise that is amplified with the signal.
Definition of an amplifier:
An amplifier is an electronic device that increases the power of a signal. It is the circuit that amplifies the weak signal to a signal with more power. An amplifier can be equipped with an electrical circuit or can be a separate device. It increases the power, current or voltage of the carrier signal. The amplifier simply increases the voltage, signal or power regardless of the signal attenuation. It is possible that after the signal has been amplified, there may be noise added to the signal by the amplifier.
Amplifiers can be classified into two categories, power amplifiers or weak signal amplifiers. Weak signal amplifiers can be used in wireless devices and disk drives, etc. where small input signals need to be amplified. Power amplifiers are used where high input signals need to be amplified such as wireless transmitters, broadcast transmitters and hi-fi audio equipment.
Definition of repeater:
A repeater is an electronic device that regenerates or reproduces the attenuated or weakened signal due to transmission over long distances. Signals are also distorted when they pass through areas with a high level of electromagnetic interference. In this sense, the noise associated with the signal is not amplified and the regenerated signal is transmitted further.
Repeaters have a signal receiver, an amplifier and a transmitter. Different types of repeaters have different types of configurations depending on the transmission medium. If the medium is microwave, the repeater may include antennas and waveguides. If the medium is optical, it must contain photodetectors and light emitters.
Key differences between the repeater and the amplifier:
- The repeater is used to regenerate the original signal using the received signal pattern and retransmit the regenerated signal. On the other hand, the amplifier amplifies the signal by increasing its amplitude.
- Since the amplifier cannot distinguish between the expected signal and noise, it improves the signal strength with the built-in noise. In contrast, the repeater removes the noise from the signal while regenerating the signal bit by bit.
- The repeater has high gain power and low output power. Conversely, amplifiers have low gain power and high output power.
- Repeaters are used in stationary environment where the radio frequency signal is stable, such as buildings. On the contrary, amplifiers are used in the mobile environment where the radio signal is weak and constantly changing, for example, remote areas.
- The involvement of amplifiers results in a minimized signal to noise ratio and increased noise. On the other hand, repeaters increase the signal-to-noise ratio which decreases the error associated with the signal.
In short:
An amplifier is part of a repeater. Amplifier improves the amplitude of the signal independently of the noise contained in this signal. The repeater regenerates the signal, bit by bit using the input signal and removes the noise exposure in the output signal.
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