Quad Shield and The Naked Truth

[ParvoPup]

As a public service to all of you who invest heavily in quad shield RG6 coax for your installations -a little inside beta from an installer's point of view.

You are probably wasting your money if you have your connections made by D*.

You need to realize that the D* technician is only equipped with PPC compression connectors designed to fit RG6 D* branded 60% braid only.

When we roll on a job pre-wired with quad - our connectors do not fit!!!

So what do we do - one of two things, the most common is to use the cable prep tool to etch away at the shielding until our connectors will slide on or we burn/melt the insulation with a lighter until the connector will slide on.

In either case - we usually end up seriously negating the benefit of using quad by completely mutilating the thing at each connector point.

Thought you should know.

P.S. - and please...no RG11 either - it's a pain trimming it down with a pocket knife to fit the D* issued connectors too!

 

[jdspencer]

Don't take this wrong, but why should we believe you?
You just registered yesterday.
Any other installers here want to respond?

 

[stonecold]

Most of my runs are QS the installer took one look and said QS brb and he simply got QS connectors out...

So that means you sir are just unprepared for your job.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

No, Ill back him. D* doesnt issue anything but PPC EX6XL which *should* fit QS but sometimes it can be a pain, I usually use a set of strippers that just cuts it down to a size my fitting fit, but yea, He's right, if your investing in QS your wasting your time, we do just rip the extra foil off by the fitting, but Im not to sure about his lighter method. And if I come across RG11 I just run new wire. (only happened once in the last two years) its not worth trimming it down.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Ok,

Go figure. When I run into quad I just go get some quad fittings (Snap &Seal). And the same for rg59. I have been doing installations since Primestar. And I won't work for DTV or their HSP folks. One of my customers is a home theater company that uses me specifically because I am not associated with the local Home Service Provider.

I don't own a blue shirt but I would not melt cable to fit official fittings.

Joe

 

[Van]

Yea if your using a lighter to melt coax then you don't need to be in this line of work. It's not the customer's fault that one of D's hsps or contractors isn't properly outfitting their installers with the proper tools / supplies. When I worked for E I had 59 to quad fittings and when I did a short stint with a cable contractor I had 59 to up to 11.

What I would recommend is any customer that is running their own coax thats quad or higher should also spend extra money and get a bag of fittings and a proper compression tool, not having these is like having a socket set without a ratchet.

 

[cfb]

Shoot. All these years I've been using vice grips on my sockets.

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

Shoot. All these years I've been using vice grips on my sockets.

lmao, thats good....

 

[Matt9876]

I carry quad connectors on my truck and know how to put them on as well,but you would be amazed at the number of bad quad connectors I've run across in the field over the past 14 years.

 

[goober22]

Well, I guess this is yet another reason why I do all my own wire work. I would not be too happy about someone damaging my cable to put the incorrect connector on the cable - and let's not even start on pulling out a lighter to melt it!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Well, I guess this is yet another reason why I do all my own wire work. I would not be too happy about someone damaging my cable to put the incorrect connector on the cable - and let's not even start on pulling out a lighter to melt it!

Ya know,

I do have an added professional touch I had forgotten about in my earlier post.
It is not uncommon to lightly heat frozen coax to get fittings to slide on. Usually you just slide the stuff up the exhaust pipe or use a lighter for a second.

I have a lighter that says "GITER DONE!" in that cable guy voice. It adds to the professional appearance of the whole operation.

Joe

 

[Liquidforce88]

Well how do you like the fact that both D* and E* will fail installs if the approved fitting is not used? Thus the tech don't get paid.

So I roll up to a prewired house with QS. I am a good tech so I have the right fitting for that cable, but sorry Mr. customer I have to figure out how to cram these APPROVED fittings on here otherwise the numb nuts QC guy will fail this install and I don't get paid for my work.

Now is that a customer service company or what?

How about the fact the D* has a system that will run their 2 wire DVR's with just 1 line, but they pretty much refuse to let you use it?

 

[goober22]

Well how do you like the fact that both D* and E* will fail installs if the approved fitting is not used? Thus the tech don't get paid.

I FEEL that that is an issue between D*, E* & the installer, not me. I would not/do not appreciate someone "jury-rigging" something without my approval - in essence, compromising the products integrity. If this is considered an quality install, then I would not have them as a service provider. Use the correct connectors, run new cable, honor the free install. DON'T jury-rig the install and compromise the components.

 

[goober22]

Ya know,

I do have an added professional touch I had forgotten about in my earlier post.
It is not uncommon to lightly heat frozen coax to get fittings to slide on. Usually you just slide the stuff up the exhaust pipe or use a lighter for a second.

I have a lighter that says "GITER DONE!" in that cable guy voice. It adds to the professional appearance of the whole operation.

Joe

:yikes Okay Joe, you're hired! :devil:

 

[Joe Diamond]

:yikes Okay Joe, you're hired! :devil:

Great!

And today will be my last day using dead cars and tree stumps for attachment points for dishes. I mean even if the car has no wheels and has been there awhile there is that system integrity thing. What if the zoning folks tow the wreck after the warranty period?

And no more cutting cable drops off the utility pole to wire the dish.

Starting today we will............COMPLETE THE WORK ORDER!

Joe

 

[grydlok]

I FEEL that that is an issue between D*, E* & the installer, not me. I would not/do not appreciate someone "jury-rigging" something without my approval - in essence, compromising the products integrity. If this is considered an quality install, then I would not have them as a service provider. Use the correct connectors, run new cable, honor the free install. DON'T jury-rig the install and compromise the components.

Well than accept a free install with new rg6 ran exterior on your home, and your quad shield cable left intact.
That technically is the rule.

 

[MikeinBaja]

More and more reason why you should do your own installs. You never know when some dude like the OP will show up.

Wouldn't let him put air in my tires, let alone touch a single piece of my system.

 

[Jimbo]

Great!

And today will be my last day using dead cars and tree stumps for attachment points for dishes. I mean even if the car has no wheels and has been there awhile there is that system integrity thing. What if the zoning folks tow the wreck after the warranty period?

And no more cutting cable drops off the utility pole to wire the dish.

Starting today we will............COMPLETE THE WORK ORDER!

Joe

As long as the Wrecker service puts the car in the correct place, you should be good.
Aren't you using the new "Wireless Dish " set ups ?

 

[Jimbo]

More and more reason why you should do your own installs. You never know when some dude like the OP will show up.

Wouldn't let him put air in my tires, let alone touch a single piece of my system.

I normally do my own installs too, also, you can generally tell if the installer is a quality guy in the first 5 minutes he's there ...

 

[Joe Diamond]

I normally do my own installs too, also, you can generally tell if the installer is a quality guy in the first 5 minutes he's there ...

I still see the scene!

The DTV van is on the lawn. One guy is on a 30ft ladder with a grip on the gutter with one hand and a round dish in the other hand. The second guy is on the ground with the dish assembly instruction sheet in one hand and a compass in the other.....directing where the dish should go.

Everyone has a first day on the job. These guys were doing it together at a customer address.

Joe