Please help fully specifying wire to purchase.
- Thread starter beelzerob
- Start date
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, the wiring guide said using RG59 or mini coax for baseband signals was all right, and using RG6QS for the satellite or OTA-HD type signals.
Is RG59 a bigger wire than RG6QS?? Some were seeming to insinuate that, and I wasn't sure. I did notice that the price I was getting quoted for RG6QS was lower than the price for RG59, same length.
I'll get a quote for mini-coax if that's a suitable alternative to RG59 for baseband signals. I understand that terminating it is a little harder, but I guess it's just one more tool I have to buy, huh?
upstatemike
Senior Member
I was not suggesting mini coax for long wire runs... I was just curious what to use for making "in the cabinet" patch cables.
Sacedog
Active Member
What about the RG6 that has both copper braid and foil shielding? (Like Belden 1694A) I ask, because that was what I was planning on using for all of the cable/sat runs. I only have one Componant run, and a few audio runs, and didn't want to buy another spool for the 200' of cable I will need for those. If the 1694A won't work, I'll run RG59. I am just trying to consolidate some of my cable choices...I am already purchasing 34k feet of cable. :lol:
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rg59 is SMALLER than rg6 thus its a common choice inside the can. its easier to work with. go ahead and use rg6 for long runs. I understand there are greater limitations on long runs with rg59.
Just a few points:
Sacedog - RG59 is usually recommended for baseband because it's easier to work with (thinner and more flexible) and it almost always has a solid copper core, actually, I've never seen one without, but I'm sure they are out there.
Also, it's usefully to distinguish between your run of the mill RG6QS that you get at HomeDepot and a high quality cable like Belden 1694A. I pick some of the Leviton SW stuff at HD when I'm in a pinch, and have never seen them stock anything other than CCS RG6. So, if you don't mind your component or audio cables being a little bigger and stiffer, then something like 1694A will work for all your runs.
beelzerob - mini coax is great, and bundled mini coax like Belden 7794 (just using them as an example, there are plenty of other quality cables out there) are even better, but expect to pay a pretty stiff premium over the other wire types.
Sacedog - RG59 is usually recommended for baseband because it's easier to work with (thinner and more flexible) and it almost always has a solid copper core, actually, I've never seen one without, but I'm sure they are out there.
Also, it's usefully to distinguish between your run of the mill RG6QS that you get at HomeDepot and a high quality cable like Belden 1694A. I pick some of the Leviton SW stuff at HD when I'm in a pinch, and have never seen them stock anything other than CCS RG6. So, if you don't mind your component or audio cables being a little bigger and stiffer, then something like 1694A will work for all your runs.
beelzerob - mini coax is great, and bundled mini coax like Belden 7794 (just using them as an example, there are plenty of other quality cables out there) are even better, but expect to pay a pretty stiff premium over the other wire types.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, I'm all for "easy to work with". For each TV connection, I had planned to run 5 RG59 and 2 Cat5e. The RG59 will be my component signal + 2Ch or digital audio. Because of so many cables being run to a single gang box, I thought RG59 would be a better choice.
Pick your wire by it's purpose rather then it's ease of use. I am unsure if Sat or digital cable will work if you use RG59u BC with copper briad.
Also you can use Cat5e as basically a "Do-All", with the proper adapters you can run just about anything over it. Also it's pretty easy to work with too.
Also you can use Cat5e as basically a "Do-All", with the proper adapters you can run just about anything over it. Also it's pretty easy to work with too.
beelzerob
Senior Member
I meant the RG59 only to be for baseband signals (component + sound). For satellite or cable, I'd use RG6QS. And I plan to run 2 cat5e's for whatever future need. But I don't plan on component over cat5 due to the high cost of baluns.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, I had a momentary lapse of reason where I considered just using Cat5 and baluns for video distribution. Now I'm back to reason. :lol:
So, here is my (semi)final wire totals and types (all solid and rated for in-wall use unless specified):
22/2 (Temp sensors, window/door contacts, smoke alarm): 2500 ft
18/2 (A/V Keypads, Touchpanel, motion detectors, CO alarms): 750 ft
16/4 (speaker): 1000 ft
Cat5e (A/V Keypads, touchpanels, PC Network, phone, TV, lighting control, motion sensors, CO alarms): 4500 ft
Mini-Coax (TV): 3000 ft
RG6QS (TV, antenna, satellite): 1500 ft
So, here is my (semi)final wire totals and types (all solid and rated for in-wall use unless specified):
22/2 (Temp sensors, window/door contacts, smoke alarm): 2500 ft
18/2 (A/V Keypads, Touchpanel, motion detectors, CO alarms): 750 ft
16/4 (speaker): 1000 ft
Cat5e (A/V Keypads, touchpanels, PC Network, phone, TV, lighting control, motion sensors, CO alarms): 4500 ft
Mini-Coax (TV): 3000 ft
RG6QS (TV, antenna, satellite): 1500 ft
beelzerob
Senior Member
I'm open to suggestions, if you have any. I'm currently pricing from 2 locations. The local lighting place (friedman electric) that will handle our lighting choices. He's going to get me prices to compare. And then the other place is keystone wire. Someone from these forums (can't quite remember who...but I did tell keystone they had sent me) recommended them, so I asked for a quote from them and they're very reasonable. They're about 3 hours away from me, though, so I'm not sure if it's economical to go get it or have it shipped.
beelzerob
Senior Member
One last little kicker for the RG59/mini-coax debate.....
I'm going to be terminating all those myself. I have a coax stripper tool already, but I'm going to throw away all my screw-on coax connectors (please hold your criticism...I was young and foolish!) and get compression fittings and the appropriate tool. Does mini-coax require its own tool for such purposes? I'm going to need a compression tool that can handle RG6QS anyway, and I'm pretty sure that can handle RG59 just as easily. But if I'd have to buy a separate tool for mini coax compression fitting....then that's another variable to consider perhaps (the tools don't seem cheap!).
I'm going to be terminating all those myself. I have a coax stripper tool already, but I'm going to throw away all my screw-on coax connectors (please hold your criticism...I was young and foolish!) and get compression fittings and the appropriate tool. Does mini-coax require its own tool for such purposes? I'm going to need a compression tool that can handle RG6QS anyway, and I'm pretty sure that can handle RG59 just as easily. But if I'd have to buy a separate tool for mini coax compression fitting....then that's another variable to consider perhaps (the tools don't seem cheap!).
Steve
Senior Member
It was me who recommended Keystone. Did you talk to Nick in Fla? He's the only guy that would know me. Don't know about where you talked to but Nick will ship orders > $500 for free, so that should answer that part of the ? for you.
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