With so many different cables on the market, sometimes it’s easy to get mixed up! We’re often asked whether certain cables are the same, or if they can be used in place of another for the same application.
In this guide, we’re here to break down satellite cables and coaxial cables – what they are, and whether they can be used for the same installations.
What is Coaxial Cable?
Coaxial cable, or coax cable as it is often known, is a type of cable that has two conductors sharing the same central axis. The conductors are surrounded by insulating shielding and sometimes braided metal mesh to prevent signal interference.
There is a multitude of different types of coax cables, and each has its own electrical characteristics depending on the specifics of the core materials, sheathing type and other factors.
Coaxial cables are sometimes sold with clear markings and identifiers on the seller’s website that can tell you exact what the cable is used for, but on other occasions you may need to do some deciphering from the code on the cable sheath to find out exactly what coax type the cable is.
Is Satellite Cable the Same as Coaxial Cable?
Essentially, they are the same thing, though coaxial cable could be considered more of the umbrella and satellite cable a category of cables under that umbrella – but that’s only if you define the cables by their use, not their type. Not every coax cable is a satellite cable, but most satellite cables are coaxial cables.
Satellite coaxial cables are typically thicker than most ordinary coaxial cables, and can carry higher frequencies up to 2GHz or more, with impedance of 50 Ohms. Standard coax rarely goes above 1 GHz and has impedance of 75 Ohms.
Can I Use Satellite Cable for TV Aerial?
Satellite TV and aerial can use the same coaxial cable, but the connectors may need to be changed for the compatibility to match. The aerial connectors compatible with TVs and other devices are F-type connectors, which are not the same as satellite connectors.
If you’re looking to change to an F-Type connector from a satellite connector, take a look at our handy guide.
How To Change Satellite Connectors to F-Type Connectors
- Remove the connector and cable end from the satellite dish
- Remove the satellite connector from the coaxial cable with pliers
- Cut off about 12mm of the cable’s outer layer
- Bend back the braids and make sure none are left inside
- Remove the foil protection to reveal the final white foam layer
- Insert the coaxial cable into the F-connector
- Make sure the connector is tight and snip off any excess copper
- Insert the connector into your aerial
You can also purchase a connector and adapter set that will do the same job.
TV & Satellite Cable Recommendations
We offer a wide range of TV and satellite coaxial cables here at Securi-Flex®.
Our range includes
- CAI Platinum Coax
- Low Loss Coaxial
- Twin Low Loss Coaxial
- Low Loss Coax Extended Distance
We would recommend all of these for TV and satellite applications, their cores and sheathings have all been designed for this purpose.
For more information on TV and Satellite cables, get in touch with our dedicated team.
