I am about to prewire a home for directv. I have rg6 quad with ccs and not solid copper core. I normally use it for cable tv runs. All runs will be under 150'. Should I pick up some solid copper core, or will the ccs be ok? I know in theory you should use solid copper, but in the real world will it work? Thanks.

I'd reccomend using solid copper (and so does DirecTV and the SBCA)

Solid copper is reccomended for satellite to reduce voltage loss between the receiver and the LNB. Will CCS work? Maybe. But it could lead to issues in the future, or you may find that you need to add more equipment to compensate for the voltage loss.

I you need some single or dual line solid copper RG6 with or without messanger for cheap, PM me.

Do your self a favor and spend the extra $6 per 1000ft on a solid copper. Use the other stuff as backup, CCTV, etc.

That's what I thought but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks.

Do not use copper coated steel for CCTV or any baseband signal. - only RF signals.

What BMaxey said, and remember that DirecTV signals should be considered baseband because they have signals at 22 kHz, which is pretty low, and also one of two different level signals at zero Hertz, which is really really low!

CCS is for skin effect frequencies. For best results, don't use it for anything below 50 mHz. Or, if you do, for more than maybe thirty feet. Or fifty. But not many.

When you say


do you mean each individual run, or all runs that count cable from the LNB to each receiver? The second one is what matters.

Suppose there are existing runs of coax, and you want to test its ability to carry a baseband signal such as HD component? Is this something that can be done by a "generalist", or does it require expensive equipment and deep expertise?

There are two ways that I know of to do this- 1. Get a signal generator and oscilloscope to see what the signal looks like at the other end of the line; or, 2. Connect a source on one side and a display on the other and see what it looks like :)

CJ

Yes, but then you have the new question "what should it look like?" or "how would the signal be made worse?" And looking at it on a display would be the less accurate method. Just consider, for one, that almost all consumer video inputs have AGC, automatic gain control, to help bring an attenuated signal up to the right voltages. That would change the performance of a signal, making it look better than it should.

I'd expect that losses at DC would be worse. I'd measure DC losses and liosses at, say, 500 mHz, then compare those losses with the losses in solid copper cable. Then compare those with losses listed in the manufacturer's catalog, just to be sure the cable is performing as it should at RF frequencies.

It's not that copper clad steel won't carry satellite signal or baseband video. It's that it doesn't do it quite as well as solid copper, and the further you go, the larger the "not quite as well" part is. And "further you go" can mean tens, or hundreds, of feet.

Avoid CCS because it's not as good, not because the signal won't go through at all.

CCS is popular because the tensile strength is higher, meaning you can pull harder (~700 lbs if I recall correctly) before the cable deforms.

Bill Maxey

Solid Copper

What if your house is already wired with RG6 CCS and rewiring the entire house is not an option? I ordered Directv and the installer came out to install the service and said he would have to run all new wires. As I didnt want him punching a bunch of new holes in my 5 year old house I cancelled the install. Is there options available to use Directv's HD service with preexisting RG6 CCS wiring?

Yeah, try it as is. It should work, provided you don't have extremely long runs.

It is not optimal, no, but I bet it will work fine.

From the satellite to the distribution panel is about 75'. Runs from the distribution panel vary, but the longest one would be lesst than 50'. So the maximum run would be approximately 125'. Would this be considered extremely long?

Seriously guys....how about a straight answer, without looking at it on a scope how can you tell the difference? Is reception affected by rain fade sooner than usual or something? Is picture quality affected in any noticeable way?

Please understand, I will use solid for new runs and I'm not trying to do things cheap or half ass, I'm just trying to get a feel for how urgent it really is to replace existing wires depending on the pain in the arse factor.

I like OTAHD's answer, but I would love to hear any stories you may have about someone fixing even a small, real life problem by replacing CCS w/ solid?