Verticle TV & Music

Coaxial Cables Explained

Without one, your TV would only feature a handful of channels (none in high-def), the ham radio in your basement would have even less of an audience, and your Internet connection might still be stuck in the (gasp) dial-up age.

Simply put, coaxial cables keep our worlds wired. Let's take a look at what makes them so important:

So how do they work?

Basically, coaxial cables consist of three interdependent parts: an inner conductor (a copper core), which is surrounded by a tubular insulating layer (dielectric insulator), which fits snugly just beneath the metallic tubular conducting shield. The inner conductor and outer conducting shield share the same axis, which is why—you guessed it—the cables got the name "coaxial."

Boil them down, and coaxial cables aren't very different from most power cords. They're still used to transmit A/C electric current from a source to a receiver and back again, reversing direction several times each second.

What's the difference?

The primary improvement over other cables exists in the fact that coaxial cables can carry radio frequency current at a much higher rate with almost no power loss. They achieve this by insulating the core conductor, grounding the metallic shield, and keeping spacing exactly consistent from end to end, creating loss-free paths for the radio waves to travel.

Other forms of radio transmission lines sometimes lose power if installed too closely to metal objects (like metal poles, steel construction elements, or gutters). Coaxial cables also feature better external electromagnetic interference.

So how does this work in real life?

Insignificant power loss in a normal main electrical cord doesn't usually equal a loss of functionality. But radio frequency loss essentially equals a loss of content (in other words, that song you love wouldn't sound quite so harmonious with so many gaps and stutters). The coaxial design, therefore, is critical to application performance.

So the result is a reliable cable that is spaced properly for its entire length, and one that delivers loss-free signals to the applications that use them. In real life, this means coaxial cables are excellent for use as computer network connections, and transmission lines for radio frequency and cable television signals.

About the Author

Kate Matthews is a Coaxial Cable expert who specializes in Coaxial Cable technologies, electronic components and custom cables for all connectivity solutions.

Coaxial Cable Tester

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

50 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor White $9.79 Time Remaining: 26d 12h 17m Buy It Now for only: $9.79 Buy It Now

15M PDP TV Coaxial RF Fly Lead Aerial Cable Wire Black $9.30 Time Remaining: 4h 5m

25 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor White $5.99 Time Remaining: 26d 12h 17m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 Buy It Now

50 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor Black New $9.79 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $9.79 Buy It Now

25 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor Black New $5.99 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 Buy It Now

6ft RG6 75Ohm Coaxial F Type Cable Coax for CATV Satellite Black $0.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 6h 31m

12 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor White $3.99 Time Remaining: 26d 12h 17m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 Buy It Now

12 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor Black New $3.99 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 Buy It Now

50 ft Black RG 6 COAXIAL CABLE RG6 Coax Satellite TV $9.89 Time Remaining: 15d 20h 2m Buy It Now for only: $9.89 Buy It Now

6 RG6 Coaxial Cable Satellite TV Digital Cable Hdtv Antenna F connectors $6.95 Time Remaining: 17h 54m

6 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor Black New $3.25 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $3.25 Buy It Now

50 feet RG6U White Coaxial Cable Gold Plated Connector +2 FREE Extension Adaptor $4.99 Time Remaining: 25d 11h 18m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 Buy It Now

PCT TRS 6L Coax Coaxial Cable Sat RG6 fittings 50 pcs COMPRESSION RG6 CONNECTORS $9.90 Time Remaining: 13d 7h 20m Buy It Now for only: $9.90 Buy It Now

Three 3 6FT RG 6 F Type Coaxial Coax Cables TV Dvd Vcr $1.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 5h 37m

100 FT RG6 Coaxial Digital AV Cable for Satellite TV VCR Video Outdoor Black New $19.99 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 Buy It Now

1000 RG6 Coaxial Cable 1000ft Coax Satellite TV $52.99 Time Remaining: 7d 10h 56m Buy It Now for only: $52.99 Buy It Now

50 feet RG6U Coaxial Cable Gold Plated Connector Black $4.99 Time Remaining: 10d 15h 51m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 Buy It Now

1000 White RG6 HDTV COAXIAL IN OUTDOOR QUALITY COAX 4 Hi Def SATELLITE CABLE TV $34.99 Time Remaining: 26d 18h 20m Buy It Now for only: $34.99 Buy It Now

LOT OF 10 HOLLAND FLAT COAXIAL CABLE TFC 144823 12 $34.99 Time Remaining: 13h 36m

F Type Coax Coaxial Cable Coupler Female Jack Adapter Connector 10 Pack Lot $4.79 Time Remaining: 23d 11h 6m Buy It Now for only: $4.79 Buy It Now

NEW COAXIAL CABLE STRIPPER COAX STRIPPING TOOL RG59 RG6 $2.29 Time Remaining: 2d 2h 32m Buy It Now for only: $2.29 Buy It Now

100 Ft RG6 Coaxial Cable White Video VCR TV Satellite $12.99 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 2m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 Buy It Now

LOT OF 10 HOLLAND FLAT COAXIAL CABLE TFC 144823 12 $34.99 Time Remaining: 13h 36m

12 ft RG6 75Ohm Coaxial F Type UL Cable Coax 12ft $3.32 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 18m Buy It Now for only: $3.32 Buy It Now

CLOSEOUT RG6 COAXIAL CABLE 250 FT SPOOL $29.90 Time Remaining: 7d 4h 42m Buy It Now for only: $29.90 Buy It Now

1000 Black RG6 HDTV COAXIAL IN OUTDOOR QUALITY COAX 4 Hi Def SATELLITE CABLE TV $34.99 Time Remaining: 26d 18h 17m Buy It Now for only: $34.99 Buy It Now

25ft 3 RCA Component Video Coaxial Cable $13.50 Time Remaining: 18h 46m Buy It Now for only: $17.50 Buy It Now

75 ft RG6 QUAD SHIELD coaxial TV F cable BEST QUALITY 3GHz UL solid copper $32.16 Time Remaining: 1d 8h 58m Buy It Now for only: $32.16 Buy It Now

90 degree right angle F connector adapter coaxial TV cable RG6 RG59 $3.78 Time Remaining: 2d 4h 51m Buy It Now for only: $3.78 Buy It Now

50 RG58 U BNC BNC Coaxial Cable $11.73 Time Remaining: 28d 13h 2m Buy It Now for only: $11.73 Buy It Now

1000 Cabletronix 18 1 RG6 RB BLK Dual Shield Coaxial Cable 4011001 UL 4GHz NiB $79.99 Time Remaining: 2d 16h 24m Buy It Now for only: $89.99 Buy It Now

50 FT Rca Composite Digital Coaxial Video Yellow Subwoofer Cable M M Coax 50FT $10.49 Time Remaining: 23d 14h 36m Buy It Now for only: $10.49 Buy It Now

CablesToGo 29115 Velocity S PDIF Digital Coaxial Audio Cable 6ft $6.97 Time Remaining: 12d 9h 38m Buy It Now for only: $6.97 Buy It Now

COAXIAL CABLE 6FT VIDEO TV VCR 6 COAX RG6 F TO F 6 FT $2.68 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $2.68 Buy It Now

6 ft RG6 75Ohm Coaxial F Type UL Cable Coax 6ft $2.44 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 18m Buy It Now for only: $2.44 Buy It Now

1000 FEET SINGLE RG6 750 OHM COAXIAL CABLE SOLID COPPER CONDUCTOR $29.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 15h 49m

LOT OF 10 HOLLAND FLAT COAXIAL CABLE TFC 144823 12 $34.99 Time Remaining: 25d 17h 3m Buy It Now for only: $34.99 Buy It Now

200 FEET BLACK RG6 CATV COAXIAL WIRE CABLE 3GHZ TEST $29.99 Time Remaining: 15d 10h 41m Buy It Now for only: $29.99 Buy It Now

NEW TOPZONE RIGHT ANGLE F COAXIAL CABLE GOLD CONNECTOR RG59 RG6U $4.99 Time Remaining: 6d 23h 26m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 Buy It Now

Belkin AV21300 25 25 Ft High Quality A V RF FPIN FPIN Coaxial Video Cable $24.15 Time Remaining: 9h 38m Buy It Now for only: $26.78 Buy It Now

RG6 COAXIAL CABLE 50FT COAX TV ANTENNA SATELLITE HDTV $10.95 Time Remaining: 29d 13h 52m Buy It Now for only: $10.95 Buy It Now

20 ft Black RG 6 COAXIAL CABLE RG6 Coax Satelite or TV $6.99 Time Remaining: 8d 13h 29m Buy It Now for only: $6.99 Buy It Now

New 50 ft Coax Coaxial CABLE Satellite TV $8.95 Time Remaining: 16d 11h 18m Buy It Now for only: $8.95 Buy It Now

LOT OF 10 HOLLAND FLAT COAXIAL CABLE TFC 144823 12 $34.99 Time Remaining: 13h 36m

NEW Dynex 12 Coaxial High Definition Digital Audio RG6 Coax Cable S PDIF RCA HD $5.95 Time Remaining: 9d 13h 23m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 Buy It Now

2 x 500 RG6 Coaxial Coax RG6 Cable 1000 $60.00 Time Remaining: 7d 11h 23m Buy It Now for only: $60.00 Buy It Now

150 PCT TRS 6L RG6 Coaxial Cable Compression Connectors Fittings $26.99 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 19m Buy It Now for only: $26.99 Buy It Now

Black Coax Coaxial Television TV Antenna Cable 10M $16.24 Time Remaining: 19h 31m

Digital TV Outdoor Amplified Antenna 360Rotation VHF HDTV FM Rotor Coaxial Cable $32.90 Time Remaining: 29d 15h Buy It Now for only: $32.90 Buy It Now

25 FtFeetFootWhite Rg6 Digital HD Coax Coaxial Satellite TV Cable Wire Cord $7.79 Time Remaining: 24d 6h 53m Buy It Now for only: $7.79 Buy It Now

LOT OF 2 PDI 2 Way TV CATV Signal Coaxial Cable Splitter NIP $2.99 Time Remaining: 18d 2h 57m Buy It Now for only: $2.99 Buy It Now

Belkin PureAV AV20100-06 6-Foot Digital Coaxial Audio Cable List Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $2.96 You save: $17.03 (85%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Specifically designed for digital devices, the 6-foot Digital Coaxial Audio Cable provides better sonic accuracy and more detailed, natural sound over cables that come with your audio device. Coaxial construction of both the conductors and plugs makes this cable ideal for digital surround sound...

Philips SWV2151W/17 RG6 Coaxial Cable (3 feet, Black) Sale Price: $2.32   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Depend on this RG6 coaxial cable to provide you with reliable audio/video connection between components.

RCA VH603 Coaxial Cable - 3ft. List Price: $3.95 Sale Price: $3.18 You save: $0.77 (19%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description This RCA 3 foot Coaxial Cable is just what you need for making connections between your TV and your VCR or Cablebox. It has Gold-Plated "F" Connectors on both ends for the best signal transfer!

GE 23275 RG59 Coaxial Video Cable with F Plugs at Each End (White, 15 Feet) Sale Price: $7.92   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Video Cable connects TVs, DVRs, VCRs, satellite receivers and other audio or video components equipped with "F" type connections.

Dynex DX-AV211 - Digital audio cable (coaxial) - RCA (M) - RCA (M) - 6 ft List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $1.26 You save: $13.73 (92%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Enjoy high-definition digital audio from your HD audio components by using this coaxial digital audio cable from Dynex. Connects standard and high-definition components, including TVs, digital cable/satellite boxes, DVD players, A/V receivers and more Sends digital audio signals through digital audio ports Gold-plated connectors allow for maximum signal transfer

RCA 2-Way Signal Splitter (VH47) (VH47) Sale Price: $2.99   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Need to hook-up an extra TV through the cable TV or satellite system? Here's a simple solution - the RCA 2-Way Signal Splitter splits one incoming RF signal into two outputs & it has a frequency response from 5 To 900 MHz...

GE 23269 RG6 Coaxial Video Cable (Black,12 Feet) Sale Price: $5.92   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description RG6 Video Cable connects TVs, DVRs, VCRs, satellite receivers and other audio or video components equipped with "F" type connections.

Monster THXV100F50 THX Certified Coaxial Video Cable (50 feet) List Price: $8.99 Sale Price: $8.96 You save: $0.03 (%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Monster THXV100F-50 RF F-Pin 50 ft Video Cable 24k gold contacts for optimum signal transfer and corrosion resistance Convenient no frills packaging saves time and space Easy to identify color coded bands for simple, error-free hookup High density double shielding for maximum rejection of RFI and EMI Part Number: THXV100F-50

GE 23300 RG6 Coaxial Cable with F Plugs Each End (50 Feet) List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $13.70 You save: $1.29 (9%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description RG6 Video Cable is a direct burial cable for outdoor or indoor connection of satellite dish, off-air antenna, TVs, DVRs and VCRs.

GE 23213 RG59 Coaxial Video Cable with F Plugs at Each End (White, 50 Feet) List Price: $12.99 Sale Price: $10.95 You save: $2.04 (16%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Video Cable connects TVs, DVRs, VCRs, satellite receivers and other audio or video components equipped with "F" type connections.