What are the advantages and disadvantages of using unsheild coaxial cable?

Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using unsheild coaxial cable

Answer 1

The only difference is in quality.

Rule of thumb is - the thicker the cable the better.

Just get yourself some RG6 Quadshield and you will be fine.

It won't matter if they sell you shielded or un-shielded as long as all your connections will be made using "F-Type" connectors.

And for the dude above - I don't know where you get your information from , but you could not of been more incorrect if you tried.

All coax is designed as either shielded or non-shielded cable.

Answer 2

To answer the question, if it's the product I'm thinking of, the advantage would be less installation labor in places where one would need coax and either a computer or phone connection in the same location.

The ONLY  time I have ever seen "Unshielded coaxial cable" was in reference to a Siamese cable.  One side was Coaxial and the other was UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) like CAT5/6.  The Coaxial side was indeed shielded, as most coax is, the UTP wasn't and the entire cable did not have a shield.  That's probably why they call it Unshielded Coax (kind of a misnomer).  Unshielded Siamese would be a more accurate name. . .

For the sake of full disclosure to the techies, they did use "open transmission line" back in the 1930's.  That was in effect an unshielded coax.  There was an electrical shield of sorts formed by some parallel outer conductors, but this is really antique stuff.

EDIT:  Bingo, I found it!

http://www1.shopping.com/xPC-VEXTRA-V6C5...

To Gilloz:  Thank you for being respectful !!  It seems that respect and courtesy have been lacking on this board lately.

Answer 3

There is no such thing as unshielded coaxial cable.  Coax cable by definition has a central conductor surrounded by a cylindrical conductor which acts as a shield.  Some coax cables have an additional shield outside the primary shield.  Perhaps that is what you are referring to.  The advantage is a greater immunity to external noise sources.  The disadvantage is higher cost, larger diameter.

EDIT: TO R T, if you look at the picture of the cable in your link, you will see that the coaxial portion of the "unshielded" coaxial cable indeed has a solid covering completely surrounding the inner conductor.  That is a shield.  The title is misleading--there are other wires in the cable that are unshielded, but not the coax part.

Answer 4

In defense of Mr. Dude, gp4rts statements, yes they do sell shielded and unshielded cables, as Shannon C states, but not coax cables.  I think Shannon C is the one that is mixed up.  Please supply us with a website that sells "unshielded Coax Cables" as oppose to unshielded cables.  Back up your claim, with all due respect.

Update:  In all fairness to everyone, I don't think that Sulaxman S was referring to Vextra type cable or Siamese cable, but just plain coax cables for basic general use, but thanks RT for the info.