Flat or Extremely Thin Coaxial Cable (RG6) Recommendations?

[BadAssJazz]

See, if I had only bought that HT pre/pro that I had my eye on a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have this problem.

Instead I bought a lounge-style Italian leather sectional that can only be positioned on the same wall as the cable outlet. This means that the plasma will need to be moved to the opposite wall where no cable outlet presently exists.

After speaking to Comcast this morning, I'm told that they'd have to drill in order to do a "clean" install. This after suggesting that I run the cable up the wall, across the ceiling, and down the other side of the wall. (If looks could kill I'd be serving two life sentences right now. Where do they find these cable installers anyway?) No problem if I were living in a house. Big problem if you're renting, apparently.

Drilling is not an option, per the renter's contract, so my only options are (1.) to return the swank sectional for a smaller form factor (too late, love the damn thing and the cost to return ship makes returning it a pricey option); or (2) see if there really is such a thing as thin/flat coaxial cable that I can run imperceptibly under the Persian rug. I'm told such a thing exists, but who makes it and does it perform well?

Suggestions anyone? Pertinent suggestions, I mean. I've already heard the "Go **** yourself!" number from my landlord when I tried to retroactively maneuver drilling into my leasing contract.

[Swish]

See, if I had only bought that HT pre/pro that I had my eye on a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have this problem.

Instead I bought a lounge-style Italian leather sectional that can only be positioned on the same wall as the cable outlet. This means that the plasma will need to be moved to the opposite wall where no cable outlet presently exists.

After speaking to Comcast this morning, I'm told that they'd have to drill in order to do a "clean" install. This after suggesting that I run the cable up the wall, across the ceiling, and down the other side of the wall. (If looks could kill I'd be serving two life sentences right now. Where do they find these cable installers anyway?) No problem if I were living in a house. Big problem if you're renting, apparently.

Drilling is not an option, per the renter's contract, so my only options are (1.) to return the swank sectional for a smaller form factor (too late, love the damn thing and the cost to return ship makes returning it a pricey option); or (2) see if there really is such a thing as thin/flat coaxial cable that I can run imperceptibly under the Persian rug. I'm told such a thing exists, but who makes it and does it perform well?

Suggestions anyone? Pertinent suggestions, I mean. I've already heard the "Go **** yourself!" number from my landlord when I tried to retroactively maneuver drilling into my leasing contract.

Seriously though, I just Googled 'thin coaxial cable' and got a boat-load of information. You can find it in a multitude of places, like ebay or Amazon. Figure out the length you need and go from there. I can't 'recommend' any because I've never had this issue, but I'm sure any of the major brands should suffice.

http://www.amazon.com/23278-Ultra-Co.../dp/B0002YE35M

[Smokey]

Seriously though, I just Googled 'thin coaxial cable' and got a boat-load of information. You can find it in a multitude of places, like ebay or Amazon. Figure out the length you need and go from there. I can't 'recommend' any because I've never had this issue, but I'm sure any of the major brands should suffice.

http://www.amazon.com/23278-Ultra-Co.../dp/B0002YE35M

I don't know Swiss, but that cable might be too thin as some of reviewers said they could'nt get HD channels with this extenstion cable. Higher bandwidth cables are thicker due to its lower capacitance, and should have good shielding which mean any way you look at it, the cable is going to be thick.

Depending on the lenght, BadAssJazz might be able to get away with thiner cables (lower bandwidth) since the signal is digital. But if ther is signal drop off, there is no other choice but to move to higher bandwidth [thicker] cables

[Luvin Da Blues]

Do you have baseboards? If so, a trick I used was to remove the baseboards and tuck the coax in the gap between the drywall and the floor so it will be behind the baseboards. Be real careful when you put the boards back on.

[Swish]

I don't know Swiss, but that cable might be too thin as some of reviewers said they could'nt get HD channels with this extenstion cable. Higher bandwidth cables are thicker due to its lower capacitance, and should have good shielding which mean any way you look at it, the cable is going to be thick.

Depending on the lenght, BadAssJazz might be able to get away with thiner cables (lower bandwidth) since the signal is digital. But if ther is signal drop off, there is no other choice but to move to higher bandwidth [thicker] cables

While I agree there could be signal loss, I just wanted to point out the fact that they are available and I'm sure some internet research on the subject would give him some satisfaction. Seeing that it's his only option as a renter, and that I've never been forced to use such a product (I'm sure few others on this site have either), it wouldn't hurt to try it since it's not a terribly expensive product. I don't mind experimenting when it's not costing me a hundred bucks. I say buy one and try it, and if it doesn't work the way you like, then back to the drawing board.

[Swish]

Do you have baseboards? If so, a trick I used was to remove the baseboards and tuck the coax in the gap between the drywall and the floor so it will be behind the baseboards. Be real careful when you put the boards back on.

...you need to use a utility knife to cut away the caulk above the baseboard or you'll end up pulling paint and the paper off the sheet-rock, then it's a mess to repair.

There's an easier solution that I used years back when component HD first came out. I can't recall the name of it, but it's plastic stuff that looks like your baseboard trim, but with a smaller profile, and you can hide whatever wires and cables you need to run behind it as you snug it up against the baseboard trim. It doesn't look all that bad and they make it in different colors so you can get one that's close to your trim color.

[Luvin Da Blues]

...you need to use a utility knife to cut away the caulk above the baseboard or you'll end up pulling paint and the paper off the sheet-rock, then it's a mess to repair.

There's an easier solution that I used years back when component HD first came out. I can't recall the name of it, but it's plastic stuff that looks like your baseboard trim, but with a smaller profile, and you can hide whatever wires and cables you need to run behind it as you snug it up against the baseboard trim. It doesn't look all that bad and they make it in different colors so you can get one that's close to your trim color.

Sorry Swish, I just thought that would be obvious but I guess if common sense was so common it wouldn't need a special name.

A couple of brands I used for surface raceways are...

Panduit....
http://www.panduit.com/Products/Prod...tems/index.htm

and Wiremold.....
http://www.legrand.us/Wiremold/Raceway.aspx

I'm sure there are other more designer friendly styles out here now a days. I'm sure Home Depot et al would be a good place to start.

[Swish]

Sorry Swish, I just thought that would be obvious but I guess if common sense was so common it wouldn't need a special name.

A couple of brands I used for surface raceways are...

Panduit....
http://www.panduit.com/Products/Prod...tems/index.htm

and Wiremold.....
http://www.legrand.us/Wiremold/Raceway.aspx

I'm sure there are other more designer friendly styles out here now a days. I'm sure Home Depot et al would be a good place to start.

Yes, I made the big leap from S-Video to component high-def, but my little HT room wasn't 'future-proofed' as I failed to put some conduit in the wall to run whatever cabling was needed down the road. I won't make that mistake on my current room, although with drop-ceiling, I'll always have a fairly easy time of it.

[pixelthis]

YES, they do make U shaped cable "channels" that come in white, but can be painted to match a wall. BUT remember, for long runs you might need a wideband distribution amp.
Good luck, in any event

[Smokey]

Swiss? Hey, watch it there buddy!

Sorry Swish, blame it on my spell checker

[rakeford]

Another possibility is using a 75 ohm to 300 ohm matching transformer, then use flat twin lead 300 ohm cable, then use another 300 ohm to 75 ohm matching transformer to convert the signal cable back to RG-6U cable.

There will be some loss in the transformer and perhaps the twin lead may not have the required bandwidth.

[BadAssJazz]

Seriously though, I just Googled 'thin coaxial cable' and got a boat-load of information. You can find it in a multitude of places, like ebay or Amazon. Figure out the length you need and go from there. I can't 'recommend' any because I've never had this issue, but I'm sure any of the major brands should suffice.

http://www.amazon.com/23278-Ultra-Co.../dp/B0002YE35M

Thanks, I did research thin coaxial cable before creating this thread, but I never take the internet as being THE source of all knowledge. Some of the members of this forum have a technical grasp that doesn't easily come up in a Google search. It's to that end that I made this thread.

I did wind up buying the Philips cable. Worth a shot. Some previous users stated they had issues receiving HD signals, while others indicated that it worked fine. Let's hope that I'm in the latter group.

By the way, apologies for not being more clear on my room setup. Here goes:

The west wall has the cable outlet presently. The east wall is where I'd like to add an outlet.

To the south are the sliding doors to the balcony with a small 2 foot wall separating the doors from the fireplace. No base boards to run the cable. In fact, the fireplace pretty much makes running cable along the south wall impossible.

To the north is the breakfast nook and open access to the rest of the apartment. The west wall does not intersect with the north "wall" at any point. The Comcast installer wasn't entirely wrong for suggesting that the only way to get the cable to the east wall (without drilling) was to run the cable up the west wall and across the ceiling. Can't say that I'm a fan of the aesthetics of that approach.

[pixelthis]

So why not put the couch opposite the wall with the cable? Never ceases to amaze me
how cable installers always put the cable in the wrong place. I BASICALLY REWIRED THE PLACE I live in now, replaced all of the cable with rg-6, etc. Beefed up the splitters, etc.
AND yes the internet is not the source of all human knowledge, but will be soon.
AT which point it will be turned off.

[BadAssJazz]

So why not put the couch opposite the wall with the cable?

Stated in #1, the sectional won't fit along the east wall. Specifically, the bar chairs stationed at the breakfast nook prevent it. One way or another I'll figure out a solution. It's not the end of the world if I can't watch cable TV in the front room on the larger flatscreen. I still have the 42" plasma in the bedroom that has cable. I'll just use the living room for Blu-Ray and DVD's only.

[AVMASTER]

not quite sure why you would need to move the incoming cable jack, is there no cable box involved?