Quad shielded or not?

[RobWalker]

I am busy prewiring a new home in Ottawa, ON and am having a hard time sourcing quad shielded solid copper core RJ6 locally. The best I can do is a solid copper core but non quad shielded -- how important is the quad shielded part going to be in practice? I'm assuming from its lack of availability that a lot of people are not using it!

Pricing seems to be all over the map. I have been quoted prices as high as 65c\foot locally and online in Canada I can find it at 25c\foot. But non-quad shielded (solid core, swept to 3GHz) is available online for 6c\foot. Do I really need to pay 4x the price?! And shipping on 2000' of cable is annoyingly expensive ...

Anyone know where to look for RJ6 in Canada?

 

[politics123]

I am busy prewiring a new home in Ottawa, ON and am having a hard time sourcing quad shielded solid copper core RJ6 locally. The best I can do is a solid copper core but non quad shielded -- how important is the quad shielded part going to be in practice? I'm assuming from its lack of availability that a lot of people are not using it!

Pricing seems to be all over the map. I have been quoted prices as high as 65c\foot locally and online in Canada I can find it at 25c\foot. But non-quad shielded (solid core, swept to 3GHz) is available online for 6c\foot. Do I really need to pay 4x the price?! And shipping on 2000' of cable is annoyingly expensive ...

Anyone know where to look for RJ6 in Canada?

I have no clue about Canada, but I got mine from the local electical supply company (no, not Home Depot --> the company that supplies all the electricians). If its really that expensive, have you gotten quotes from installers who might do the hard-work for you, at only a slightly larger cost?

 

[RobWalker]

I have no clue about Canada, but I got mine from the local electical supply company (no, not Home Depot --> the company that supplies all the electricians). If its really that expensive, have you gotten quotes from installers who might do the hard-work for you, at only a slightly larger cost?

I'm very happy to plug my local electrical supply company (Nedco in Carp) since they have been great at providing all the electrical stuff I need, but they would need to special order this cable which would take a couple of weeks to come in.

I've not even tried to get a quote for an install ... the highest price (65c\f) came from a local high end video/audio business and they claim to be swamped with work. Of course, they also wanted a price for CAT5 that made HD look really cheap.

Other local satellite shops have just looked at me like I was talking a foreign language when I start trying to clarify if their cable is solid copper core or quad shielded. I guess this all a little too far ahead of the curve for this area!

 

[bfisher]

Anyone know where to look for RJ6 in Canada?

Can you have it shipped into Canada? I bought mine here, came out to about 10 cents per foot USD plus shipping. Not sure about Canada...

As for if it's worth it or not... it's one of those things that if you don't do it and have any little problem, you'll be kicking yourself later - why didn't I just do it right the first time?

Good luck

 

[Digihome]

I am busy prewiring a new home in Ottawa, ON and am having a hard time sourcing quad shielded solid copper core RJ6 locally. The best I can do is a solid copper core but non quad shielded -- how important is the quad shielded part going to be in practice? I'm assuming from its lack of availability that a lot of people are not using it!

Pricing seems to be all over the map. I have been quoted prices as high as 65c\foot locally and online in Canada I can find it at 25c\foot. But non-quad shielded (solid core, swept to 3GHz) is available online for 6c\foot. Do I really need to pay 4x the price?! And shipping on 2000' of cable is annoyingly expensive ...

Anyone know where to look for RJ6 in Canada?

I bought my solid core RG6 Quad at Home Depot in Regina for $80/500 ft roll. Everywhere else was way too expensive.

Mike

 

[AnthonyZ]

I bought my solid core RG6 Quad at Home Depot in Regina for $80/500 ft roll. Everywhere else was way too expensive.

Mike

My personal opinion is that's too expensive by a long way. Especially considering that there is not a single application now (nor any specs that I've read for future use) that should require quad shield. Use common sense wire pulling techniques and good design and you will have MUCH better results with dual shield solid copper than quad shield copper clad. The biggest difference is in the level of ingress over egress with quad shield and if you terminate your cables with good, compression style fittings and run the cable properly, you won't pick up "ghosts". Satellite subscribers will recieve NO benefit from quad...

once again, and as always, just my $.02.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I'm not an RF or cable transmission expert, but I do know in applications where I did not see quad shielding used, there was ghosting images picked up from local OTA transmissions.

Another clue, our cable company (Cox) uses nothing but quad shielding in all their installations. Also, homebuilders install quad shielded coax in developments here. Now, if it wasn't needed I'm sure these commercial company would have selected a lot cheaper cable!

Anthony is correct, it can be troublesome to terminate. Make sure you get the connectors for RG6 "Q" or "Quad" as their outdiameter will be larger than ones for "RG6". I also use a coax stripper that I have setup for the correct distances and diameters that properly strips a quad shielded coax in three seconds.

 

[RobWalker]

I bought my solid core RG6 Quad at Home Depot in Regina for $80/500 ft roll. Everywhere else was way too expensive.

Mike

The local HD only has non-quad CCS but at least you got a choice of white or black

I didn't think to ask if they would special order it ... but special ordering and HD don't go together too well in my experience. In the end I've order some online from down South and drive down to Ogdensburg to pick it up.

 

[AnthonyZ]

I'm not an RF or cable transmission expert, but I do know in applications where I did not see quad shielding used, there was ghosting images picked up from local OTA transmissions.

**Most likely a 40% braid or an improper or screw on termination. I too have seen it and was the "hero" when I've quickly fixed the problems. **

Another clue, our cable company (Cox) uses nothing but quad shielding in all their installations. Also, homebuilders install quad shielded coax in developments here. Now, if it wasn't needed I'm sure these commercial company would have selected a lot cheaper cable!

**As an installer (who, in all fairness, avoids production builders like the plague) that runs both new and retrofit cabling, I can tell you that homebuilders, for the most part, are incredibly ignorant when it comes to what goes in the infrastructure. I have NEVER had a home builder request or specify quad and I've been in the industry for 8 years. Instead, a "standard" has been put in place that recommends quad, installers (many of whom are "experts" that have been in the field for 24 months or less) then drink the Kool-Aid (because they don't bother to educate themselves) and the builder runs with the recommendation. I would hardly think of the builder as the man with answers.**

 

[Ranger Digital]

Regardless of whether there are benefits technically with rg5 quad vs. non-quad, there IS a benefit in the sales pitch. Agreed, most production, well, most custom builders as well, are not the source for tech or product info pertaining to HA or wiring. I would even say most are completely clueless and many relay on their integrator heavily.

My point is, customers are rarely educated on these matters either. A benefit I see is PERCEPTION. If the customer perceives they are getting a better system than what the satellite or cable company installs, then THAT is a benefit. Not saying professional integrators should only install PERCEIVED better systems but we all know that sometimes perception is better than reality. The cost is so minuscule in the overall scheme of things, to me its WORTH IT to put in the quad shield if not just for the perception. Its one more "bullet" on the list of things that you do that someone else may not. On satellite, there IS a benefit on bare copper (solid copper core). There may be on cable TV as well, but I have not investigated and educated myself on that issue. Maybe someone will chime in on the cable TV.

Personally, I have no issues with flexibility on quad and using the RIGHT compression fitting makes installs a breeze. Not saying quad is just as flexible, its not. Design the layout with the less flexible quad in mind and its usually not an issue.

For personal home installs? You're call. There are many arguements online on the issue. In a customer install, there is no harm in adding the quad and stating you did. The cost difference is just not enough in the overall scenario to even make is question for me.

 

[AnthonyZ]

Regardless of whether there are benefits technically with rg5 quad vs. non-quad, there IS a benefit in the sales pitch. Agreed, most production, well, most custom builders as well, are not the source for tech or product info pertaining to HA or wiring. I would even say most are completely clueless and many relay on their integrator heavily.

My point is, customers are rarely educated on these matters either. A benefit I see is PERCEPTION. If the customer perceives they are getting a better system than what the satellite or cable company installs, then THAT is a benefit. Not saying professional integrators should only install PERCEIVED better systems but we all know that sometimes perception is better than reality. The cost is so minuscule in the overall scheme of things, to me its WORTH IT to put in the quad shield if not just for the perception. Its one more "bullet" on the list of things that you do that someone else may not. On satellite, there IS a benefit on bare copper (solid copper core). There may be on cable TV as well, but I have not investigated and educated myself on that issue. Maybe someone will chime in on the cable TV.

Personally, I have no issues with flexibility on quad and using the RIGHT compression fitting makes installs a breeze. Not saying quad is just as flexible, its not. Design the layout with the less flexible quad in mind and its usually not an issue.

For personal home installs? You're call. There are many arguements online on the issue. In a customer install, there is no harm in adding the quad and stating you did. The cost difference is just not enough in the overall scenario to even make is question for me.

I honestly agree with this post, Ranger. You're right, perception IS reality. My points above are based on experience. I am not attempting to say that it's "wrong" to pull quad. What I am trying to get across is along the lines of what you've stated. If given the coice of quad copper clad vs. dual full copper, the dual full copper will win every time. (and most likely be cheaper!)

 

[Ranger Digital]

Anthony, you and i will get along fine. I like your style. it can be no holds bar'd, no BS and what you see is what you get. exactly the way it should be.

 

[AnthonyZ]

Anthony, you and i will get along fine. I like your style. it can be no holds bar'd, no BS and what you see is what you get. exactly the way it should be.

Thanks, Tuck. I take that as a complement. Especially sice I'm used to being called a "grump". You know, it cuts both ways though. I am the kind of guy who gives credit where it's due and call bull$^!t when it's deserved...

 

[SnyperBob]

I honestly agree with this post, Ranger. You're right, perception IS reality. My points above are based on experience. I am not attempting to say that it's "wrong" to pull quad. What I am trying to get across is along the lines of what you've stated. If given the coice of quad copper clad vs. dual full copper, the dual full copper will win every time. (and most likely be cheaper!)

OK, sorry to resurrect this thread but I was doing some shopping for more RG6QS and I'm confused. A few months ago when I bought RG6QS off Ebay, the seller didn't specify what type it was. Now I need more cable and I returned back to the same seller.

They now have RG6 Quad Shield BC (Bare Copper), and RG6 Quad Shield CCS (Copper Clad Steel). Based on what others have said in this thread, is RG6 Quad BC the way to go? It's more expensive than the RG6QS CCS by about $30 for a 1000 foot roll.

I have no clue what I bought before. I'm assuming it was RG6QS CCS since it was 'cheaper' cost.

So do you guys think I should go with the RG6 QS BC that is a little more expensive than the CCS? I think I'm just going to invest in copper for the future....I can't believe the price of this chit.

 

[RobWalker]

I honestly agree with this post, Ranger. You're right, perception IS reality. My points above are based on experience. I am not attempting to say that it's "wrong" to pull quad. What I am trying to get across is along the lines of what you've stated. If given the coice of quad copper clad vs. dual full copper, the dual full copper will win every time. (and most likely be cheaper!)

OK, sorry to resurrect this thread but I was doing some shopping for more RG6QS and I'm confused. A few months ago when I bought RG6QS off Ebay, the seller didn't specify what type it was. Now I need more cable and I returned back to the same seller.

They now have RG6 Quad Shield BC (Bare Copper), and RG6 Quad Shield CCS (Copper Clad Steel). Based on what others have said in this thread, is RG6 Quad BC the way to go? It's more expensive than the RG6QS CCS by about $30 for a 1000 foot roll.

I have no clue what I bought before. I'm assuming it was RG6QS CCS since it was 'cheaper' cost.

So do you guys think I should go with the RG6 QS BC that is a little more expensive than the CCS? I think I'm just going to invest in copper for the future....I can't believe the price of this chit.

I'm not expert, but I would definitely go with BC rather than CCS, especially if you want to run hi-def or digital satelite over it. If it is simply for CCTV of something it probably isn't an issue.

I find it helps to think of the cost in relation to the work involved in pulling it all out to upgrade in a few years