TV Aerial Male Video Cable & Connectors

Choosing a TV Aerial Cable for Quality Viewing

When you have poor TV reception and can't enjoy your favourite programme without interference, your immediate reaction might be to blame the antenna. However, the problem more often concerns the TV aerial cable. It could have suffered wear and tear over the years, or might have been affected by water seepage. Whatever the size or type of TV aerial cable you need, eBay has a wide range of coaxial cables on offer to suit all budgets.

Before you view the TV aerial cables available on eBay, there are a number of factors to consider, such as:

• The length: Measure the length of cable needed as accurately as possible because an overlong cable means greater loss of the signal.
• Interior or exterior use: Outdoor cables need to be resistant to factors such as adverse weather conditions, rodent damage, and UV light.
• The materials used in the cable's inner construction: Inner gold plating prevents oxidisation while OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) has higher conductivity for good signal transfer.
• The materials used in the cable's outer construction: Double-screened cable reduces electric-magnetic and RF interference, and enhances the signal.
• The type of pre-installed connectors on the ends of the cable.

Although eBay offers TV aerial cable in bulk without connectors, there is also a variety of aerial leads available with pre-installed connectors. This is convenient as it means you don't need to connect and splice the cable yourself. However, you must first identify the type of connector you need. In general, male connectors fit into the female antenna sockets on the TV set. Many cables on eBay are sold with a coupler (or gender changer) to enable you to connect two male connectors. Connectors can be screw-on, press-on, or compression types, while TVs placed on furniture near the wall may require a right-angled connector.

Although aerial cable is flexible, care should be taken not to damage it when bending it around corners. It should never be laid under carpets because this will reduce its longevity. Many of the TV aerial cables on eBay are sold with plastic clips so that they can be conveniently attached to the skirting board and reduce the risk of accidents. When you attach the clips, you should make sure that they don't compress the cable as this will both affect its performance and lifespan.