RG-58 or RG-59 best for BNC wordclock cable?

[sweetbeats]

Title sez it all...is one better than the other or is it same-same?

 

[Beck]

RG59 is the right stuff.

RG59 is 75 ohm.

RG58 is 50 ohm.

75 ohm cable is standard for video and word clock. Keep lengths as short as possible.

 

[sweetbeats]

Thanks Tim!

Guys at my local electronics shop thought RG-58 because it was dealing with "digital audio" but something in my brain said "no". Must've been you...heheh.

Now I know for sure, so thanks.

 

[dgatwood]

Sounds like they were trying to get rid of a stockpile of RG-58. IIRC, it's pretty much used exclusively for CB radio and a few other related uses these days... but any electronics supply house that's old enough to remember thinnet probably has truckloads of it.

 

[Richard King]

RG-59 or RG-6 would work. RG-6 is a heavier cable. Both are 75 ohm.

 

[TheGuitarMan]

Title sez it all...is one better than the other or is it same-same?

RG-59 for word clock, SPDIF, and composite or component video cables.

I would use RG-6 (Quad Shield or no) only for cable TV, internet, or digital satellite installations. Also for OTA TV or radio antennas.

 

[dgatwood]

RG-59 for word clock, SPDIF, and composite or component video cables.

I would use RG-6 (Quad Shield or no) only for cable TV, internet, or digital satellite installations. Also for OTA TV or radio antennas.

Agreed. Either one is fine for permanent installations inside a wall, and a lot of folks recommend RG-6 for that because it has slightly lower loss, particularly over long distances. However, RG-6 is way too hard to bend, and should not generally be used for interconnects unless the connections are near-permanent and you just happen to have some left over.

 

[Track Rat]

Agreed. Either one is fine for permanent installations inside a wall, and a lot of folks recommend RG-6 for that because it has slightly lower loss, particularly over long distances. However, RG-6 is way too hard to bend, and should not generally be used for interconnects unless the connections are near-permanent and you just happen to have some left over.

I agree. I do this for a living. RG59 would be the weapon of choice. The weakest link you'll have are the type of BNC connectors you use.

 

[dgatwood]

I agree. I do this for a living. RG59 would be the weapon of choice. The weakest link you'll have are the type of BNC connectors you use.

Given that you're only running a signal a few feet, I'd probably grab standard coax cables from Wal-Mart and stick F-to-BNC adapters on both ends. That's certainly what I do for word clock (and F-to-RCA adapters for coaxial S/PDIF). It's easier than trying to make your own cables with BNC connectors.