I was curious as to where everyone gets there bulk Cat5e and Cat6 cables from.  I know some get theirs from Monoprice, SnapAV, etc...  So, to have a central location for this info, can everyone put down where you like to purchase their Cat5e and Cat6 cabling from?  This will also help me with my future decisions on where to purchase network hardware from.  Thanks. 

 

Scott

If you are going for cable i recommend getting CAT6 STP.  This is the requirement for HDMI video distribution for most distribution systems.

Windy City Wire is the only wire we use and the reasons why are lengthy. American made, spools in boxes, can do custom colors, best print legend, and my favorite skip wrapping

This is exactly what kind of feedback I was looking for.  Keep them coming!  Thanks!

Windy City Wire is the only wire we use and the reasons why are lengthy. American made, spools in boxes, can do custom colors, best print legend, and my favorite skip wrapping

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn7B8mdw_qc

Thanks Alan for your response on video distribution and Cat6 shielded TP.  Many homes, including mine only have cat5e at TVs, racks, etc.  I'm going to pull cat5e to my upstairs for data runs and hardwire my HC250 and some other AV equipment back down to the main rack vs relying on WIFI.

 

If you are going for cable i recommend getting CAT6 STP.  This is the requirement for HDMI video distribution for most distribution systems.

I went to lowes and HDepot to look at their cables. I'm not impressed with Southwire. Really poor twists, no spline and outer jacket was very brital.

From the hdmi baluns to TV, do most run cat5e, cat6, or cat6 shielded patch cable?

either 5E or 6 shielded.  Haven't noticed a difference using either.

Is that shielded cat5e and/or shielded cat6?  Just confirming.

Shielded for both, used for HDMI baluns.

As mentioned use CAT6 STP.  This is what most manufacturers specify in their documentation.  Termination as 568b (no idea why but just do it).

I've run mostly un shielded and not had a single issue to date. I have used shielded in a few extreme cases. I install in a lot of large municipal buildings with potential interference points everywhere and have yet to have an issue. I can tell you STP is a very weak seller for the wire industry as a whole and I have a very inside source of that info.

CAT5 has a bandwidth of 100MHz compared to CAT6 which has bandwidth of 250MHz.  Shielded is a must due to potential EMI issues.  Don't skimp on cables.  You'll regret it later.

 

http://www.cepro.com/article/should_you_use_cat_5e_or_cat_6_wire/

I have cat5e in the wall going from the rack closet to TV. At the rack I can plug that end directly into the transmitting Balun. However, at the TV end the cat5e is terminated inside a Panamax MIW 3 bay. So I would go from the Ethernet jack to the receiving Balun via a cat6 STP patch cable? Is that correct? The Wyerstorm instructions only show cat5e UTP... No mention of STP cables. Thanks.

Scott