[mythtv-users] Long coax (was Re: Questions about Hauppauge...)
Alen Edwards
allen.edwards at oldpaloalto.com
Fri Jul 4 05:22:33 UTC 2008
I am probably on the losing end of this argument but in the about 10
years, 750 feet of coax, and almost 100 F-connectors I have never had a
problem with a connector in my home system. These are very high quality
connectors installed with a professional grade tool. They are not the
crimp connectors most people see at Radio Shack. They are what the
local cable folks use on the poles.
I am sure there are higher quality solutions out there, but that mini
coax in the nice package bundles is not one of them IF performance is
your goal. They certainly has a lot of nice things to say about it, but
don't short change good old fat coax. In RF, loss is related to
volume. Big is better.
If I had to constantly make and unmake the connection, I would not use
F-connectors. I have used BNC connectors, SMA, SMB, PL259, APC-7, RCA,
you name it I have probably used it. One of the most common problems
with installing a connector is getting the center pin soldered or
crimped properly to the center conductor. At least you never had that
problem with Type-F. For single or limited number of insertions, it is
just fine. Now, for BNC connections, I use a F to BNC adapter. You
make the F-connection once and have a BNC for the multiple insertions.
Of course, the biggest reason to use BNC is that your equipment has BNC
inputs. I have lots of adapters as my old projector used BNC. My new
one is HDMI. Now there is a POS connector.
People use type-f and RG-6U coax up to several GHz. It is certainly OK
up to video frequencies. It really is much better than mini coax. That
I have seen for sure. I have a bundle of 10 RG-6U run in the wall and
ceiling from my equipment to my projector. I mostly use the big fat DVI
cable now, but with my old projector I ran S-Video, component, and RGB
to the projector and they all worked great.
This is all I am going to say about coax. Do what you will. I am sure
it will be fine. Want to get into a real flaming discussion, get me
talking about speaker wire...
Allen
In terms of RCA connectors, there is no substitute when the equipment
has an RCA connection on it :-)
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