# Running TV cable to a shed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063 "2015-02-19T03:19:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/1 "2015-02-19T03:19:51Z")
I’m a luddite when it comes to TV. I just bought my first LCD TV and am throwing out my old 27" CRT TV. I want to run cable out to my shed for a new HD TV and was wondering if Quad shield RG6 makes sense to run it out there. The shed has exposed beam ceiling so my cable will be embedded in the wall. Is it difficult to crimp connectors onto the RG6. Is the Quad shield RG6 difficult to run? I’ve got all exposed framing 2x4’s right now, so it’s as easy as it can get right now. Is dual shield RG6 good enough for my purposes and is it more flexible and therefore easier to route? It looks like quad shield RG6 is readily available and not really any more expensive than dual shield. I’m planning on running RG6 to all rooms with TVs. I have cable internet. Does it make sense to split the incoming cable with a 2:1 splitter for the cable modem and then split the remaining signal using say a 4:1 to maximize S/N to the cable modem, or should I just get a 6:1 and use one of the taps for the cable modem? When I remodelled back in 1996, I buried the utilities. Would the cable company have run RG59 from the pole and would this mean that I have to replace the underground cable from the pole? Can I do this myself without Cox interferring with it (I have underground conduit running from the pole)? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/2 "2015-02-19T04:47:21Z")
Use quad shield, it’s not that much stiffer. Re: splitters, unless you are pretty far from the fiber/copper node, it won’t make a difference. Use a 2-way splitter first to feed the modem, if it makes you feel better. Re: the line from your pole to your house, it’s probably already RG-6 anyway. If not, it’s Cox’s job to upgrade you to RG-6. If they balk at running it in your existing buried conduit, run it yourself, and give them enough slack at the pole to easily reach their big splitter. It may not be a problem, though, since they can use your existing cable to pull new cable through the conduit. This may not come up, though, since you probably already have RG-6 in the buried conduit. You do know you’ll only get HD picture on a few local channels, if you don’t have a cable box, right? You probably already know that. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/3 "2015-02-19T05:13:56Z")
Thanks for the info, I’ll use quad shield. In all the other rooms besides the shed, I’ll have easily accesible drops from the attic. Yeah, I do have a cable box. I’m thinking of canceling my cable tv and just survive on streaming sources, since I’m paying an outrageous amount for cable and really hardly ever watch it. I’m thinking about buying this splitter and seeing if I can run the cable modem off one of the nodes: > **[Amazon.com: PCT 8 Port Bi-Directional Cable TV Splitter Signal Booster/Amplifier...](https://www.amazon.com/PCT-Bi-Directional-Splitter-Amplifier-Telephone/dp/B003UH9R2C)** > > Amazon.com: PCT 8 Port Bi-Directional Cable TV Splitter Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Zero Signal Loss and VoIP Telephone Bypass,white : Electronics ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/4 "2015-02-19T05:43:12Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Thanks for the info, I’ll use quad shield. In all the other rooms besides the shed, I’ll have easily accesible drops from the attic. > > Yeah, I do have a cable box. I’m thinking of canceling my cable tv and just survive on streaming sources, since I’m paying an outrageous amount for cable and really hardly ever watch it. > > I’m thinking about buying this splitter and seeing if I can run the cable modem off one of the nodes: > > [Amazon.com: PCT 8 Port Bi-Directional Cable TV Splitter Signal Booster/Amplifier with Active Return Zero Signal Loss and VoIP Telephone Bypass,white : Electronics](http://www.amazon.com/PCT-Bi-Directional-Splitter-Amplifier-Telephone/dp/B003UH9R2C/ref=pd_sim_e_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0N7GN4RTAEN737XAEQPW) That splitter is a little bit overkill, but if you’ve got fifty bucks burning a hole in your pocket, go for it. The only reason I have cable is for the wife’s reality shows. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/5 "2015-02-19T15:25:58Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Yeah, I do have a cable box. I’m thinking of canceling my cable tv and just survive on streaming sources, since I’m paying an outrageous amount for cable and really hardly ever watch it. While you are at it, why not run Cat6 too? Then you can decide for each location whether you want to hook up a cable box to the RG6 or a Roku/streaming device to the Cat6. Run all the Cat6 back to a simple Ethernet hub. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/6 "2015-02-19T15:36:37Z")
Be sure to run your cables in smurf tube. This is a blue corrugated plastic conduit for low voltage wiring. You could also use plastic conduit made for ac wiring but the smurf tube works fine. Why do this? Easy to upgrade or replace later on. I didn’t do it and after a nearby lighting strike I wasn’t willing to tear into my drywall to replace some cat 5 cable. Would have been easy if I’d used conduit. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/7 "2015-02-19T16:05:20Z")
Is this for a cable installation or Antenna? If antenna, depending on the length of the run you may want to have a booster at or as close to the source (antenna) as possible. There are tables for loss per length of run readily available for different cable types. I think RG6 loses somewhere close to 15DB per 100 feet, but I could be wrong. Always remember: garbage in = garbage out. So if you have a good signal in and boost it you should have a good signal at the end of a long run including the losses and if you have a bad signal in and boost it, you will just be boosting garbage. Some boosters may not work 2-way (i.e. for internet) so you may have to consult with your provider for a solution. I haven’t paid for or watched paid television for over 10 years. I get/got all my shows commercial free from TPB, Kickass, or Isohunt, plus, now we have digital broadcasts of 6 channels in this city which I can easily receive for free via a WinTV dongle and an antenna. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/8 "2015-02-19T16:20:45Z")
For every 3 dB loss, you divide the signal strength by 2. So for 15 dB loss, you would divide the signal by 2, five times, so 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, so your signal after a 15 dB loss is 1/32 what it was at the source. So, a 15 dB amplifier at the source would do wonders for an antenna and long runs. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/9 "2015-02-19T16:42:28Z")
RG6 is easy to crimp, assuming you have the right tools; shouldn’t be too expensive. It may take one or two trials to get it right. If I haven’t done it for a while it still takes me one or two tries to get the cutter and crimper just right to make a nice connection but it is pretty easy when you get the hang of it. The ends are cheap so just buy twice as many as you need and you’ll be all right; i.e. if you think you need 10, buy 20. Always leave extra cable in case you have to cut and re-do a connection. The crimper is a no-brainer, once you have it dialed in it takes two seconds to crimp an end and it’s done. ---
**Author:** ![erocked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f08c70/32.png) [@erocked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erocked)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/10 "2015-02-19T20:08:00Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Yeah, I do have a cable box. I’m thinking of canceling my cable tv and just survive on streaming sources I cut the cord 2 years ago. HD antennae on the roof ran through the existing cable throughout the house gives great hd quality of local channels to all the rooms. And Netflix, Hulu and amazon prime for streaming using combinations of roku boxes, chromecast and Game consoles. Roku is by far the best. Had to increase bandwidth so everyone could connect at the same time. Still about $70 cheaper than cable though. Couldn’t imagine paying that much for cable again. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/running-tv-cable-to-a-shed/713063/11 "2015-02-20T04:32:20Z")
Thanks for the replies. > [@jasg](#): > > While you are at it, why not run Cat6 too? Then you can decide for each location whether you want to hook up a cable box to the RG6 or a Roku/streaming device to the Cat6. Run all the Cat6 back to a simple Ethernet hub. Definitely running cat6 everywhere. > [@GaryM](#): > > Be sure to run your cables in smurf tube. This is a blue corrugated plastic conduit for low voltage wiring. You could also use plastic conduit made for ac wiring but the smurf tube works fine. Why do this? > Easy to upgrade or replace later on. I didn’t do it and after a nearby lighting strike I wasn’t willing to tear into my drywall to replace some cat 5 cable. Would have been easy if I’d used conduit. The smurf tube might be a bit of a bitch because of lateral runs and having to go around corners (no attic in the shed). I’ll probably do it if it doesn’t compromise the strength of the structure due to having to drill a pretty large hole through a bunch of the vertical studs. I’ve previously wired a 16,000 sq. ft commercial building so I recognize trying to make it so it’s easily repairable/upgradeable. The rest of the house will be easy because of the attic and vertical cable drops.