Coaxial Cable Types (RG Series) vs. RCA
Comparing 2 standards across 14 specifications. 14 key differences identified.
Coaxial cables transmit high-frequency radio frequency (RF) and television signals under MIL-C-17 standards through a concentric center conductor, dielectric insulator, metallic shield, and outer jacket, categorized into 75-Ohm video/broadband series (RG-6, RG-59, RG-11) and 50-Ohm wireless/RF series (RG-58, RG-8X, LMR-400).
The RCA connector, introduced by RCA Corporation around 1937, is a de facto industry-standard connector for consumer audio and composite video -- there is no formal mechanical specification for the connector itself, though the composite video signal it typically carries targets a nominal 75-ohm impedance.
Specification Comparison Table
14 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Governing Standards
|
MIL-C-17 / SCTE (Society of Cable Telecom Engineers) / ANSI/TIA-568 | — |
|
RG-6 / RG-6 Quad Shield (75Ω)
|
Center Conductor: 18 AWG (1.02 mm) | Outer Dia: 6.86 mm (0.270") | Satellite TV, Cable DOCSIS 3.1, HDTV Antennas | — |
|
RG-59 (75Ω Legacy / CCTV)
|
Center Conductor: 20–22 AWG (0.81 mm) | Outer Dia: 6.15 mm (0.242") | Baseband analog CCTV, short-run composite video | — |
|
RG-11 (75Ω Long-Distance Drop)
|
Center Conductor: 14 AWG (1.63 mm) | Outer Dia: 10.3 mm (0.405") | Heavy low-loss underground long-run drops | — |
|
RG-58 (50Ω RF / Two-Way Radio)
|
Center Conductor: 20 AWG (0.90 mm) stranded | Outer Dia: 4.95 mm | CB Radio, amateur VHF/UHF, Wi-Fi pigtails | — |
|
LMR-400 (50Ω Ultra Low-Loss)
|
Center Conductor: 10 AWG (2.74 mm) solid copper-clad aluminum | Cellular towers, 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi antenna masts | — |
|
Impedance Matching Rule
|
Never mix 50Ω and 75Ω systems; impedance mismatch causes high Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) and RF reflections | — |
|
Connector Family
|
— | Coaxial Phono Connector |
|
Outer Shell / Contact Diameter
|
— | 8.3–8.5 mm (Outer) | 3.175 mm (Center Pin) |
|
Conductors / Contacts
|
— | 2 (Center Pin, Outer Shield Ring) |
|
Signal Format
|
— | Unbalanced Line-Level Audio / Composite Video / S/PDIF |
|
Standard Pinout
|
— | Center Pin: Positive Signal (+) | Outer Ring: Ground / Shield (-) |
|
Characteristic Impedance
|
— | 75 Ω (Video / S/PDIF) | ~50 Ω (Audio) |
|
Primary Applications
|
— | Home theater receivers, DJ turntables/mixers, composite/component video, S/PDIF digital |