Wiring Coax Cable CATV
- Thread starter nicknorth
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hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
In most locations if the house is ever going to be hooked to cable TV we have to run dedicated runs to a location by the service. most cable suppliers only want to hook up the cables that will be inuse because of the danger of leakage.
We either stick the runs outside by the service or just inside and run a cable to the outside.
In most locations if the house is ever going to be hooked to cable TV we have to run dedicated runs to a location by the service. most cable suppliers only want to hook up the cables that will be inuse because of the danger of leakage.
We either stick the runs outside by the service or just inside and run a cable to the outside.
macmikeman
Senior Member
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- Planet macmikeman
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
Nick, type rg-6 is pretty much the minimum standard nowadays for cable tv. The old rg-9 with a 20 ga or 22 ga solid inside does not have the bandwith to carry the new array of channels that are available. Even better to run the quad shield type rg-6 coax. (cost's more). In my area if there is 4 or more drops the cable tv company wants us to have a receptacle outlet close by the cable service on the interior side so that a booster amplifier can be used.
Nick, type rg-6 is pretty much the minimum standard nowadays for cable tv. The old rg-9 with a 20 ga or 22 ga solid inside does not have the bandwith to carry the new array of channels that are available. Even better to run the quad shield type rg-6 coax. (cost's more). In my area if there is 4 or more drops the cable tv company wants us to have a receptacle outlet close by the cable service on the interior side so that a booster amplifier can be used.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
Even better to run the quad shield type rg-6 coax. (cost's more).
No, and that's bad advice. We have some people here who think quad shield is better but have no idea why. Their logic is usually that it is physically larger and costs more so it must be better. Fact is that 95% of the time it is a waste of money and effort.
Go to the low voltage forum (where this thread should be by the way) and see whats been said about your subject.
There is also a wealth of information on the subject over at the electrical-contractor.net Voice-Video-Data forum.
-Hal
Even better to run the quad shield type rg-6 coax. (cost's more).
No, and that's bad advice. We have some people here who think quad shield is better but have no idea why. Their logic is usually that it is physically larger and costs more so it must be better. Fact is that 95% of the time it is a waste of money and effort.
Go to the low voltage forum (where this thread should be by the way) and see whats been said about your subject.
There is also a wealth of information on the subject over at the electrical-contractor.net Voice-Video-Data forum.
-Hal
curt swartz
Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
- Location
- San Jose, CA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
Hal, we have been through this before but you are the one give bad advice to say that RG6-Quad should not be used. I agree that for most installations it is not needed but it is required by many cable operators. Most small operators require quad but larger operators including Comcast require it for some of their systems. When Pacific Bell was building their broadband network in the San Jose they required all inside wiring to be RG6-Quad. If the required cable is not installed the cable operators will usually require the wiring be replaced before connecting the service. I realize that in your area this is not typical but it is in many areas. My cost for quad is not much more that standard so its not worth stocking different cables. Its also not worth the time to verify what cable in required for each system. Even most of the tract EC?s are running quad as standard in my area.
Hal, we have been through this before but you are the one give bad advice to say that RG6-Quad should not be used. I agree that for most installations it is not needed but it is required by many cable operators. Most small operators require quad but larger operators including Comcast require it for some of their systems. When Pacific Bell was building their broadband network in the San Jose they required all inside wiring to be RG6-Quad. If the required cable is not installed the cable operators will usually require the wiring be replaced before connecting the service. I realize that in your area this is not typical but it is in many areas. My cost for quad is not much more that standard so its not worth stocking different cables. Its also not worth the time to verify what cable in required for each system. Even most of the tract EC?s are running quad as standard in my area.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
I agree that for most installations it is not needed but it is required by many cable operators.
The fact that it is required by the cable operator does not mean that it is necessarily better. These are large corporations and somebody made it policy to use it and that's what they do and that's how their installers have been trained. Nobody knows why, only that's what they have been told to do.
It may very well be that your area is one where quad shield is needed, I don't know. If the cable company requires it and will give you a hard time otherwise then that's reason to use it.
That reason is a lot different than suggesting that everybody should use it because it's better. A knowledgeable installer will know why it's necessary and when they have to use it and when they can save some money by using something else.
By the way, good quality RG-6 quad shield from Belden, ComScope or Times costs a lot more than their 60% braid over foil RG-6 so the cost difference can be significant.
-Hal
I agree that for most installations it is not needed but it is required by many cable operators.
The fact that it is required by the cable operator does not mean that it is necessarily better. These are large corporations and somebody made it policy to use it and that's what they do and that's how their installers have been trained. Nobody knows why, only that's what they have been told to do.
It may very well be that your area is one where quad shield is needed, I don't know. If the cable company requires it and will give you a hard time otherwise then that's reason to use it.
That reason is a lot different than suggesting that everybody should use it because it's better. A knowledgeable installer will know why it's necessary and when they have to use it and when they can save some money by using something else.
By the way, good quality RG-6 quad shield from Belden, ComScope or Times costs a lot more than their 60% braid over foil RG-6 so the cost difference can be significant.
-Hal
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
Hal it's that $10,000 dollar fine if there cable system causes RFI of another communication system. Like what happened here with our cable and the landing pattern to O-Hare.
Hal it's that $10,000 dollar fine if there cable system causes RFI of another communication system. Like what happened here with our cable and the landing pattern to O-Hare.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Re: Wiring Coax Cable CATV
Sure, I don't doubt it. And after that to be on the safe side everything gets done with quad shield. I'm not going to argue with that. I'm just surprised that they let others supply their own cable. Few people know anything about cable and connectors or have access to distributors that can supply the proper material if they did. Once a house is wired and closed up with some crummy wire in the walls, well you know the rest.
I would think that if they were serious about this they would at least supply the cable and insist on terminating it themselves.
-Hal
Sure, I don't doubt it. And after that to be on the safe side everything gets done with quad shield. I'm not going to argue with that. I'm just surprised that they let others supply their own cable. Few people know anything about cable and connectors or have access to distributors that can supply the proper material if they did. Once a house is wired and closed up with some crummy wire in the walls, well you know the rest.
I would think that if they were serious about this they would at least supply the cable and insist on terminating it themselves.
-Hal
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