Opinions Of Coax Cable Please

GregThCarpenter

I just want to get some opinions.

I trimmed out this house for a "builder" (they will give anyone a license)
I did my job and a few extra$$$, I am working on some punch-out items while the home owners are motioning in and I learn that the electrician only installed standard coax cable for the TV.
The home owners are a little pissed to learn that they will not be able to get HDTV.
So my???? is what is the norm now (I thought installing cat-5 cable or similar was)
And does the builder or electrician owe the homer owners a better wire for there TV?

rselectric1

New house?
What was specified?

__________________
220...221...whatever it takes!

GregThCarpenter

I do not know what was specified.
I do not think the the homeowners even considered that they had options, and trusted the gc to build them them the million doller house they paid for.

Inner10

Cable or Sat?

What is the cable provider and how is the cable tuned?

TV's Digital or Analogue tuner?

Cable Card?

Cable Box?

In Canada we have 2 options, tune in channels 1-70 with an analogue tuner and some digital channels with a digital tuner, but if you want all the channels you have to use a digital set top box to decode them. In either of these situations a single run of RG6 is adaquate.

Norm for TV is still Coax, quite often I will run a cat-5 or two but it all depends on the situation, what they plan on using it for in the future and the budget. With more and more devices being networkable cat-5 never goes to waste....Although in a pinch you can use a "network over cable" adapter, or wireless bridge.

GregThCarpenter

The home owners plan on installing Dish or Direcct tv.
What are the optiions to upgrade the service without cutting holes in the new walls?

Inner10

Greg,

I have never connected one of thoes services since I'm in Canada, but I will assume that it is similar to our satellite system.

Is the cable ran to a location for a wall-mounted tv?

With Sat systems you have to have a receiver, then run hi-def cables from the receiver to the TV. Using the receiver to decode channels. Also for PPV channels you need a phone line to dial-out on.

This happens alot around here where someone wires a single coax cable to the TV now expects hi-def Sat or Cable, and I need to bust out the box, extent the wire up to a shelf or down to a small equipment stand and then run hi-def (HDMI or component+audio) cables back from the receiver to the TV.

Around here Satellite hi-def 2-zone PVRs require 2 feeds from the switch point, but a standard hi-def receiver will only need one.

Satellite is always a pain in the arse compared to cable, its a good idea to have 2 runs of coax and one run of cat-5 for a Sat system (or a standard structured wire).

Assuming that I'm correct in my assumptions you shouldn't have that big of a job

TimberTom

Don't the channels you are offered/able to get depend on the service you pay for? Unless you meant HDTV, not HGTV...

Destin Handyman

Greg, tell the homeowners to calm down they did not messed over. Coaxial cable is what is installed in the old days and now. If you want HD TV you simply order digital cable with HD, or satellite TV, Direct TV, or whatever company. Then you will get a box that you hook the coax into, then you use either a small coax or the best is a hdmi cable to go from the box to the TV, which will be supplied from the provider. The builder and wire installer did the right thing so the moral of the story is you need a coax cable to get HD. Hope this helps.

David
Emerald Coast Deluxe Services LLC
Destin, FL

BCConstruction

Yes thats correct. We upgraded to Digital hd and all we had to do was change or DVR/Tuner box and it all run throught the old wireing. If they are going to have a system like direct tv installed then they will have dedicated cables installed from the dish to the recievers.

Zinsco

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..............The answer is RG-6 Quad Shield is good enough.
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Inner10

See thats the kicker right there, alot of people wire coax directly to where the TV is to be mounted, not wired to where the box will be situated with a run of Hi-def cabling from the box point to the TV.

Not a big deal but when you go to Hook up a TV and say its going to be an extra 1/2 hour labour and 100 bucks in cable it could kick-up a small fuss.

I also see some places have random cable splitters hidden in boxes, and some daisy-chain the coax from one room to another. THEN you have a problem.

If its HD then you have to have either component/HDMI/DVI, using the RF output will not suffice (not around here atleast) and lots of boxes do not include HDMI cables.

Quad is overkill for a house IMO.

Destin Handyman

I agree, I just said that HDMI is the best to use if you can but the RG-6 is fine.
David
Emerald Coast Deluxe Services LLC

Zinsco

I think you're right. I buy it only so I can gush to my customer about how I "upgraded them to quad".

charlesmd

Thats all I have-works fine.