For high-quality television broadcasting, not only the sufficient power of the incoming signal is important, but also the quality of the antenna wire. A high-quality television cable will ensure the transmission of a powerful signal without loss. It is necessary to choose the right wire for your TV in order to receive a strong enough TV signal and enjoy your favorite TV programs without interference.
Almost any wire for the antenna has a special marking. Here you can find basic information about the product.
Almost all television wires have the same design. The basis is the inner conductor (central core), which is covered with an insulating layer. A shielding layer in the form of a braid is located on top of the insulation. The construction is protected by a hard shell of insulation.
Cables with this structure are called coaxial.
The high-frequency current of the television signal flows through the central conductor. The higher the frequency of the signal, the closer to the surface it will flow. This means that at high frequencies, the current loss for cables of different sizes will be the same. To reduce these losses, space technology uses a surface layer of gold to prevent signal loss.
For home use, copper or steel wires are used. To reduce signal attenuation, the steel core of the cable is covered with a thin layer of copper. A coaxial cable with a steel core is cheaper, but is not able to transmit a signal from a satellite dish without large losses.
A copper core transmits a television signal of any nature without problems, including a signal from a satellite dish.
The shielding layer or braid protects the cable from external electromagnetic interference. The quality of the TV signal directly depends on the strength of the interference.
The shielding layer is made of aluminum foil. The braid is made of copper or aluminum thin wire.
For a shielded wire, a value is defined, called the shielding factor, which describes the degree of protection of the cable.
The inner insulating sheath protects the inner conductor from damage and also insulates from contact with the screen. It is made from plastic. In especially high-quality wires, fluoroplastic is used.
The outer protective shell protects the structure from mechanical damage, dust, moisture, and other external influences. It is made of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, or other insulating materials.
Cable selection
When choosing a cable, you must be guided by some recommendations:
- Mandatory wave impedance of the television wire is 75 ohms. Cables with a different impedance are not compatible with the TV tuner and, as a result, cannot transmit a high-quality image.
- Choose a coaxial cable with a diameter of at least 6mm. Thinner cables are flimsy and easily damaged.
- The shielding factor of a good quality shielded wire is at least 60dB. To achieve the best degree of protection, it is better to choose a cable with a coefficient of at least 90 dB.
- Study the cable carefully. If the product has an unpleasant smell, or there is no marking on it, then you most likely have a fake.µ
- Try bending the cable. It should be easy to deform, but “wrinkles” should not appear on it. If they appear, then you have not the highest quality cable in your hands.
We present to your attention some brands and models of coaxial cables:
It is recommended to buy TV cables DG 13 - they are durable, reliable, and have many other advantages. If you are not able to buy such an expensive TV wire, then you can choose a cheaper option from the list.
For an overview of coaxial video cables, see below:
Compound
After purchasing a suitable cable, you need to connect it to your TV.
This stage is no less important than the choice of wire, since even the most expensive and high-quality product will not transmit a good signal if the connection is not made correctly.
Plug installation
It is advised to buy plugs from the same store where the cables are. Ask the seller to help you choose the right accessories.
The most common type of plug is the F-plug. It is designed to transmit both analog and digital television signals.
Connecting the plug to the antenna wire is very simple:
- With a clerical knife, make a circular incision of the upper protective layer to the screen shell a couple of centimeters long;
- After removing the outer sheath, carefully fold back the shield or sheath. Bend part of the foil again so that not the inner, but its outer part comes into contact with the plug;
- Remove the insulating sheath of the central wire;
- Put the plug on the cable and turn it clockwise until it stops;
- Cut off the excess strands.
Plug installation is complete.
It is also useful to watch a video on how to connect a TV plug to a coaxial cable:
Sometimes the quality of the TV signal drops unexpectedly. In such cases, it is necessary to identify the causes of signal degradation and eliminate them.
- If the cable is damaged, first you need to find the place of the break.
Next, divide the cable into 2 parts and carry out the same operation with each of the parts as when putting on the plug. Buy special nozzles that are worn on the cable and connect the damaged parts. - The cable can be extended in the same way. It is recommended that you use a cable of the same brand and model for extension.
- Signal quality can also drop due to sharp turns in the TV wire.
Do not bend the cable sharply 90 degrees. Be sure to bend the cable with a certain radius.
Be sure to watch the video on how to connect a TV cable:
Connecting multiple TVs
To connect several devices to one antenna at once, splitters are used, which are otherwise called "crabs".
How to connect multiple TVs to the same antenna via a video splitter:
Crabs are recommended for use in areas with strong TV signals, i.e. close to television towers, since when a crab is connected, the signal strength decreases sharply. For example, if you connect 2 TVs to one antenna, then the signal loss will be about 30%.
The number of outputs on the crab must be strictly equal to the number of connected devices. If there is a free exit on the crab, the signal quality will still fall.
Amplifiers
Amplifiers are used to amplify the TV signal.
The device should be close to the TV or to the antenna.
Most often, amplifiers are used to compensate for signal loss due to the use of crabs.
Connecting a TV to an antenna through a video amplifier:
As you can see, choosing and installing a good television wire for an antenna requires taking into account many nuances. But it's worth it, because with the right choice of TV cable, broadcasting will proceed without interference. We hope that this article on television cables will help you make the right choice.