How long can I run Satellite cable?

mustang68

the title says it all: whats the recommended length of satellite cable that I can run reliably?

Thanks!

recyclebin

ive got about 40 metres of cable connected to a motorised dish and have had no problems. Its even two different types of cable- 20 metres of ct100 and then 2x10m of cheap argos sat cable. The connectors and joiners are all properly done and covered in insulating tape. it may sound a bit dodgy but it was a diy job and ive had no trouble.

Tony

mustang68 wrote:

the title says it all: whats the recommended length of satellite cable that I can run reliably?

Thanks!

depends on the cable, how long do you wish to run?

mustang68

It would be the ct100, I could envisage the longest length to be about 25m, its for a relatives house and its a 50's style house, so its not a very straight forward house to do.

/begin rant
i want to get them Sky because after ntl going dead for at least the forth time in the last year, the free phone service line hanging up after two bars of "the four seasons" and then: we'll have a look into it in 24 to 48 hours (one has to wonder are they working hours!!), I think she'll be better off with SKy. She'll also be able to record her favourite programs and pause it if someone rings.
/end of rant

watty

Upto 30m is feasible

A line amplifier (available maplin and elsewhere) powered from coax fitted at 20m to 25m will extend cable to over 50m.

As long as the "quality" bar is 70% or more, even 30% on level can be OK.

byte

25 meters of CT100 would be grand.

mustang68

guys, thanks a million.

Capt'n Midnight

Another option would be to move the sky box to where the cable enters the house and use a remote extender to control it.

Tony

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Another option would be to move the sky box to where the cable enters the house and use a remote extender to control it.

But then you lose RGB picture quality and stereo sound

Sponge Bob

how about h109 instead of ct100 ..ct100 is a tad hard to get and an equivalent should do just fine as well.

oh and a good page explaining all the issues in this thread here

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/cableandleads.html

Tony

agreed H109 is an excellent alternative

Sponge Bob wrote:

how about h109 instead of ct100 ..ct100 is a tad hard to get and an equivalent should do just fine as well.

oh and a good page explaining all the issues in this thread here

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/cableandleads.html

Sponge Bob

anything else Tony ???

oh and whats in b and q , I hear thats good cable and quite cheap for example .

Tony

basically anything thats on the CAI approved list is good. http://www.cai.org.uk/downloads/CAI%20Cable%20Benchmarking%20Scheme.pdf

I think b and q stocked PF100 which is excellent

Sponge Bob wrote:

anything else Tony ???

oh and whats in b and q , I hear thats good cable and quite cheap for example .

kmb

What about RG65 i think it was,is it any good?

regards

kieran

Sponge Bob

RG65 is not on Tonys linked list

its nowhere near the same as ct100 or any of the ones in that list

L1011

RG65? RG6 surely? Not up to any imaginable standards, it has aluminium or even worse, aluminium/copper mixed foil/braid. The latter will corrode away to hell if any water gets in. RG59 is even worse.

As Tony linked to, you want a 100-type cable. Nearly everyone says CT100 but "real" CT100 hasn't been made in years, but the principle still applies. Can be either air-spaced (better) or foam (minorly worse signal transfer but much more resistant to kinks and water ingress), copper foil, high coverage copper braid.

Tony

Very true CT100 seems to have become a catch all phrase for this standard of cable

MYOB wrote:

As Tony linked to, you want a 100-type cable. Nearly everyone says CT100 but "real" CT100 hasn't been made in years, but the principle still applies.