How to lengthen and build up a television cable from an antenna

Currently, when carrying out repairs, it is customary to lay not only power electrical cables inside the walls in advance, but also low-current networks (television, Internet, alarm, etc.). This ensures an aesthetic appearance of the interior and reduces the risk of damage to networks during operation. However, if it is necessary to move the TV to another location or in case of damage to open areas, it becomes necessary to extend the existing cable line or completely replace it. Which, in most cases, is quite problematic.

Is it possible to connect a television cable with your own hands without losing quality?

To correctly connect a telecommunications wire with a coaxial cord, you should use one of the following methods:

• Purchase a standard extension cord of standard length, with which you can increase the length of the antenna cable to 20 meters;
• Use special F-sockets that allow you to connect antenna wires without soldering;
• Modern technologies make it possible to extend several wires simultaneously using splitters;
• Solder the wires together to create an unbreakable connection.

Connecting the Antenna Wire
Also, special care should be taken to select the correct coaxial cord since the antenna wire has a resistance of 75 ohms. The outer braid must have extreme elasticity, since this property will allow it not to break at the bends

In addition, to avoid loss of image quality, it is necessary to purchase products that have a dense internal braid to guarantee the reception of a stable continuous signal.

Note! The dielectric, which acts as an insulator, must be made of polyethylene and foil to prevent signal failure due to external interference during operation. The cable core can be made of copper, aluminum or steel

The frequency signal settings should be low.

Cable connection without network loss

How to connect an antenna cable to the television signal line at the entrance of a house

Typically, a television cable is laid along the roof of a house and then, after being amplified by a main amplifier, it branches out along the entrances of the house. Since there are different packages of television programs, at the entrance to the entrance the cable is branched using a filter crab, which is a crab with two outputs. From one output the signal comes out unchanged, and from the second output it is cut off by a high-pass filter. Thus, the ability to watch all television channels is limited for those who buy cheaper social packages. Therefore, two cables run down the entrances.

If you examine the walls in your entrance, you will definitely find on each floor a metal box from which television antenna cables go to the apartments. In modern houses, boxes are no longer installed, but everything is placed in wall cabinets, in which case you will see a metal door with a lock. These boxes house TV signal subscriber taps. If you remove the lid from the box or open the cabinet door, you will see something like this. In the photo on the left is a coupler for subscribers of the full package of television programs, and on the right is for subscribers of the social package.

According to the rules, taps must be secured and grounded, but cable technicians do not do this to simplify their work. Perhaps this is better, since if the grounding is poor, then such grounding can create interference.

Taps installed in junction boxes are not fundamentally different from crabs for connecting several TVs, but they work somewhat differently. One F connector is used to connect the cable coming from the IN trunk. The second OUT is designed to carry the signal to the next tap installed on the floor below. The remaining F TAP connectors, there can be from one to five, are intended for connecting subscribers, that is, for connecting television cables going to apartments.

There should be no unconnected subscriber connectors. In case of disconnection of one subscriber, for example for non-payment, it is allowed to install an F-connector with a load resistance of 75 Ohms instead of the cable. If you need to connect a new subscriber to a cable television network, then the splitter for two subscribers, as in this example, is replaced with a three-slot one.

Thus, to connect a TV to a cable network, a piece of television cable of the required length with antenna F-connectors installed at the ends is sufficient. One F-connector of the antenna cable is connected to the subscriber tap in the entrance, and the second to the TV.

How to extend the wire: 3 options

It is very inconvenient to use the Internet when you cannot move freely. Many people install network cables to make using the Internet more comfortable. There are several simple ways to extend the cable.

When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to the appearance of the joyner, as it is very similar to a telephone adapter. It will not be difficult to distinguish a twisted pair, since the adapter has 8 contacts, while the telephone adapter has only 7. A computer network card is inserted into the patch cord, the other end of the cord is connected to the network cable

A computer network card is inserted into the patch cord, and the other end of the cord is connected to the network cable.

Internet cable extension options:

1. Router.
   Convenient and reliable extension option. The router has a couple of sockets to which you can connect a network cable. A router is a “splitter” of the Internet. It allows you not only to extend the cable, but also to connect additional devices to the channel. You can skip the cable altogether if you buy a Wi-Fi router.
2. Purchasing a new cable.
   The old cable can be replaced with a new one by simply measuring its length first. This method is time-consuming because you will have to call a technician to reconnect. But if we are not talking about a multi-storey building, but about a private one, then the method is quite suitable.
3. Performing twisting.
   Masters do not recommend using this method. It involves cutting the cable and then inserting an additional piece of the required length into it. The two pieces need to be connected with electrical tape.

Twisting can lead to short circuits, which will lead to poor connection speed or a complete lack of Internet access. The most reliable and modern way to extend the cable is to use a router. If you are not sure that the attempt to extend it yourself will be successful, you can always turn to your Internet provider for help.

It often happens that the technician interrupted the wiring while performing repair work. While working with an angle grinder or other tools, some people may accidentally cut the electrical wire laid in the wall. Damage is indicated by sparks, power cuts, or knocked out plugs.

The wires located in the installation box may also break. Often there is not enough length to connect them correctly. It should be noted that experts advise not to repair one wire, but to replace the entire damaged section. Of course, this method is suitable for those who are not afraid of damage to finishing materials and are ready to make new repairs.

How to extend an aluminum cable:

1. Twist the ends of the cable if they are long enough. The twist must be wrapped with electrical tape. This method is the most unreliable, because the twist may break again, which will return the problem.
2. A special heat-shrinkable tube can be attached to the ends of the wires. This method is suitable for connecting and extending any cable. In order to carry out the plantings correctly, the tube must be heated.
3. All types of wires (copper and aluminum) can be extended using a block. The ends of the cable must be stripped, and then the block must be selected.
4. If the wires have broken off, they can be repaired using a coil. It is screwed onto the ends of the wires. After the required density has been achieved, you need to insulate the wires.

Extending twisted pair cables does not require special qualifications, and if done correctly can even be reliable. When twisting wires, you need to follow the one level rule and insulate each individual connection. An interesting method is the displacement of joints made by twisting or soldering.

Checking the correct connection

You can check whether the connection is made correctly after inserting the plug into the antenna socket on the TV. On older TVs, at the back of the case there is only a connector for inserting an adapter from a regular terrestrial antenna. New television receivers always also have an input for connecting a cable from a satellite dish.

We need an input for a regular antenna. It can be signed with different names, for example:

• "ANT IN";
• "ANT";
• "RF IN";
• "ANTENNA".

Outwardly it looks like an ordinary metal edging, with a groove located inside.

Connect the plug previously mounted on the wire to the “ANT IN” socket.

Turn on your TV device and start watching any channel.

You can additionally check the connection for strength if you try to move the plug a little while the channels are displayed. Any actions other than completely pulling out the plug should not affect the viewing quality.

If you have not tuned in to television before, perform an automatic channel search on your TV. First go into the manual search mode (read how to do it in the previous link) and look at the signal level scale. Even a small level already means that there is a contact in the plug. This means the connector was installed correctly.

If periodic picture defects are observed, or there is no signal at all, the reasons are as follows:

1. A weak signal level may indicate low antenna power, incorrect placement of the receiver relative to the digital signal repeater, or too long a cable. In the latter case, you need to think about another option for laying the wire. You should try to reduce the length as much as possible. The longer the route, the higher the losses. They increase with every meter. Also, the signal is lost in places of poor quality connections. If the problem is in the general signal reception, then the antenna will need to be reconfigured to a closer repeater. It is necessary not only to accurately aim at the TV tower, but also to try to avoid obstacles in the path of the signal to the antenna.
2. A complete lack of signal indicates problems on the antenna side or connections made. Also the cause is incorrect installation of ant. plug. In the latter case, there may be no contact between the screen and the connector body. Be sure to inspect the inside of the connector to see if the core is shorted to the screen. You can re-cut the wire and reattach the plug.

What can such an antenna do?

It is quite difficult to implement a high-quality unidirectional antenna without special tools and skills, so the antenna will be classified as low-power. Homemade products can be useful in the following cases:

• Short range to the repeater. The distance limit to the radio station is 15-20 km.
• There are no obstacles in the direct line of sight to the repeater in the form of buildings or forest belts.
• The signal itself is picked up by the receiver. The main thing is that the latter is not in the dead zone.

You can check the signal level using various methods. The easiest way is to use the options of advanced digital TVs.

The test usually proceeds according to the principle:

1. Turn on your TV and open Settings instead of video. An antenna is not needed at this stage.
2. Find the signal strength indicator in the parameters.
3. This indicator should indicate the signal strength. If it is more than 15%, digital TV can be caught on homemade TV. If less, then you need to connect a more powerful device.

How to connect the cables

Extension, connection and connection of modern antenna cables is carried out using special F-sockets and factory-made splitters. In the first case, in order to connect several wires using an adapter, you need to purchase several wrap-around plugs and F-type adapters. Before repairing a damaged element, it is necessary to cut through the cable braid shield with a sharp blade to expose the core. After this, it is necessary to bend the aluminum screen and foil with a braid of thin copper wire in the opposite direction.

Next, you need to carefully remove the plastic insulator, which will require cutting the insulation in the central part of the product. Once this procedure is completed, the pre-prepared plug is installed over the foil collar and secured by a forced threading device to the soft cable material, and the metal core is cut so that it protrudes no more than 5 mm beyond the metal tip of the plug. A factory-made conductor element is installed on the head of the plug, which comes complete with a standard connection.

Upon completion of all work, an antenna wire of the required length is obtained with a securely fixed plug for connection to the antenna socket.

Connection using F-connector

In the second case, to extend the cable, you will need a splitter - a device designed to evenly distribute the incoming signal. The design of this device is similar to the plug, and the installation procedure is exactly the same as the process described above. You just have to point out that thanks to the splitter you can not only extend the wires, but also connect them to several television signal receivers. All products are also fixed through an adapter with a threaded connection.

Connection with splitter

Application of passive antenna

A homemade antenna extender can be used in conjunction with a laptop, access point or Wi-Fi modem

It is important to understand that after such manipulations the result may not always be positive, and in the event of a breakdown, it will be impossible to repair the equipment under warranty

Updating network adapters to match your router

If not, look up your model number online to see its exact specifications. Of course, depending on what devices you own, find out what wireless standard they can use.

Buy or build a high gain antenna

Most wireless routers and wireless adapters with external antennas come with cheap omnidirectional antennas.

Turn your cable or electrical outlets into wireless access points

If you want to double or even triple your wireless range, you can try adding additional wireless access points to your network. However, this performance hit may be acceptable if you plan to do basic web browsing on these computers; You won't really enjoy transferring large files or streaming video between computers on a network.

Additional wireless access points

A router is basically a network controller, and it connects to or is integrated with your internet modem.

If you decide to connect the antenna to the modem, then you need to study the features of the process. The fact is that inside the modem there is a small antenna, to which a homemade antenna is attached. To complete this process, you will have to disassemble the modem flash drive. You can remove the cover using a scalpel, screwdriver or utility knife (pull towards the top from the USB connector, do not press too hard, otherwise the case will break).

When a signal passes through any cable, it loses strength. Thus, the shorter the cable, the less loss. Less is more in this situation, and the correct cable length is important to maintain signal quality. All cell phone signal boosters are complete kits and come with the appropriate cable type and length to maintain reasonable dB gain

But there are times when you need a little more reach, so it's important to figure out how much length you can afford before the signal loss offsets any signal gain

Opening the modem, you will see two connectors covered with paper. Follow these instructions:

• remove the protective layer from the modem elements;
• connect the antenna you assembled yourself to the left connector (the hole you need will be on the left side if the device itself is positioned with the USB connector facing you);
• use a coaxial cable that is not too long, otherwise the result will not be much different from using a modem without an extension cord.

There are three types of cables for home cell phone signal boosters. As mentioned earlier, as the cable length increases, more signal loss occurs. Signal gain and loss are measured in decibels. And decibels are measured exponentially.

And as always, you can convert your cable installation. Think of the signal as the drink and the cables as the straws. 75 ohm cables are your typical soda straws, and 50 ohm cables are the big straws of the carlav's throat. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to install a new TV on a cable or satellite system and discovering that the existing coaxial cable is not long enough to fit it into the desired viewing location. Coaxial cable, often called "coaxial cable", can become expensive in length, so replacing the entire cable may be out of a consumer's budget.

What you need to connect

To connect one antenna to two TVs, you will need several parts:

1. A special splitter or splitter for several outputs. Using this device, you can split the signal in such a way that you get several stable streams. There are several types of devices in stores, and you should choose depending on the parameters of the received signal. The equipment is equipped with several inputs. One is designed to connect to an antenna, the other two to a TV.
2. 5 connectors that will be connected to the splitter. They must be compatible with the splitter.
3. Several adapter plugs.
4. Antenna cable.

When you come to the store to buy equipment to connect two TVs, you should not confuse the number of outputs on the splitter. On sale you can find a three-way unit that is used to connect more than two TV receivers.

It is not suitable for pair TV connection. If you have to use a triple splitter, then you need to connect a ballast resistor with a resistance of 75 Ohms to the free hole.

Tuner selection

If a user wants to watch digital TV, he needs to connect to one tuner that receives a video signal. In modern TVs, the equipment is pre-installed by the manufacturers and a digital set-top box is not needed.

You can find a variety of models in stores.

Among them, you should choose the appropriate option depending on the specific conditions:

1. The satellite tuner is connected directly to the dish.
2. The cable receiver receives the signal via the television wire.
3. A tuner for terrestrial TV receives a signal from nearby television centers through compact equipment.
4. The Wi-Fi receiver is designed to connect via a wireless network to interactive digital television via the Internet.

When purchasing a tuner, you should pay attention to:

1. The type of broadcasting used depends on the location of the house.
2. TV signal standard.
3. The number of TVs that the receiver can support.
4. Additional equipment capabilities.
5. Availability of remote control.
6. Controls on the body. They will come in handy if the remote control fails.
7. Availability of an intuitive menu for easy device control.
8. Necessary connectors for connection, including HDMI.

By the way, take a closer look at Beeline TV (not advertising). I use it and am happy with everything. When purchasing, you should always ask the seller for warranty and service availability, as well as information about the manufacturer. This way you can count on the quality of the product, through which you can connect two TVs to the antenna.

Selecting a splitter

A splitter is necessary if you want to connect two TVs to one antenna. The device consists of a metal case with several connectors. There is a chip installed inside.

To choose the right model, you must:

1. Select a channel with the highest frequency and select a separator such that the upper limit of its frequency range is greater than the obtained indicator.
2. Determine how many TVs need to be connected to one antenna.
3. Find out the amount of attenuation of the TV signal. The lower the indicator, the more stable the user will receive the image quality.

Extension of TV cable using F-connectors

This option for connecting the wire involves visiting a store where you need to purchase two F-plugs (for each of the 2 ends of the cable) and one adapter - F-socket. It is recommended to take a piece of TV cable with you, since components are sold for different diameters. The tools you will need are a regular or construction (segment) knife and wire cutters.

Building up an antenna cable begins with preparing its sections:

Make a careful cut into the outer shell. For ease of operation, the length of the cut should be greater than the length of the F-plug body. In the future, it can be adjusted by removing the excess part of the central core. Fold the casing in the opposite direction and remove it completely. Turn the copper shield and the foil underneath towards the remaining outer shell. To perform the procedure, they can be slightly incised

At this stage, pay attention to the possible presence of a coating of a thin layer of polyethylene or lavsan on the inside of the foil. These materials greatly impair the transfer of contact to the F-plug housing

To solve the problem, screw back half of the wrapped foil. This way the side with poor current transmission will be on the inside. Using a sharp knife, cut the insulation of the central core. Try not to leave notches on it, as they reduce strength and can lead to breakage. Take the F-plug and screw it onto the cable. It must fit snugly, since the fixation is achieved only by clamping force. Trim off any excess center core. Its edge should protrude 3-5 mm beyond the F-plug body.

If the diameter of the cable is smaller than the internal diameter of the F-plug, then before turning off the screen with foil, wrap electrical tape around the outer sheath.

This completes the preparation of the two ends of the cable. Now take the F-socket and connect the first and second plug to it. Fixation is ensured by screwing the movable head of the F-connector onto the thread of the adapter. The result will be a neat and reliable connection. In its place, you can also install a splitter, which will be discussed later.

How to connect the antenna F-plug and cable

It is worth saying that since there are three sizes of F-plug, before purchasing a connecting element you need to make sure that the plug and the antenna cable are compatible. Although the sizes vary, each F-plug supports analog, digital, and satellite signals. There are two ways to attach the F-plug to a television cable: the first involves wrapping the shielding braid, and the second involves cutting off the sheath at the point of contact of the periphery.

The first option is more reliable, but requires much more effort and accuracy from the user.

If you cannot wrap the braid for one reason or another, you must follow the instructions below:

Cut part of the television cable. The user will need to cut a few centimeters of the outer sheath of the cable so as not to damage the braided screen. To carry out this operation, it is recommended to use a sharp utility knife and not to apply a large amount of physical force. Bend back the protective shell. When the wire is “bare”, you will have to remove the excess part of the protective sheath. Removing an additional layer of wire protection. Depending on the cable type, the user will need to remove the copper braid or aluminum foil at this stage. It is worth noting that some wires are protected by both a copper and an aluminum layer. Return half of the previously folded layer of foil back into place. Interestingly, during production, to strengthen the structure of the wire, a layer of polyethylene is applied to aluminum foil, which is almost impossible to clean. Once the cable is connected to the plug, the plastic can create interference and interfere with the transmission of the television signal - to avoid possible loss of picture quality, the user must place the conductive part of the wire outside. Equalize the diameters of the connected antenna cable and F-plug. Sometimes the hole in the internal thread of the F-plug has a larger diameter compared to the “bare” end of the cable - to eliminate the difference in diameters, you will need to wrap 2-3 layers of insulating tape on the wire

It is important to note that after this operation it will be necessary to remove part of the homemade insulation from the central conductor of the cable. Screw the metal part of the F-plug onto the antenna wire. To avoid stripping the threads of the elements being connected, screwing should be done by hand rather than using tools. “Bite off” the central core of the wire. It is important to say that as a result, the conductor should protrude by 2-3 millimeters. Screw the “head” of the F-plug onto the assembled structure

Next, the user can start connecting the antenna to the corresponding jack on the TV.

It is important to say that as a result, the conductor should protrude by 2-3 millimeters. Screw the “head” of the F-plug onto the assembled structure. Next, the user can start connecting the antenna to the corresponding socket on the TV. If, when connecting the F-plug to the television socket, the antenna cable has to be bent at an angle of more than 70 degrees, then in order to avoid chafing of the wire, it is recommended to use a plug of an angular design, which differs from the usual one only in its external form

The installation process for straight and angled plugs is similar. If the user plans to use an old type of plug, then it is likely that when connecting the elements it will also be necessary to transfer the plastic cover from the plug to the cable. To connect a non-certified plug to a wire, you will need a soldering iron.

If, when connecting the F-plug to the television socket, the antenna cable will have to be bent at an angle of more than 70 degrees, then in order to avoid chafing of the wire, it is recommended to use a plug of an angular design, which differs from the usual one only in its external shape. The installation process for straight and angled plugs is similar. If the user plans to use an old type of plug, then it is likely that when connecting the elements it will also be necessary to transfer the plastic cover from the plug to the cable. To connect a non-certified plug to the wire, you will need a soldering iron.

Conclusion

Now the owner of the TV device knows how to correctly connect the antenna F-plug to the cable network. The process of repairing an old wire is not anything complicated - even a user who is far from repairing electrical equipment can cope with restoring a television system.

Connection of plug and socket

This method is suitable for you if you already have a “destination” to which you need to direct and then connect the antenna cord. This can be the F-type receiving socket of a TV or set-top box; you can also connect a coaxial cable with a plug to the nearest antenna socket and connect it to the F-socket of the extension cable. For such connections it is convenient to use corner terminals.

The simplicity of this, outdated today, method of connecting the ends of the cable does not compensate for the signal losses that will inevitably occur with any deformation of the joint. In addition, twisting by itself will not be enough. If you have already decided on this type of merging of coaxial cables, then stock up on at least a soldering iron and electrical tape. Solder the connection of the central cores to each other and, separately, solder the braids. Then carefully insulate everything.

Although this applies to general rules for handling cables, it is especially relevant for joints made by twisting and soldering:

• do not drop objects on the television cable and protect it from impacts,
• do not bend the joint - it is fragile,
• Do not allow the spliced ​​wire to “dangle” in the wind.

Getting to know the product

The antenna cable is a multilayer wire, which has shielding properties, which ensure stable signal transmission. This way the TV will only show with an antenna connected. Especially for this purpose, it was equipped with a special connector for connection, which is mainly called an antenna socket. The other part of the connection has space for a plug. The home craftsman will have to install the latter on a cable, which can be connected to an antenna, satellite dish or television distribution box.

Extension of a television cable using an F-socket - F-socket adapter

To connect two cables using an adapter, you need to purchase 2 pieces of F-plug for wrapping on the cable and a TV F-socket - F-socket adapter. The plugs come in three sizes, designed to fit onto television cables of different diameters. Purchase F-plugs in accordance with the diameter of the connected television cables.

With little effort to cut through the cable shielding, the outer sheath of the cable is cut a few centimeters along.

After the cut, the shell is turned in the opposite direction and removed at the point where the cut begins.

As shown in the photo, the aluminum screen is bent in the opposite direction - foil and braided copper wire. There are three types of screen in television cables. Copper braid only, aluminum foil combined with copper braid and staniol foil only. For the demonstration, I specifically chose a television cable with a combined screen, aluminum foil in combination with copper braiding, for clarity.

To give mechanical strength to the foil, it is coated on the inside with a thin layer of lavsan or polyethylene. It is almost impossible to remove the plastic. If the F-plug is wound onto the inside of the foil, there will be no contact of the screen with it, or it will be very poor.

To avoid bad contact, you need to return half of the wrapped foil back, then the conductive side will be on the outside. If the outer diameter of the television cable is smaller than the threaded hole of the F-plug, then before turning the screen, several turns of insulating tape are wound to ensure a tight fit when screwing the F-plug onto the cable.

Next, using a knife blade oriented almost parallel to the cable, carefully cut off the insulation from the central core. The main thing is to avoid notches in the copper wire of the central core, since notches reduce the mechanical strength of the core and it can easily break off.

When the ends of the coaxial cables to be connected are prepared, the F-plugs are wound onto the foil and wrapped onto the cable.

The central cores of the cables are shortened so that about 5 mm protrudes from the F-plug.

All that remains is to screw the ends of the television cable equipped with F plugs onto the TV F-socket - F-socket adapter.

The result is such a beautiful detachable connection for a television cable.

If the need arises, it will be easy to install a crab in this place to split the television signal to feed several TVs.

Connecting the antenna to the TV

To properly connect the antenna to the TV, it is better to use special plugs. Currently, so-called F-connectors (or F-connectors) have become widespread. They are installed directly on a coaxial cable with a diameter of 6.8 mm with a characteristic impedance of 75 Ohms intended for television equipment.

With this type of connector, additional attachments can be used: male and female plugs, angled plugs, cable connectors. The variety of such antenna adapters for TV is very large. The advantage of this connection is obvious; it makes it possible to connect a cable without soldering using one knife in a few minutes anywhere. This ensures the reliability of the connection against mechanical stress.

Rusty cable connection contacts

Unfortunately, there are enough counterfeits on the market and you can buy copies like these. This means that the connector was exposed to a damp environment and simply rusted. Most likely the insides of such a connector are made of iron rather than bronze or brass. In this case, signal jumps, insufficient signal levels, or even loss will be observed.

Of course, you can connect an antenna to a TV without a plug; just make contact between the RF connector of the TV and the cable. The braid is connected to the connector body and the central core must fit into the central part. Of course, such a connection is not reliable and it is better to solder it, but there is a possibility of damaging the RF contact of the TV.

Cable device

Sometimes you have to make adjustments to an already installed home TV network. This happens when rearranging furniture, or if an additional television receiver “starts up” in your home, or a section of the coaxial cord is simply damaged and requires an insertion. Then you are faced with the task: how to extend the television cable or how to increase the damaged section to the required length? Before you get serious about the solution, learn how to properly connect the antenna cable, because any inaccurate connection of the TV cable is fraught with loss of reception quality. Here it would be nice to remember the cable structure.

Coaxial cable is a telecommunications wire for transmitting low-power signals, consisting of two conductors that are separated from each other by a dielectric material. The conductor in the center and the outer metal layer form concentric cylinders with a common axis. The conductor in the center of the coaxial is a solid or seven-core wire. It is usually made of copper, silver or copper-plated aluminum, copper-plated steel, etc. A braided metal fabric acts as an external conductor - a shielding braid. Most often this is copper braid or aluminum braid. Many products use an additional shell of insulating foil film, which precedes the woven layer - an aluminum screen.

Now do you understand that connecting two pieces of such a cable is not at all as simple as tying your shoelaces? Fortunately, more than one way to do this reliably and quickly has long been invented.

When is extension needed?

The television cable needs to be extended in the following cases:

• if it is accidentally damaged in some section of its length, and when this section is removed, the remaining length becomes insufficient;
• when rearranging furniture, the TV took a different place, as a result of which the cable length was insufficient;
• moving the antenna to another location also required external extension of the television wire.

In the latter case, you may also need an additional antenna amplifier to compensate for losses in a much longer cable.

How to fix an antenna cable

Each television antenna cable consists of a central core with polypropylene insulation, an aluminum foil screen, an outer braid and polyethylene armor. The last two components of the product are required to protect the cable from mechanical action and to form a coaxial structure that prevents unexpected damage. Given this composition of the connector, it is necessary to carefully twist each part to be connected before soldering them together. Next, you will need to use a socket, splitter, proprietary extension cord, soldering or ordinary twisting in order to increase the TV wire, repair it and connect it to the antenna network.

DIY repair

How to choose the right cable

Even the most modern television receiver and cable plugs are unable to produce an acceptable image if the cable is of insufficient quality. High-frequency TV signal currents flow somewhat differently than home electrical currents. The higher the frequency of the current, the closer to the edges of the main wire it flows, therefore, in cables used in the military or space industry, in order to avoid a critical reduction in the quality of the television signal, they are treated with a silver or gold compound.

Selecting a cable to connect

When selecting material, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

In the latter case, manufacturers often sin by trying to reduce the cost of products as much as possible by making the central core from steel and simply covering it with copper plating, making braiding from copper alloys, and shielding from foil.

How to lengthen and build up a television cable from an antenna

11.04.2020

Digital television

At the end of winter, the antenna cable at my dacha was broken by a falling block of ice. With the onset of spring, I decided to move the antenna to another location, which is why I had to lengthen the television cable. Throwing away a new one is completely out of the question due to certain circumstances, so building it up is the best solution! The same thing often has to be done to connect a coaxial cable if it breaks in the entrance or around the apartment. This is the easiest way to repair a television cable and today I will tell you about it in detail!

What are the mistakes when connecting antenna cables, and how to prevent them?

The most common errors in cable connection, connection and repair occur when pairing wires by twisting. Sometimes craftsmen twist strands with dissimilar metals to combine them into a single circuit. In this case, alloys with different chemical properties undergo complex electrolysis and are destroyed. As a result, the wires oxidize, heat up and burn out, which leads to complete loss of the signal, and in some cases, to burnout of the conductor.

Note ! Such errors often occur when soldering, since when working with rosin and tin, you can tin the conductor and connect it to aluminum, this will lead to a poor-quality connection.

Incorrect connection of contacts

In general, today it is quite simple to splice or repair an antenna cable with your own hands without loss of quality. This work can be done using F-connectors, splitters and the twisting method, without resorting to high-tech soldering. In order to repair or solder the wire, you need to follow the simple step-by-step instructions presented above.

Preparation and tools

As for the tools, you and I will need ordinary side cutters and a construction knife (instead of a construction knife, a stationery knife can also do). To connect the ends of a television cable, you need special coaxial cable connectors. They are also called F-connectors.

More specifically, we need two FS-5 threaded F connectors and one straight F reducer. They are usually quite inexpensive!

If you need to extend the antenna cable when moving a TV or antenna, you must also buy a cable. To do this, before going to the store, carefully inspect your wire and rewrite the markings, or better yet, cut off a small piece from it and go to the store with it.

TV antenna

How to connect a TV cable

When the television signal disappears, many owners of “blue screens” blame the TV antenna as the culprit. There are two solutions to fix problems:

• contact professional antenna tuners;
• repair the cable connection of the television wire.

Visual antenna malfunctions can be seen on the TV screen when:

• interference occurs
• TV picture disappears
• the image breaks up into colored squares (satellite dish).

In these cases, it is recommended to call the experts, they will repair the antenna and reconfigure it.

Coaxial cable connection

There are several ways to connect a television cable to each other:

1. Using F-connectors 2. Using a splitter 3. Soldering the cable ends 4. Twisting the cable

I will only consider the first two methods. And that's why.

I just don't see the point in soldering coax at a time when there are modern ways to connect cables. And not everyone knows how to solder. But twisting a coax is generally an extremely unreliable connection and should not be done that way!

We use F-connectors

Before you begin to extend the wire, it must be properly cut. Using a knife, carefully remove the top shell without damaging the screen. The shielded braid must be bent in the opposite direction.

Next, you need to use wire cutters to remove the insulation from the central core so that its approximate length is about one and a half centimeters. This must be done at both ends of the antenna cable being connected. After this, you need to screw the F-connector onto each end so that the central core does not contact the outer screen and protrudes from the connector by about 5 millimeters.

After this, you need to pick up the straight F-junction, insert one end into it one by one, tighten the nut, then the other end and tighten the nut. It should look like this:

For a stronger fixation, I recommend wrapping the connection point with electrical tape. This will prevent it from falling apart during bending and deformation.

This was the first option on how to extend the antenna cable. But there is a second method, which may be more practical for many.

TV tee splitter

First, let's figure out what a splitter is and in what cases it is used. A television splitter is a small box that has one input and two or more outputs. It is intended for branching a television antenna into several televisions. Therefore, when choosing a splitter, you should decide in advance on the required number of outputs. As you understand, it can be used not only as a tee, but also as a simple way to connect a television cable.

Thanks to the available fasteners, this device can be screwed to the wall and it will hold securely. This method of extending an antenna cable is similar to the previous one, so I will not again tell you how to plug the ends of the wire into the F-connectors and screw them. Here you need to do the same thing, but a television tee-splitter is used as a direct F-junction. The main thing is not to confuse the entrance and exit! What makes this option convenient is that you can connect another TV from this connection. That is, there is the possibility of further branching!

Attention! Competently and efficiently performed work will not affect the quality of the received signal in any way. If you have any malfunctions or after all the quality of TV signal reception has deteriorated, then you need to carefully check all connections

f-connector, antenna, coaxial, splitter

Cable laying rules

How to connect SIP with copper cable

In order for the wiring to serve for a long time, it should be laid according to certain rules:

• At the maximum distance from electrical wiring. Intersections with electrical cables should be made at right angles;

Important! To reduce interference, these wires are not laid side by side, in the same cable channel or pipe.

• Minimum number of connections. Only factory connectors or soldering should be used;
• Do not coil the TV cable. This creates an inductor that attenuates the signal;
• Do not bend the wire at a right angle. If necessary, use corner connectors.

Correctly performed connection of television cables will ensure good signal transmission and high-quality image, and knowing how to connect a television cable will allow you to do this work yourself, without the help of a specialist.

What is needed to extend the antenna cable

Ideally, the signal cable should be laid in one piece without breaks or connections to ensure:

• minimum active and inductive resistance of the transmission line;
• uniformity of wave resistance along the length;
• continuity of the screen, for protection against electromagnetic fields.

As practice shows, lossless connections are not possible with HDMI cables designed to transmit signals in Ultra HD format. A high-quality connection of sections of a coaxial antenna cable cannot negatively affect the level of the received TV signal.

The list of necessary materials and tools for joining will depend on the chosen connection method. And it will be described in detail when considering each method separately. However, no matter what option you choose, you will definitely need an additional piece of cable of the required length.

If you go to a specialized store, you will come across at least 5–10 types of cable, significantly different from each other. The sales consultant will tell you about the product presented and advise you on the best option, but you need not just a piece of high-quality wire, but a piece of cable with the most similar characteristics to the existing one.

Therefore, before going to the store, carefully study and write down the markings on the piece you have, or even better if you can cut off and take a small piece with you for a sample.

Features of cable routing

The television cable “comes” into the apartment from the floor panel and is routed through the television receivers available in the house. To correctly install a TV cable throughout your apartment, you should follow some recommendations.

To avoid signal interference, it is recommended to place the cable away from the electrical wiring. Telephone wire or Internet cable do not interfere with the normal passage of the TV signal, and therefore the general installation of these communications in one cable channel is allowed. If it is impossible to avoid placing an electrical cable together with a television cable, then you should purchase a TV cable with a core diameter of over 1 mm with a double protective screen.

Throughout the apartment, the cable should be pulled in one piece, avoiding any connections or twists that affect the quality of the picture. Crossing cables with electrical networks is not recommended, but if this cannot be avoided, then the intersection should be arranged strictly at an angle of 90°.

How to extend a TV cable

Extending the cable, as well as connecting television cables to each other, increases signal resistance, so they must be kept to a minimum. The number of connections should be no more than 1-2. If necessary, this can be done in different ways.

Via adapter or plug and socket

The easiest and fastest way to connect a television cable is F-plug and F-socket:

• Remove the outer layer of insulation on one of the wires at a distance of 25-30 mm;
• Wrap the braid in the opposite direction. The inner side of the aluminum foil is coated with lavsan or polyethylene for strength, so part of the screen is folded back to ensure contact;
• Strip the end of the central core to a length of 10 mm. This must be done without damaging it, otherwise the wire becomes brittle;
• The F-plug is screwed onto the TV cable through the foil. The central wire should protrude by 0.5 cm. The excess is cut off with wire cutters or side cutters;
• Operations 1-4 are repeated for the second end of the cable;
• The prepared F-plugs are screwed into the F-socket.

The connection using a TV plug and TV socket is carried out in the same way. The difference is that it has less mechanical strength, so the finished connection is wrapped with electrical tape, or a piece of heat-shrinkable tubing is put on it and heated with a hairdryer or lighter.

Interesting. Connectors are available in straight and 90 degree angles. Curved ones are used when there is no room for a smooth cable bend. The installation method does not change from using the corner connector.

Solder connection

Another way to reliably and efficiently connect wires is soldering. It's cheaper, but more difficult and longer than using a connector:

Using a knife, cut the outer shell to a length of 50-60 mm;

Carefully! The shielding braid must remain intact

• Like the skin of a banana, the outer insulation and screen fold back;
• The central core is cut to a length of 20mm;
• The insulation is cut to a length of 10mm on one side. As shown in the photo, it is necessary to leave a “step”;
• The central core is bent at an angle of 45 degrees. The ends are tinned;
• Operations 1-5 are repeated for the other cable;
• The central cores of the connected wires are soldered “overlapping”. Irregularities and drips of tin are removed with a file or soldering iron;
• The soldering area is covered on both sides with the remaining uncut insulation of the central core, and is wrapped with electrical tape for strength;
• The aluminum foil of the screen is returned to its place;
• The shielding braid is put in place one by one. For better contact, the screens can be soldered;
• The previously bent outer insulation is applied to the connection on both sides;
• The finished structure is wrapped with electrical tape, or a previously placed piece of heat-shrink tubing is placed over it and heated with a hairdryer.

Attention! On the inside, the shielding foil is covered with a layer of insulation, so the layer laid on the outside turns inside out

Twist

This is the most low-quality connection method. At the point of twisting, contact is lost, it oxidizes, is mechanically fragile and has an unaesthetic appearance. You can connect the cable by twisting it in two ways:

• Similar to a soldered joint. Instead of soldering, twist the central cores together;
• Strip the outer insulation by 40-50mm, and the inner insulation by 20-25. Twist the central wires and screens in pairs, insulating the twists with electrical tape.

Connecting multiple cables via a splitter

When connecting one antenna to several TVs, the connection is made through a special device - a splitter, or “crab”.

This is a small box with one input marked “IN” and several outputs marked “OUT”. TV cables are connected via F-connectors or TV-plugs.

Inside the splitter there is a ferrite ring with windings, and in cheaper models - resistors. These elements distribute the input signal evenly across the outputs, so it is not recommended to install a “crab” with spare outputs.

If the number of outputs is more than four, an active splitter is installed - a device in which the amplifier is located.

Splitter

Other ways to extend the cable

Connecting a television cable correctly seems to be a simple matter. The main thing here is to connect the central cores and braids separately, after which electrical contact will be ensured. But any connection without connectors and splitters is an interference with the integrity of the braid. Even a small gap will be a gap for the passage of interference from outside and loss (re-emission) of the signal from the central conductor.

Due to the laws of physics and the ability of electrical signals with frequencies above 148 kHz to be reflected back into the environment without amplification or retransmission, RF cables must be properly shielded. The fact is that a coaxial cable is a kind of waveguide: complete reflection from the braid back to the central conductor prevents it from being significantly lost. The only limiting factor here is the characteristic impedance, which ensures signal attenuation over a significant cable line length.

It is necessary to strip the cable, as in the case of connections via F-connectors. Having twisted the central conductors, insulate them with electrical tape from the braid. Then the braids themselves are connected in the spliced ​​area, also protecting them with a layer of electrical tape.

A soldered cable is a much more effective method. Do the following:

1. Strip the cable according to the instructions above.
2. Cover the center core and braid with a thin layer of solder. For a copper conductor, rosin is sufficient as a tinning improver. Copper-plated aluminum, regular steel and stainless steel require a soldering flux that contains zinc chloride.
3. Solder the central core and isolate the connection with tape or tape from other conductors. One of the best is fabric (non-flammable) insulating tape - it does not melt from overheating and does not support combustion.
4. Wrap the area where the braids are soldered (on top of the electrical tape) with aluminum or copper foil. You can also wind an enamel wire stripped of insulation and pre-tinned over the insulating layer. The place of wrapping should not contain gaps.
5. Connect the braids and solder them. The best result will be obtained by soldering them to an artificially recreated protective layer. Act quickly - do not overheat the connection, as the plastic insulation may melt and expose the center conductor. As a result, the cable line may become short-circuited, requiring the connection to be redone from the very beginning. Fast soldering (less than a second) is achieved using soldering flux: solder instantly envelops the surfaces being connected, which cannot be said about rosin.

Make sure that there is no short circuit - “test” the cable line for a “break” using a multimeter (tester turned on in resistance measurement mode). The resistance must be conditionally infinite. If this is the case, it means the cable has been restored and the line is ready for operation.

You can extend the television wire by using detachable and regular plugs - one fits into the other. Do the following:

• strip the ends of the desired section of cable;
• Solder a regular plug to one end and a detachable plug to the other.

These connectors are an improved version of cable connections that came from Soviet times. Instead of “petals”, the connector uses a solid connecting ring-screen, which does not create interference when connecting the plug to the connector.

By correctly determining the cable length and calculating possible signal losses during forced splicing, you can restore the operation of the cable line. To connect radio repeaters, damaged or repaired cables should not be used. But for television and radio reception it is quite suitable.

A visual overview of connecting a television cable to each other is presented in the following video.

How to lay the cable correctly

For a television cable, after it is extended, the question of its fastening always arises. Extending a TV cable, according to many TV owners, is not difficult, but you must comply with the requirement, which experts consider an additional requirement during the installation process - the bending angle of the cable should not be sharp or straight.

This is not allowed due to the design of the cable, since the main core can push through the internal insulation and get dangerously close to the shielding braid or, in the worst case, touch it.

In the first case, there will be a noticeable weakening of the television signal, and if the main core touches the screen, it may disappear altogether. You should always adhere to the rule that says that the bend of the cable should not be less than 5 of its diameters.

In modern apartment design, skirting boards with cable channels are used, into which the television cable is laid. Television cords are also laid in plastic boxes; they have different overall dimensions; the cable is laid in a P-shaped profile and snapped on with a lid. In such boxes it is allowed to lay Internet and communication cables together with television wires. Power wires of electrical wiring are laid separately.

Experts use the methods described to recommend how to repair a TV cable and talk about the need for proper installation. When laying it in the baseboard channel, it is advisable to use a construction stapler to create a fastening for the inner wall of the baseboard.

Important! When renovating an apartment, always leave a supply of television wires, based on half the perimeter of the room, in case you rearrange furniture or TV. The image quality is also affected by the shelf life (operability of the TV cable), the reason for this is the qualitative change in television broadcasting stations, improvement in technology

For this reason, when looking for a malfunction or a bad TV picture on the screen, you need to start from the parameters of the laid TV wire

The quality of the image is also affected by the shelf life (operability of the TV cable), the reason for this is the qualitative change in television broadcasting stations and improvement in technology. For this reason, when looking for a malfunction or a bad TV picture on the screen, you need to start from the parameters of the installed TV wire.

Additional Information.

In order to simplify the work of extending the television wire, experts recommend choosing threaded F connectors, without soldering. There are plugs with a soldered screen, then before soldering the screen, you need to tin it and quickly solder it to the plug without melting the internal insulation.

If you connect a TV extension cable to an antenna with an amplifier, you should use only the plug that is included with the antenna. It has a decoupling device and a power supply with connection.

• during the renovation process, install a television cable in each room of the apartment;
• try to install television wires with hidden installation in a protected version: corrugated sleeve or plastic box;
• it is recommended to use a cable with a lower attenuation coefficient, but not less than 22 decibels;
• the distance between the power electrical wiring on one side and the antenna cable with Internet wires on the other side must be at least 150 millimeters.

When choosing a method for extending a television cable, you must understand that this violates its integrity and always reduces the quality of the resulting image on the television receiver - it is advisable to change the cable completely, from the splitter to the TV signal receiver. Connection using F connectors is considered the simplest and most accessible for cable extension; in addition, the reliability of the connection is maintained.

When choosing soldering to extend wires, you need to remember about the temperature heating of the surfaces, carry out all operations without melting the insulation, check the reliability and quality of soldering, do not make low-quality twists, it is better to have a soldered bandage on the central cores.

How to connect multiple TVs to a cable network or antenna

Connecting several televisions to a cable network or antenna transmitting an analog or digital television signal is no more difficult than one, except that you will have to put not one F-plug on the cable, but several. For this purpose, there are television signal splitters, popularly called “crabs”, they are also called “splitter”, “splitter” or “divider”.

The crab has one connector for connecting a signal from an antenna or a splitter in the entrance, marked IN (input), and several connectors for connecting televisions, marked OUT (output). If there is no marking, then usually the crab's entrance is on one side of the body, and the exits are in a row on the opposite side. All outputs for the crab to work properly must be connected to TVs.

If there are two outputs, then to two TVs, if there are three outputs, then to three, and so on. There should be no loose connectors on the crab. If the output remains unconnected, then it must be loaded onto a resistor with a resistance of 75 Ohms. Or, as they say, put a plug. But in this case, part of the useful signal will be lost; it is better to use a crab, in which the number of taps is equal to the number of connected TVs.

The design of the splitter is a thin-walled casing made of silumin or brass, which also contains connectors for connecting F-plugs. The divider circuit is usually a transformer, one turn of enameled wire with a diameter of 0.2–0.4 mm, threaded through ferrite rings or tubes. Installation of transformers is carried out using a hinged method. The case is hermetically sealed with a metal lid and sealed or fixed with glue.

Eyelets are provided for mounting the crab on the wall. The housing also has a thread with a screw for grounding, although it is not clear where to get the ground wire in the vast majority of apartments. They are usually not grounded, so on some channels there may be interference from electrical wires, the Internet, and a telephone running next to the television cable. Whenever possible, such proximity should be avoided when laying cables. For a more detailed look at the design and electrical circuit of the crab, you can visit the page “How to connect a television antenna amplifier to a power supply.”

If you wish, you can make a crab, which is not inferior in technical parameters to expensive samples from well-known companies, with your own hands.

When connecting TVs through a crab, the level of television signal reaching each TV connected to it, regardless of whether the TV is working or not, will be reduced due to losses in the crab and the additional cable length. When connecting two TVs - by 30%, three - by 60%, four - by 90%, and if the analogue or digital television signal coming to the crab is already weak, then the image quality on all connected TVs may decrease significantly. Usually the signal in cable television is quite powerful, and its level is sufficient for the normal operation of all televisions connected to the crab.

TV extension cord

If you just need a small amount of cable, and you don’t want to do it yourself, the question is how to make the TV cable reach the equipment, you can use an extension cord.

Read here - Do-it-yourself kettle repair: principle of operation, design, main types of malfunctions. Step-by-step photo repair instructions. Prevention of breakdowns

There are many different types of extension cords. You can find ones up to 20 m long, but their price is many times higher than the cost of coaxial cable.

Cable preparation. Video

The video below will tell you how to prepare a TV or satellite antenna cable for use.

You can extend and branch a television cable with your own hands if you follow the rules described in the article.

To watch over-the-air TV channels, in addition to choosing a suitable antenna, you need to connect it correctly. Let's figure out how to do this correctly, what to pay special attention to, and how to avoid possible problems that you might not have guessed about.

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