I have an LNA-200 and it is pretty good, I wouldn't call it noisy at all. In my old place (ground floor apartment, with a longish cable run, and another apartment and a parking lot in the way of the signal path) it was the difference between 2 stations and everything. Don't use it inside though.

Is there a difference between the RCA TVPRAMPR and RCATVPRAMPZ?

Not that I know of.

I ask because you don't include any reception details, are you certain a preamp will help in your situation?