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06-09-2004, 10:09 AM
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#1 of 17 
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Member
Location: San Diego, CA
Join Date: Nov 2002
Local Time: 05:20 AM
Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 264
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Differences in RG-6 cable?
I usually get my coax from Radioshack since it's the only place that really carries it in my small town. I live in the country, and have satellite, so always got the RG-6 that was labeled "satellite coax." There is also "TV coax." Is there really a difference? I only ask because I have 50' of "TV coax" sitting around and I need 50' for a new satellite run. Thanks a lot for any help.
Tim
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06-09-2004, 11:56 AM
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#2 of 17
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Join Date: Oct 2002
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Yes, TV coax is probably RG5 which can't support the bandwidth of a digital signal.
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06-09-2004, 12:02 PM
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#3 of 17
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Member
Location: Katy, TX
Join Date: Aug 1999
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There is a difference, Tim. You’ve probably noticed that the “satellite coax” (better know as RG-6) is thicker overall. It has a thicker center conductor, and the dielectric (the white insulator around the center conductor) is a larger diameter than the “TV coax” (better known as RG-59). Those differences are critical to delivering the best signal for satellite. Using RG-59 can degrade picture quality, like giving vertical bars or lines in the picture on some channels.
Broadcast signals work fine with RG-59 or RG-6.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
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06-09-2004, 04:17 PM
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#4 of 17
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Member
Location: San Diego, CA
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Thanks for the replies guys. I should have mentioned in my original question that both were RG-6. After actually looking at the cables, not just the box itself, I found both the "TV coax" and "Satellite coax" had all the exact same numbers (RG-6, 75 ohm, 18 AWG). The only difference was that the satellite one said "satellite" on the cable. So if the numbers are all the same, are they the same? Maybe they just call one "satellite" so they can charge a few bucks more? Thanks again.
Tim
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06-09-2004, 04:41 PM
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#5 of 17
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Join Date: May 2004
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Local Date: 10-08-2008
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Well, if they are both marked as RG6, I would say that either one would work. You can't hurt anything by trying the cable you already have anyway. They probably did mark one as satellite so that they can make a few bucks extra.
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06-10-2004, 12:06 AM
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#6 of 17
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Join Date: Jun 2001
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I'd look at the center conductor to see if it's 100% copper or copper over steel. When one is dealing only with frequencies above say 50 MHz, you can use the latter as the signal is largely located on the 'skin' of the conductor and the steel carries nothing. Hence there's no reason to use all copper which is more expensive.
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06-14-2004, 03:23 PM
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#7 of 17
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Well, at Best Buy, a 6' chenk of RG-6 is $6.99, so it is probably worth it to splurge.
I would like to try a piece of RG-59 and see if there really is a difference.
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06-16-2004, 02:35 PM
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#8 of 17
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Member
Location: In my Home.
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Hi guys...
RG6 is what all of your cable companies run for your cable tv. It is also what is used for satellite television. Usually you will find that there is a seperate ground wire running along the outside of the "satellite" RG6. RG6 has an 18 gauge center conductor, whereas, RG59 has a 22 gauge center conductor. You really do not want anything to do with RG59 as it is obsolete. If you have two cables and they both are stamped RG6 along the side of the wire then they are the same, unless one says quad shield. Then it just has an extra pair of shields.
Gods Love
chris
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06-16-2004, 02:35 PM
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#9 of 17
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Member
Location: In my Home.
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Local Date: 10-08-2008
Posts: 130
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Hi guys...
RG6 is what all of your cable companies run for your cable tv. It is also what is used for satellite television. Usually you will find that there is a seperate ground wire running along the outside of the "satellite" RG6. RG6 has an 18 gauge center conductor, whereas, RG59 has a 22 gauge center conductor. You really do not want anything to do with RG59 as it is obsolete. If you have two cables and they both are stamped RG6 along the side of the wire then they are the same, unless one says quad shield. Then it just has an extra pair of shields.
Gods Love
chris
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06-17-2004, 02:11 PM
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#10 of 17
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Member
Join Date: May 1999
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RG-59 is obsolete?
Odd that Beldin probably sells more RG59 than any other cable that they make...
Starting next week, our contractors are probably going to start pulling in one or two miles of '59...
Now if you want an obsolete cable, look at RG-117.
Leo Kerr
Lkerr1@alumni.umbc.edu |
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06-17-2004, 03:07 PM
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#11 of 17 | |
