Barrel Connectors - will they cause a visible degradation in quality?

[johnny q]

I want to move one of my TV's to another part of the room and the existing coax will not reach, will extending the coax with a barrel connector cause any visible degradation to the PQ?? I called Dish and someone there told me that a barrel connector results in half a decibel loss, but they were unsure if this was something that could be "seen."

JQ

 

[RandallA]

That's correct, a barrel connector has a loss of 0.5 dB. I don't see any problem with that kind of loss. I'd say try it and see how it looks.

 

[S.Carter]

What RandallA said is correct but what you really need is to make sure the barrel you're using can support freq. 950-2150 Mhz(blue barrels). If your equipment is Dish pro or Dish pro plus a low Freg. barrel (white barrels) can cause issues w/ your signal.

 

[bhelms]

True what S. Carter said if that coax is handling the sat. signals. If it's just your CATV or OTA antenna feed, then the max. freq. is less than 1000 MHz and the white insulator barrrels would be OK. The freq. capacity requirement to 2150MHz for sat. signals also applies for the coax.

You're more likely in either case to have more problems with incorrectly installed F-connectors. Best to use the compression types applied with the correct tool vs. the crimp-ons commonly available from retailers...

 

[Tom Bombadil]

If you want to play it safe, then you can get 3GHz connectors very cheaply

http://www.dishstore.net/product_reviews_info.php?products_id=220&reviews_id=7

 

[dishcomm]

I want to move one of my TV's to another part of the room and the existing coax will not reach, will extending the coax with a barrel connector cause any visible degradation to the PQ?? I called Dish and someone there told me that a barrel connector results in half a decibel loss, but they were unsure if this was something that could be "seen."

JQ

Not really..Unless the cable was very long...Of course each "break' in the cable can cause a certain amount of "db" loss, a single barrel splice won't degrade PQ significantly...

 

[rthomp03]

I installed a line to my 2nd story bedroom last year joining two 50' cables with a blue barrel connector and have had no issues with signal quality/loss.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Barrols are ok as long as they are installed indoors. I would not install a barrol outdoors since its 1 more place for water to get inside the cable.

On a side note, its no worse than a wall plate because all a wall plate is, is a barrol connector with a fancy cover!

 

[cablewithaview]

Add to what Claude said, if you install the barrel indoors do not place it under the floor. Leaving something like that under the house can cause issues as well. Certain minerals in the ground can corrode that barrel just as well.

 

[johnny q]

Thanks for all the replies!! The barrel connector is indoors, I agree - outdoors would just create another corrosion point.

 

[cybertrip]

That's what electricians tape is for. Not the kind that you pick up at wal-mart for 10 cents. I'm talking about real electricians tape, designed for outdoor use. You wrap the connection with the tape, it basically "melts" and causes a water tight seal. If you do Ham Radio you know what I'm talking about!

 

[rcdallas]

I agree with the real electrical tape.

Now there are splice box enclosures - in the field refered to as snot boxes.

Its the black in line enclosure that says AMP on it. You can splice away with it.

 

[dodge]

Cybertrip
you ham as well???
kb9ndb here

 

[cybertrip]

Cybertrip
you ham as well???
kb9ndb here

KI6BBL, since Oct '05.