Length of satellite cable?

[Eddy Bentley]

Can anyone tell me if lengthening the cable from our satellite dish to our digital TV set-up will lessen the quality of the reception?

At the moment the dish is attached to the chimney stack and drops vertically from it, in a straight line, through the attic, through the first floor, to the TV on the ground floor.

The chimney needs demolishing and rebuilding and we're thinking that once that's done the house will look better if the dish is attached to a gable wall. Not so obvious. But the length of the cable (travelling horizontally along the length of the house before dropping much the same distance as before) would then be twice the length it is now.

Will this lessen the quality of the reception? Much?

Eddy.

[dennis]

It will reduce the signal strength. This will not reduce the quality unless you drop below the threshold. The problem is we don't know what that threshold is. How many meters of cable are you talking about?

[tony sayer]

In article , dennis@home scribeth thus

Most Sky systems are OK up to around 80 metres using a good grade of cable such as CT100. Any more then that an inline amp is required....

[Lobster]

I suggest that more important than the overall length will be the need to replace the whole cable with a new continuous piece, rather than joining on a new bit.

David

[Steve]

Probably not as the output from the LNB is amplified to a reasonable level that allows for average length cable runs.

If the length is extremely long, you might run into problems without adding an amplifier in line.

If you are adding to the existing length, then F connectors and a back-to-back joining barrel should be used (with suitable weather protection if needed). Preferably though, replace entire cable from new dish location.

Steve

[Eddy Bentley]

Thanks guys, for all your advice. I reckon I'll be under 80 metres and yes fitting one whole new length of good quality cable sounds like a wise idea.

Thanks.

Eddy.

[Alan]

Some outlets are currently charging a 'premium price' for CT100 (or equivalent)

Some links, courtesy of another newsgroup.

First product on the page

Related links

[Eddy Bentley]

Thanks for those links, Alan.

Eddy.