How important is using RG6?

[Harry]

My father in law was to get dish last week but the installers want to run RG6 and not use the RG59 that is there already. The install did not happen and was rescheduled.

I use RG59 at my house (for three years now) with no known problems. I know RG6 has less resistance but is it all that better/important than RG59?

 

[PSB]

Yes! Its all to do with band width, Dish will not install using RG59 as the new Dish Pro systems depend on RG6, you have just been lucky, if at all possible the cable MUST be RG6....

 

[Big Bob]

FWIW,
the sw64 ships with a short patch cable to connect the power inserter into the receiver.
It is rg59.

 

[WJMorales]

When I add my 811 the installer replaced the RG-59 cable on my SW-64 power inserter with RG-6 cable.

 

[Claude Greiner]

If the installers want to run all new cable, let them run all new cable.

I was looking at some of the DNSC training videos a few weeks ago and it looks like they are requied to run new cable from the Dish to the receiver probably because it eliminates service calls.

 

[WJMorales]

A side note also, they used cable sweep tested @ 3000 MHZ, which is something different then when I had my very 1st system installed.

 

[boba]

A side note also, they used cable sweep tested @ 3000 MHZ, which is something different then when I had my very 1st system installed.

Legacy equipment only required 950-1450 for the cable, Dish Pro now requires 950-2150 as the frequency raises the signal will degrade faster on RG-59 due to its thinner diameter. Dish Pro also uses 18 volts instead of switching 12 & 18 volts as Legacy equipment does. The thinner center conductor also drops voltage faster which creates heat due to resistance to voltage flow so it is another disadvantage of using RG-59.

 

[e0rbay]

i'm using the existing 59 cable in my house for my dishPro. one of the runs is particularly long (well over 100 feet). i have noticed some signal loss on that television, but very minor.

my cable from my dish to the cable run through the house is rg6 though, because I ran it myself.

i have someone coming out tomorrow to install my second dish (for locals) it'll be interesting to see if he decides to run new cable... i kind of hope he does... but don't care much if he doesn't... so long as my equipment won't be damaged because of the rg59.

 

[aredknight]

RG6 is critical from the dish to the receiver only. From the receiver to the TV, use whatever you want, provided the fittings are well installed and the cable isn't badly corroded.

 

[Harry]

If I understand correctly, if you have a Dish 500 (like I do) that RG59 is OK and the RG6 is critical for the Dish Pro?

That would make sense and what the installers said was correct.

 

[ERSanders]

Also, use the high frequency pass thrus (blue color plastic) for grounding block and barrel connectors, if used.

 

[e0rbay]

okay... installer guy just came by. i asked him about the rg59. his reply...

is it working now? then it'll be fine

also, what i thought was signal loss on that long 100+ run of rg59 was actually a bad connection on my TV. he pointed that out to me and we fixed it right up. i haven't noticed any heat issues either.

so... to recap - rg6 from dish to cable-box on house. from cable-box to various rooms is rg59... with one run of over 100 feet. everything is working a-okay.

 

[Scorpion210]

Consider yourself lucky. Most people can not get a signal with RG-59. I had to change mine out to RG-6. The 59 cable left me dead in the water.

 

[charper1]

This means he thought if he had told you "you really should have RG6" that you were about to make the rest of his day a living hell.

 

[e0rbay]

This means he thought if he had told you "you really should have RG6" that you were about to make the rest of his day a living hell.

lol... i'm sure you right. i wonder if i had asked him for enough line if he woulda let me do it myself. hehehe. i would have.

anyway... no matter. it's working... so don't fix what isn't broken i guess.

 

[shodobe]

I changed out all of my cables lately because I found out I had RG59 from dish to reciever. I have been having dropouts alot over the past year and didn't know I had this cable until I posted the specs, on the cable, here and was told it was RG59. I changed out all of the cable for RG6, about 50 feet, and have had NO problems for over 4 weeks. I am sold on the difference. Mike

 

[Harry]

Which Dish are you using? 500 or Pro?

 

[SimpleSimon]

Which Dish are you using? 500 or Pro?

I think you meant to ask:

What LNBFs are you using? Legacy or DishPro.

A Dish 500 (2 bird dish) can be either.