Coax Cables are one of the main culprits causing a mess behind our televisions. The cable guy often doesn't think about the fact that we don't need the lengthy cables he leaves behind. In our case, we had Monster Cables behind our TV and were determined to shrink them rather than control them...
A trip to our local hardware store revealed the smallest they carried was 3 feet. So, instead of settling, we decided to do it ourselves, saving money by using the leftovers the cable guy left behind, and buying a few tools to allow us to be able to customize cables well into the future.
What you need:
&bull Coax Cable
&bull
Coax Cable Cutter
&bull Crimp or Screw-on F-connectors
&bull Wire cutters or some strong scissors
Step 1: Determine how long of a cable you need, and cut it with scissors. We wanted several inches, so chose 6 inches just to be safe and allow us to have some room for error. If you want to be frugal, reuse the end with the connector already attached, then you'll only have to add one.
Step 2: Strip the wire using the "outer" setting on the cutter.
Give yourself about an inch of exposed silver insulation. Effectively, you are removing the black plastic coating. Put it in, clamp, and twist the cable to score it all the way around and pull to reveal the silver underneath.
Step 3: Repeat using the "inner" setting to cut away the insulation to expose the copper wire.
Go down about half way, and repeat the same twist then pull motion.
Step 4: Attach a connector by sliding it down over the insulation and crimping it around the cable using the upper portion of the cutter/crimper. Be careful with how much you crimp, it can pop off. A few simple crimps will do fine, don't make our mistake and overcrimp to make sure its secure.
Step 5: Voila! Short little cable.
Other cable/wire related posts on Unplggd:
Both Radio Shack and Fry's carry relatively inexpensive RG5 and RG6 (the outdoor variety) crimpers, strippers, and ends if you have to lots of cables (they make life much easier).
you can also use twist on f-connector ends ... no crimper needed, but a bit hard on the fingers after a while.
great tutorial, I like it!
Screw on and crimp on connectors are bad news for cable TV. They leak too much signal and any good cable company will cut those off your wires as soon as they see them.
Spend a few extra bucks and do it right with compression connectors. A cheap compression tool can be had at your home center for about $15-20, and the connectors are usually around 50 cents each.
how-to for compression connectors
oops! URL for how-to for compression connectors
http://www.hometech.com/learn/coaxterm.html
grat info
I used to design CATV connectors, the ones that the cable guys use. If you're buying connectors at Radio Shack you're paying waaay too much for a hunk of crap.
Crimp connectors in general are fine if they are good quality and installed properly. The one shown here is only crimped at the far end, meaning a poor connection between the cable's outer shield (which includes both the braid and the foil) and the connector. This can result in a dodgy signal.
The photo of the trimmed cable also shows that the braid has been completely cut off, and the foil has been damaged. This also might cause problems. The braid should be cut to the appropriate length (see Paul's link to the tutorial above) and folded back over the jacket prior to installation. The foil should be cut neatly, and the dielectric (the white foam) should remain as round as possible.
I agree with MichaelT that compression connectors are much better, and neater looking, than crimp connectors.
Next time you see a cable guy, just ask him if you can have a couple of connectors, he'll probably give them to you. Just make sure you know what size cable you've got.
ShortyCable.com is a startup dedicated to reducing the clytter of cables. You can vote which type of cables you are interested in by taking a survey.
i picked up one of these from radio shack a while back. they are invaluable. i'm probably going to switch to the compression connectors soon. i put gold phillips crimp-ons on all my wires recently, and they suuuuck. half of them broke while i was crimping them. lesson learned...don't skimp w/ cheap connectors.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102872&cp=&sr=1&origkw=coax+stripper&kw=coax+stripper&parentPage=search
I'm a "Cable Guy" and I noticed that in the picture you removed the wire mesh from makeing contact with the connector. The best way to do it is to cut the mesh to the same length as the base of the copper and fold it back over the ruber insulator, then attach the connector. Sure the way you do it works, but for any cable longer than 5 feet will act as an atenna for free roaming radio and electrical waves.
The cable guy said for me to call him back if they were too long. I think you can do that for no charge but maybe not.
I never have becasue I suffer from furniture move-around-itis and buy-sell-buyit, wso..well, I just deal with he wires.
You could always put an upsidedown basket over the wires, with a plant on top!
ummm you do know that Monster Cable is a lot of hog wash don't you?
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/top/the-truth-about-monster-cable- -grand-finale-part-iii-282725.php
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jabber: giz is talking only about HDMI cables in that post, a pure digital signal. many people still receive analog cable.
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Which is ever worse if you think about it. If it's just analog won't just ordinary analog cable do? Do you really need to spend $50/ft for analog cable? I always try to go by the rep of a company. If they have a history of playing heavy on the marketing and can't substantiate their claim on their high ticket/high performance products then basically there's a taint in all their product.
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with HDMI there is no error correction. when you plug in an HDMI connection, the most common scenario is either it works or it doesn't, you see a picture or you see nothing. with an analog signal, you can get anything from snow to a perfect picture and every step in between. Monster cables ARE over-priced, but they are also massively overbuilt and well shielded, something you might find benefit from when dealing with an analog signal.
go back and read the first part of that series on Gizmodo. their conclusions apply ONLY to the digital nature of the HDMI signal, not to RF or any other shielded analog signal cable, as there are completely different issues to consider for signal integrity.
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Dish net teck here.
Please do not try to alter your satellite system in any way.
You will mess it up. The antenna (dish) requires voltage supplied through the co ax. NO 59 cable, white barrels,
or crimp on fittings. If yours still has them, you need a upgrade. And at the least use store bought cables.
Thanks
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I know this article is old, but for anyone who finds it by stumbling as I did, or searching for something similar: Please do not follow this guide! Not only will a bad fitting cause ingress and egress (leakage in and leakage out), it will ruin all but the most mundane connections. Digital TV? Forget it. On demand programming? No way. HSD for internet or VOIP phone? say goodbye. Cheap fittings will cause trouble for you, and for those around you as you backfeed noise onto the system. In most cases this is a small ammount, but sometimes it can be severe. A loose fitting along with other problems, for instance an improper ground, can spell big trouble. By 'trouble' I mean 'TV's' and by 'big' I mean 'destroyed'. Leekage causes the cable company lots of trouble as they must adhere to strict FCC guidelines so as to not interfere with radio signals.
Call the cable guys and have them do it. Cheap connectors/cable and inexperience spell trouble for everyone.
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