Talk:Twin-lead
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I don't think the color vs. black and white distinction is relevant. A balanced line directly from the antenna to the TV is actually superior to a connection requiring a balun, as the balun has some loss, and the coax is (in general) more lossy than the twin-lead line. However, if the line has to pass through a wall that has a lot of rebar or other metal, it will interfere with the twin-lead, and coax is better. Also, the old screw type antenna connections are notoriously loose and have poor connections. Coax connectors are a bit more robust and smaller (i.e., easier to install on the assembly line) and so would probably shave a few cents off manufacturing cost, as well as be more maintainable for the consumer, and so would be more likely on a modern mass market TV. -ssd 04:42, 3 January 2006 (UTC)
- Twin lead did actually had less loss than coax under ideal conditions, but had serious problems.... It was unsheilded, it interacts with metal objects, and it was sensitive to impedence changes caused by weather. Cable companies couldn't use it because it would leak signals, both in and out. Even with a coax hooked to balun the length of twin lead inside the tv between the tuner circuit and screw terminals would let sources of interference leak in. Strong broadcast TV signals would cause ghosting on cable TV channels. Problems with cable TV seems to spell the end of use of twin lead terminals on TV sets. BigE1977 01:19, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
