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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => Console Connectivity Solutions => Topic started by: Andrew Broughton on August 24, 2018, 12:24:29 PM
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I searched and thought there would be a thread already on the types of network cables and what to buy.
I want to get a 250' piece of CAT5/6 network cable on a spool.
For the maximum compatibility with most consoles, (Dante/AES50/GigaACE) should it be CAT6 or is CAT5e ok?
Shielded? Unshielded?
What's more durable?
This is dirt cheap, but is it any worse than the others out there?
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Tour-Grade-80-Meter-250-Feet-Cat5e-Reel-w-Neutrik-Locking-EtherCON-Connectors/183216099982
Others I've seen:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/968586-REG/allen_heath_ah_7000_etherflex_cat5e_cable_drum.html
https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Core-Rugged-Shielded-Tactical/dp/B01HA6D0PI
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Personally, if cat6 isn’t much more money, I would do that for a bit more future proofing. Otherwise cat5e meets all the lab lounge gear specs I believe.
Pretty much all the console vendors spec shielded. You said network cable, not console to stagebox cable. If not used for consoles, unshielded is fine.
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http://www.digico.org/TechNotes/TN227%20RJ45-Cat5cables.pdf
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I have not had good experience with the Elite Core product. Something about the shields not being terminated in the connector.
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I have not had good experience with the Elite Core product. Something about the shields not being terminated in the connector.
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I have found this to be true on their reel products or anything with the convertible connectors. That said it’s easy to change out the connector shell.
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Personally, if cat6 isn’t much more money, I would do that for a bit more future proofing. Otherwise cat5e meets all the lab lounge gear specs I believe.
Pretty much all the console vendors spec shielded. You said network cable, not console to stagebox cable. If not used for consoles, unshielded is fine.
Can both CAT5e and CAT6 be shielded or unshielded?
It’s console to stagebox, gigabit.
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Can both CAT5e and CAT6 be shielded or unshielded?
It’s console to stagebox, gigabit.
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Yes, you can get either shielded or non on both cables.
You want shielded.
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Ok, reel or no reel? A reel is convenient, but costs more. Does it harm the cable any more than coiling it into a case?
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http://www.digico.org/TechNotes/TN227%20RJ45-Cat5cables.pdf
Dead link?
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Dead link?
It's an old link (2010) but it still works for me. Basically says CAT5e shielded with EtherCon and ferrite beads for Digico.
Mac
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Dead link?
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Sorry, it opens on my computer, but not my phone.
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Here's a great deal on one. It says it's Mackie, but it's identical to the Allen & Heath AH-7000. I'm betting that both are made by Klotz. It's on eBay for $200 and if you use coupon code PREGAME15, you get it for $170 plus shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/183216099982
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So, ideally I'd like to run 4 lines to FOH. I can use the extras with those XLR to CAT breakout/in boxes for analog sends/clear-com, etc.
If you were in my boat, would you prefer a single 4ch snake or 4 cables taped together?
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What do people think of the "Converta-Con" connectors on those Elite Core cables?
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I don't care for a reel on STP cable, I find the cable doesn't stack well when striking.
Make sure you're looking at stranded cable, as there's lots of solid STP around for permanent installs.
Ok, reel or no reel? A reel is convenient, but costs more. Does it harm the cable any more than coiling it into a case?
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Pretty much all the console vendors spec shielded. You said network cable, not console to stagebox cable. If not used for consoles, unshielded is fine.
From a Yamaha/Audinate perspective, everything I've seen from either of those companies recommends STP cable to prevent "noise emissions" (probably to keep the FCC etc. happy), not to prevent interference with signal in the cable itself. I have no doubt that some other manufacturers using data transport methods other than IP will require STP for reliability, but for Dante use it's not necessary. I've not bothered with STP from day one, and have not had one single instance of Dante unreliability that can be blamed on the use of UTP cable.
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So, ideally I'd like to run 4 lines to FOH. I can use the extras with those XLR to CAT breakout/in boxes for analog sends/clear-com, etc.
If you were in my boat, would you prefer a single 4ch snake or 4 cables taped together?
4 taped together. If you have a failure, it can be swapped out without too much pain.
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So, ideally I'd like to run 4 lines to FOH. I can use the extras with those XLR to CAT breakout/in boxes for analog sends/clear-com, etc.
If you were in my boat, would you prefer a single 4ch snake or 4 cables taped together?
A decent, shielded 4 or 6 pair, with a 8-hole stagebox at each side, and each channel male and female XLR. Not expensive or bulky, and will last you a lifetime. I have two of those, and they get used a lot.
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A decent, shielded 4 or 6 pair, with a 8-hole stagebox at each side, and each channel male and female XLR. Not expensive or bulky, and will last you a lifetime. I have two of those, and they get used a lot.
How does that relate to running 4 network cables between backstage and FOH?
Andrew's question is specifically about 4 CAT5 runs, not 4 audio pairs in 1 CAT5 cable.
Mac
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How does that relate to running 4 network cables between backstage and FOH?
Andrew's question is specifically about 4 CAT5 runs, not 4 audio pairs in 1 CAT5 cable.
Mac
That's ok. I get that he's suggesting to not bother with the Ethercon breakout boxes, to use a regular snake instead for analogue lines. However, I will be going the breakout box route when needed. They would be handy but do require shielded CAT cable.
I asked in another thread whether anyone has had any problems using these for unbalanced signals like COM. Dave Ratt seems to think it's not a problem, but I'll bet that he was using CAT6a (individually shielded pairs)...
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I asked in another thread whether anyone has had any problems using these for unbalanced signals like COM. Dave Ratt seems to think it's not a problem, but I'll bet that he was using CAT6a (individually shielded pairs)...
Even individually shielded pairs within a CAT6a only have the metal shell of the connector to connect the shield to. They are all going to be tied together in any case.
Mac
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How does that relate to running 4 network cables between backstage and FOH?
Andrew's question is specifically about 4 CAT5 runs, not 4 audio pairs in 1 CAT5 cable.
Mac
My bad. I read it as 4 analog lines to/from FOH on 4 separate lines.
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If you were in my boat, would you prefer a single 4ch snake or 4 cables taped together?
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Rat is selling a SuperCat Cable that can be terminated to 4 XLR/DMX/whatevers and used as a 4 ch snake OR as ethernet. . .
http://www.ratsoundsales.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=soundtools-supercatsound
Even individually shielded pairs within a CAT6a only have the metal shell of the connector to connect the shield to. They are all going to be tied together in any case.
Mac
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Rat is selling a SuperCat Cable that can be terminated to 4 XLR/DMX/whatevers and used as a 4 ch snake OR as ethernet. . .
if you terminate the cable with an EtherCon and use their breakout boxes to get to 4 XLR you will still have a shared ground and shield as I said in my previous post. An EtherCon connector has 8 connections for signal, plus the shell for the common shield/ground connection.
Mac
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I have not had good experience with the Elite Core product. Something about the shields not being terminated in the connector.
I just bought some of their CAT5e for linking an A&H IP8 to a DM32 and it's not what it was 2 years ago. Last time I bought from them the cable was DuraCAT with Neutrik shells - this isn't either. Is stranded DuraCAT still one of the better choices for heavy duty Ethernet?