RG-6,RG-6 quad shield,RG-59 whats the difference?

[zappy]

I was at the store and the rg-6 was the cheapest. Then the rg-6 quad shield.Then the rg-59 was the most expensive.Don't know which one to get for my installs.Thank you.

 

[dereckbc]

If performance is more important than price, then use RG-6 Quad.

RG6Q has four sheilds and larger center conductor which means less loss and interference issues. The catch is terminating it, you need the right stripper and crimper to work with it. Oh yea, you need to know how to terminate it properly. A pocket knofe and a pair of Kilens aint going to cut it :grin:

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I was at the store and the rg-6 was the cheapest. Then the rg-6 quad shield.Then the rg-59 was the most expensive.Don't know which one to get for my installs.Thank you.

Rg-59 is the older style cable. I don't believe it is used anymore, at least not around here. I have always used RG-6 but I know nothing about the quad cable.

 

[wireguru]

RG-59 is what used to be used for TV, but it doesnt accomodate the higher frequencies in use today and is no longer used for CATV / Sat. It is however still used in baseband video applications such as CCTV, this is often of a different construction than typical RG-59 where it uses a copper braid instead of foil/aluminum.

RG-6 is the standard for all television applications

RG-6 quad used to be used by the cable companies many years ago. They all use RG-6 now.

There is also RG-6 tri shield which has one extra layer of foil over the braid, but it isnt very common.

The main thing is make sure you purchase quality cable. The general cable brand stuff at the home improvement stores is junk. Also, dont buy anything in a pull out box. it kinks and causes signal problems. always use coax off of a spool.

The best brands are Times Fiber, Commscope, Belden. I have also had good luck with chinese cable sold by North American Cable Equipment

Make sure you use a proper coax stripper and dont nick the center conductor when you strip it. If you nick the center conductor, this causes problems with the signal as the signal is actually a wave that rides on the outside of the center conductor.

Use compression style fittings. Dont use crimp on or twist on type.

 

[zappy]

Thank you for all the advice.How do you test the jack to make sure you have recption?

Thank you for all the advice.How do you test the jack to make sure you have recption?

thank you.

 

[mark32]

Like Dennis said, I also believe(d) that RG59 was an outdated cable but all of a sudden we (HD) are receiving boxes of RG59 and the new style compression fittings for it. Are there new applications that call for 59 or did our order placer just mix up again?

 

[LarryFine]

The performance difference bewteen cable types is the rated signal loss in decibels per 1000 feet and nominal impedance. RG-6 is better than RG-59, RG-11 is better than RG-6.

Quad-shield cable is highly overrated and is unnecessary in most installations. Most cable-company runs, especially underground, are shielded with less-than 100%-coverage braid.

RG-6, a 75-ohm cable, is used for virtually all RF (radio and TV) applications. It usually has a copper-clad steel inner conductor, and aluminum braid and aluminized mylar foil shielding.

RG-59, a 50-ohm cable which is usually all copper, is ideal for audio and video applications. It solder-able, thinner and more flexible, and easier to terminate, especially with RCA plugs.

Added: In my AV system, the only RG-6 I have is from the DTV dish to the multi-switch, and from there to the individual tuners. Everything else is RG-59 for the reasons stated above.

 

[kornbln]

RG-59 is what used to be used for TV, but it doesnt accomodate the higher frequencies in use today and is no longer used for CATV / Sat. It is however still used in baseband video applications such as CCTV, this is often of a different construction than typical RG-59 where it uses a copper braid instead of foil/aluminum.

RG-6 is the standard for all television applications

RG-6 quad used to be used by the cable companies many years ago. They all use RG-6 now.

There is also RG-6 tri shield which has one extra layer of foil over the braid, but it isnt very common.

The main thing is make sure you purchase quality cable. The general cable brand stuff at the home improvement stores is junk. Also, dont buy anything in a pull out box. it kinks and causes signal problems. always use coax off of a spool.

The best brands are Times Fiber, Commscope, Belden. I have also had good luck with chinese cable sold by North American Cable Equipment

Make sure you use a proper coax stripper and dont nick the center conductor when you strip it. If you nick the center conductor, this causes problems with the signal as the signal is actually a wave that rides on the outside of the center conductor.

Use compression style fittings. Dont use crimp on or twist on type.

The RG6 from home improvement stores is definitely junk. It has a really inconsistant diameter. Poor quality on the briaded shielding I think. I've had trouble getting compression fittings (Snap-N-Seal) to slide over the center conductor proplerly because of inconsistant diameter. The foil peels off too easily and gets bunched up around the dielectric, causing the fitting to get snagged.

 

[LarryFine]

I've had trouble getting compression fittings (Snap-N-Seal) to slide over the center conductor proplerly because of inconsistant diameter.

That may be from the cutter you use. A typical cable cutter pinches the center conductor flat when it's cut, so the tip is no longer round.

I used to have the same problem with the Belden 1505 I usually use. The curved-jaw type of cutter does not leave the wire flattened:

 

[kornbln]

That may be from the cutter you use. A typical cable cutter pinches the center conductor flat when it's cut, so the tip is no longer round. I used to have the same problem with the Belden 1505 I usually use.

The curved-jaw type of cutter does not leave the wire flattened:

This is true... I am not using a cutter like that but I don't see why it would matter - you lose the end piece when you strip the wire with a coax stripper

 

[wireguru]

The performance difference bewteen cable types is the rated signal loss in decibels per 1000 feet and nominal impedance. RG-6 is better than RG-59, RG-11 is better than RG-6.

Quad-shield cable is highly overrated and is unnecessary in most installations. Most cable-company runs, especially underground, are shielded with less-than 100%-coverage braid.

RG-6, a 75-ohm cable, is used for virtually all RF (radio and TV) applications. It usually has a copper-clad steel inner conductor, and aluminum braid and aluminized mylar foil shielding.

RG-59, a 50-ohm cable which is usually all copper, is ideal for audio and video applications. It solder-able, thinner and more flexible, and easier to terminate, especially with RCA plugs.

Added: In my AV system, the only RG-6 I have is from the DTV dish to the multi-switch, and from there to the individual tuners. Everything else is RG-59 for the reasons stated above.

RG-59 is a 75-ohm cable as well. RG-58 is 50-ohm and is used for CB radios and stuff.

Theres more to it than loss per 1000'. There is the issue of losses at a given frequency, which for RG-59 are too high for the higher frequencies used for sat, digital cable tv, etc.

Bottom line: RG-6 for cable tv, tv antenna, directv, etc. - RG-59 cable is fine to use for baseband video (ie 3 runs of it for component video, 1 run for composite video, etc)

 

[hbiss]

Don't waste your money on special cutters, dykes are what are used.

I didn't see anybody mention bonded foil. "Good" cable will have the foil glued to the dielectric and one reason for that is when you slide the connector on it isn't going to bunch up. So if you are having that problem you have crappy cable or something you shouldn't be using.

Also be aware that many connectors are designed for use only with certain cables or ranges of cables. All RG-6 is not the same and I'm not talking about differences like quad shield. So here too if you are having problems installing connectors they may be the wrong ones. Even if you have no trouble getting them on they may not be correct and can cause problems. The connector manufacturer should have a cross reference by cable manufacturer and type.

Cable connectors are very important for the overall integrity of today's cable systems. Take that as the reason for many cable installers cutting your connectors off and throwing them away. Material is easily available to anybody today and there is no assurance that it is correct or installed properly even if it looks good. Your work represents an unknown quantity and the easiest way to deal with it is to routinely eliminate it before any problems are found.

-Hal

 

[kornbln]

hbiss,

As far as I can tell, the only Snap-N-Seal connectors that call for a specific cable are the head-end F/BNC type. As far as other manufacturers... Don't really care since I prefer T&B.

 

[LarryFine]

RG-59 is a 75-ohm cable as well.

You are absolutely correct. Thanx.

 

[wireguru]

also for connectors, my favorite compression F connectors are the ones made by PPC. they have a connector that is designed to work on RG6, RG6-tri shield, and RG6 quad all on the same connector. Also, theyre a little shorter than snap n seals, and they are a nice silver finish. Theyre what all the cable companies (that i have come across, timewarner, charter, cox, comcast in so cal and vegas) are using. a friend who works for TW told me they switched to these as they were having problems with SnS and digicon not fitting on some brands of cable.

 

[hbiss]

As far as I can tell, the only Snap-N-Seal connectors that call for a specific cable are the head-end F/BNC type.

Not true. I agree that many manufacturers now have a "universal" "F" connector version that is good for 6 size quad shield on down, they also still have specific connectors for quad shield and another for double shielded as well as the same for 59 size cables. T&B is no exception.

Another aspect is the difference between different manufacturers compression connectors. Some are longer than others and you will need to use the correct tool for the connector you have. All tools are not the same and all connectors cannot use the same tool.

Given these variables and the fact that most suppliers provide little or no information other than brand and price, there is a good chance someone who does this on a casual basis is going to screw up somewhere.

-Hal

 

[kornbln]

hbliss,

I was referring to the manufacturer requiring you to use a specific brand and model of cable with a specific connector. Not cable size.

For instance, if you look at page 5 of http://www.tnb.com/contractor/docs/snapnseal.pdf you'll see that those BNC connectors call for specific Belden, CommScope, or Timers Fiber cables.

 

[quogueelectric]

Rg6 quad shield is the standard by by me for bidirectional high speed network cable being installed. It cannot be split the way people used to split cable lines its bandwidth is high and the testing equipment for that is expensive as far as signal strength. Remember to make all of your runs homeruns back to the dmark point and you cant go wrong. People want to cheap out and split everything and you will get the callbacks. 99 per how many do you want?? end of story NEVER had a problem with this type installation and made lots of dough doing it.

 

[BMacky]

This has been a great thread to read, FYI. Thanks to all who put the info out there.

I do have a question for any or all:

Using RG-6 and compression-style fittings, I too had trouble getting them to seat easily- until last week. I asked a ComCast guy why I was having so much trouble with the fittings slipping easily over the cable and he asked if I was peeling the outer braided shield back over the cable before slipping the fitting on. I wasn't, as I expected my stripper was a one-shot "strip and slip" device. Anyhow, I started by adjusting my Ideal Coax stripper so the outer braid was not cut at the same spot as the jacket, and then bending the braid back down over the outer insulation prior to slipping on the termination. That's been working great, but my question (finally) is: Is that the proper method? Seems to me the termination should sleeve into the cable between dielectric and braided shield.

Any takers?

 

[wireguru]

As far as I can tell, the only Snap-N-Seal connectors that call for a specific cable are the head-end F/BNC type.



Another aspect is the difference between different manufacturers compression connectors. Some are longer than others and you will need to use the correct tool for the connector you have. All tools are not the same and all connectors cannot use the same tool.

-Hal

i like the digicon tool for F connectors, it has a long stroke and i havent come across a connector it wouldnt install. its also good for holding the connector while you shove a stubborn cable into it