I am considering getting D* and wanted to do the installation myself but the more I peruse and learn the more I am beginning to believe I might have to include D*'s installers whether I want to or not... My main objection to using them is the way they might run the cable (ie., sloppy). So I am still considering running cable myself from the tv locations (3 rooms) to the house location where I want the dish located (and where it has good line of sight to the southeast. I am on the west coast). To cover all reasonable options it sounds like if I were to run 2 runs of rg6 cable to each of my three tv rooms (6 total) I would likely be in good shape... Do you agree??? But my big question is what is the best rg6 cable to run. Most of what I have read points to quad shield with solid copper conductor (not copper clad steel)... Such as Belden 7915A.... But then I see there is a cable (Belden 1694A) that is considerably more expensive but is only dual shield??? And in the write up for this cable it advertises that "precision video cables are used in critical analog video circuits and high quality applications such as live broadcast in network studios and pre- or post-production facilities. They should be used anywhere superior signal integrity is required. Precision video cables usually have solid center conductors and dual shields." ???? But which is better, dual shield or quad shield??? The bottom line is what cable should I pull to ensure that I can get good quality HD programming... And while we're on the topic, what about connectors for this cable??? What is the best connector to use?? Any help would be appreciated... thanks... diitto...
type of cable to use...
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As a 39 year RF engineer I can give you some factual answers:
Quad-shield is primarily useful in avoiding OTA signals breaking-in to cable systems where they are distributed on the same channel as OTA, or worse, different programming is on that channel -- the resulting beats affect picture quality. For all other purposes (straight OTA and satellite) dual-shield is just fine, and loss characteristics are identical.
Indoors solid vs. copper clad has no import, but outdoors the steel core may corrode if moisture enters, which causes the copper to lift off, and rust may kill contact in connectors. But there is no attenuation difference at TV frequencies -- the skin-effect penetration of the signals is less than the copper cladding thickness, so the signal always flows in copper.
RG6/U was originally all copper-clad, but the solid copper type is now popular, and preferable for outdoor use. One weakness of the solid copper version is that you don't want to hang it between two points at any distance without a catenary wire supporting it -- copper streches easily, whereas copperweld (copper-clad steel) does not, and only requires support over longer distances where the unsupported weight might cause the center wire to cold-flow thru the foam and make a short. But all cable suspended for more than a few feet should have catenary support, to be safe.
Another option only needed for outdoor use is "flooding", meaning the cable is impregnated with a viscous material that prevents water that gets thru the jacket or into the connectors from propagating along the cable. Pretty much mandatory for good life on buried runs, or exposed runs that may lay in puddles.
Jackets can be PVC or a tough version of polyethelene -- the former inevitably has pinholes, but flooding solves the problem; the latter is stiffer but less likely to allow standing water entry. I generally buy on the basis of the other construction features that more directly affect performance.
Either crip or compression connectors of quality will be fine, but compression connectors are probably of better average quality, and thus a safer buy. Try web shops like MCM for good quality at reasonable prices. Use a good stripping tool, recommended for the connectors you choose.
Quad-shield is primarily useful in avoiding OTA signals breaking-in to cable systems where they are distributed on the same channel as OTA, or worse, different programming is on that channel -- the resulting beats affect picture quality. For all other purposes (straight OTA and satellite) dual-shield is just fine, and loss characteristics are identical.
Indoors solid vs. copper clad has no import, but outdoors the steel core may corrode if moisture enters, which causes the copper to lift off, and rust may kill contact in connectors. But there is no attenuation difference at TV frequencies -- the skin-effect penetration of the signals is less than the copper cladding thickness, so the signal always flows in copper.
RG6/U was originally all copper-clad, but the solid copper type is now popular, and preferable for outdoor use. One weakness of the solid copper version is that you don't want to hang it between two points at any distance without a catenary wire supporting it -- copper streches easily, whereas copperweld (copper-clad steel) does not, and only requires support over longer distances where the unsupported weight might cause the center wire to cold-flow thru the foam and make a short. But all cable suspended for more than a few feet should have catenary support, to be safe.
Another option only needed for outdoor use is "flooding", meaning the cable is impregnated with a viscous material that prevents water that gets thru the jacket or into the connectors from propagating along the cable. Pretty much mandatory for good life on buried runs, or exposed runs that may lay in puddles.
Jackets can be PVC or a tough version of polyethelene -- the former inevitably has pinholes, but flooding solves the problem; the latter is stiffer but less likely to allow standing water entry. I generally buy on the basis of the other construction features that more directly affect performance.
Either crip or compression connectors of quality will be fine, but compression connectors are probably of better average quality, and thus a safer buy. Try web shops like MCM for good quality at reasonable prices. Use a good stripping tool, recommended for the connectors you choose.
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