# Coax and its terminations -- help!



## MikeSp (Aug 15, 2006)

I need to re-organize all of the video coax cables in my house that run from my antenna to all of my TVs and just want to start over from scratch with twin shield RG6 coax.

Are all RG6's the same diameter so that if I purchased one quality compression tool, it and the compression F fittings would work with all coaxes -- same question for the stripping tool that would do all three cuts at the same time. [Seems to me that I read somewhere that Canare is a different diameter and requires different tools than Belden and the rest of the quality RG6's]

What are some recommendations for high quality RG6 twin shield coax along with recommendations of brands of compression F connector fittings and compression tools & stripping tools to fit those connectors and that coax?

I would like to use a distribution amp from which 6 coax runs would originate -- recommendations for a good distribution amp for a 1 into 6 capability for HDTV?

I also need to cut into the Comcast coax cable for broadband and the Comcast cable for TV and split off connections for my home theater (those two cables run right past my AV closet) and wonder if there are standards such that the tools for adding compression F connectors to the new coax that I run would also work with the Comcast cable TV coax.

In researching this subject, I have found recommendations for Canare LV-77S, Belden 1694A and my dealer carries Tributaries coax & compression F connectors which they use in custom installs.

Thoughts/opinions regarding the best coax and matching connectors and tools along with online sources would be very much appreciated. (Some online dealers in their Sites make it difficult to discern whether or not the various crimping tools that they sell are designed for the various compression connectors that they sell).

Mike


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

> I need to re-organize all of the video coax cables in my house that run from my antenna to all of my TVs and just want to start over from scratch with twin shield RG6 coax.


Unless you happen to live next door to a broadcast tower, you don’t need quadshield.



> Are all RG6's the same diameter so that if I purchased one quality compression tool, it and the compression F fittings would work with all coaxes -- same question for the stripping tool that would do all three cuts at the same time. [Seems to me that I read somewhere that Canare is a different diameter and requires different tools than Belden and the rest of the quality RG6's]


It’s _supposed_ to be a universal standard. Some of the Canare stuff you’re talking about I think is proprietary for their 75-ohm RCA connectors, which you won’t be using for this. Just make sure whatever coax you go with doesn’t have a note along the lines of “For use only with our xxx connectors” or something like that, and you should be okay.



> What are some recommendations for high quality RG6 twin shield coax along with recommendations of brands of compression F connector fittings and compression tools & stripping tools to fit those connectors and that coax?


Parts Express carries all that stuff. Maybe someone will come along here who’s a connoisseur of compression F-connectors, but if not, just avoid the bottom-of-the-line stuff and you’ll be fine.



> I also need to cut into the Comcast coax cable for broadband and the Comcast cable for TV and split off connections for my home theater (those two cables run right past my AV closet) and wonder if there are standards such that the tools for adding compression F connectors to the new coax that I run would also work with the Comcast cable TV coax.


Again, you should be fine with whatever you’re buying. I haven’t heard anything to the effect that coax was redesigned when they switched from crimp-on F-connectors to compression. It’s still the same cable.



> In researching this subject, I have found recommendations for Canare LV-77S, Belden 1694A and my dealer carries Tributaries coax & compression F connectors which they use in custom installs.


The Canare is an RG-59. You won’t want to use that for your cable TV or broadband. As far as the Tributaries goes, I can’t find anything on it. Don’t be suckered into getting anything that’s supposedly hi-end, videophile etc. for this, as it’s only RF you’re dealing with, not signal-level.

Regards,
Wayne


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