Today’s question comes from Phil who asks, “Does it matter what kind of coaxial cable I use to connect my TV antenna to my Tablo?”
There are two types of coaxial cabling commonly used to connect TV antennas to televisions or devices like Tablo DVRs: RG-6 and RG-59. There are clear benefits to using RG-6 coaxial cable.
RG-6 vs. RG-59 Coaxial Cable
Let’s take a closer look at the differences:
- Intended applications — RG-6 coaxial cable is designed to deliver modern digital signals and is best for home theater applications. RG-59 is designed for older analog signals and is best for applications like video security systems.
- Materials & Construction — RG-6 coaxial cable has a thicker conductor wire, better insulation and two layers of shielding. RG-59 cabling is thinner and only offers a single layer of shielding.
- Signal Loss & Interference Protection – The thicker insulation and extra shielding in RG-6 cabling helps prevent interference and signal loss ensuring your over-the-air signal stays strong and clear as it moves from your antenna to your television or Tablo. Thinner insulation and single-layer shielding in RG-59 cabling can lead to noticeable signal loss, especially over longer distances and the potential for interference leading to issues with playback and recording of over-the-air TV.
- Flexibility — The downside of the better-quality materials in RG-6 cabling is that it’s much less flexible than thinner RG-59 coax. It can be harder to make RG-6 cabling look tidy without using cable management tools.
- Price — You can expect to pay a premium for the benefits RG-6 cabling It’s approximately 11 cents more per linear foot than RG-59.
How Do You Identify the Coax Type?
If you’re not sure what type of coaxial cabling connects your TV antenna to your Tablo, it’s easy to find out. Look closely for a printed label on the outside of the cable itself. It should specify whether your cabling is RG-6 vs. RG-59.
If you’re using the TV antenna and cabling included with the Tablo Total System, it’s RG-6.
If you don’t see a label and the cabling is very thin, it could be ultra-fine or micro coaxial cabling. This extra thin cabling is common in lower-quality TV indoor TV antennas, especially models with integrated coaxial cable. While it’s super flexible and lightweight, its minimal insulation and shielding mean poorer performance in anything but short cables.
Is It Worth Switching?
If you discover that your current TV antenna setup is using sub-par coaxial cabling, you might be wondering if switching to RG-6 would be worthwhile.
The answer depends on two factors: your current over-the-air experience and your installation.
Are you encountering issues like pixelation or audio breakup when playing or recording over-the-air TV? By reducing signal loss and potential interference, a cable swap could help lock in marginal signals without the need to upgrade to a larger, more powerful antenna model.
Swapping out a short, fully exposed RG-59 cable for RG-6 is simple and takes less than 5 minutes. However, replacing long run of coaxial cabling installed within your walls or along the baseboards of your home can be a daunting, but potentially worthwhile task if you’re dedicated to improving your antenna TV setup.
If your TV antenna delivers a strong, clear and consistent signal to your television or Tablo despite using substandard RG-59 cabling, switching to RG-6 immediately isn’t necessary. However, if you replace your cabling in the future, it’s worth the upgrade.
Have a question about watching TV that you’d like answered? Send us a note and you may see your question on the Tablo blog and in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, Stay Tuned!
