Have you had any success sending an S-Video signal over CAT5 cable? Any wholesale sources for baluns?

We often need to run S-Video bulk cable up to 75 feet. I have found soldering S-Video connectors a very frustrating process.

We are looking for alternatives to soldering those small-pinned connectors. I don't want to sacrifice quality, just need to speed up the cabling process.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Have you tried the "S" barrels?....May I ask why you are using s-vid. Standard composit is better in my opinion....s-vid bypasses all the filters(3dyc..ect)in your television, if it is hooked up to a cheap television then it looks ok...(reduces dot crawl)otherwise you are depending on source unit to provide the video signal( try testing satellite with s-vid and composite..you will find w/s-vid that picture is blotchy) I always use composite or componet( denon upconverts to componet =D . hope that helps

I think S-video 75 feet is pushing it without a line driver, but, you can buy premade s-video cables from a company called Comprehensive cables up to 100' in length.

I agree with sureshot, YC is over-rated, and it does depend upon the quality of the electronics in the filters in the source and receive units more than composite. Over long runs, composite looks better.

I've gone 50-75 ft on occation with standard Cat-5e and Leviton quickport plates (Cat-5 punches down onto back and provides a female s-video jack for a wall plate) this works OK, but I've gotten noice in random weird situations.

Other solution that works great.

Tributaries makes Y/C Separators so that you can run S-Video on 2 RG-59/6 Coax Cables. I've done over 100ft with no disernable loss.

I get that you are trying to find a general solution for running s video a long custom length, and that you are looking into CAT5 rather than saying that you have to run CAT5. If so --

Calrad in Hollywood (www.calrad.com) makes cable adaptors that have an S connector on one end and two BNC connectors on the other end.

When I want to run S video up to a hundred feet, I use one of these adaptors at each end of two RG59s, giving me s to s with excellent cable and no soldering. To run cables to projectors, I will often obtain Calrad or other 3-RG59 cables with BNCs at each end; I use one cable for composite and the other two for S. And of course a 5-BNC cable for RGBHV or a second three- BNC cable for component.

Try http://www.kat5.tv/

They have clever boxes of tricks that will send s-video, audio etc. either from point to point or in a multi-drop configuration.

I use them to transmit S-video and the quality is excellent.

Regards,
Bruce.

Bruce, interesting stuff on kat5, but their product/pricing page ([Link: kat5.tv]) lists most everything as "SOLD OUT".

what have you paid for KAT5 AVS-TX and KAT5 AVS-RX?

Check this:
[Link: audiocontrol.com]

Have used their drivers / receivers to send line level audio over CAT5 (close to 200') - worked great. Haven't used the SVHS version (yet), but imagine the quality is up there.

Thanks for all of your responses. I just returned from CES in Las Vegas and have just now read all of your responses.

What I am trying to avoid is running bulk S-Video cable during the pre-wire phase or in a remodel where the length is longer than the typical manufactured cables with ends attached. It seems there are several choices. I had read about using CAT5 with baluns and wondered if anyone had used these. I can run any type of cable, just find it difficult to solder those small connectors for S-Video cable.

Thanks again for your help.........Terry

comprehensive makes cable adapters that you can use.

what you would do is run s-video cables the use bnc connectors on the end, then just use these adapters and they go from 2 bnc connectors to an s-vid connector.

that will avoid the soldering probled and save you alot of time

I run simese coax, and use tributaries y/c adapters, with cable pro male rca connections, never had a problem..

Terry,

Where are you located? One of my manufacturers makes just what you are looking for, I just need to know what part of the country you are in.
Joe
email me at [email protected]

Joe, how about you tell us all what your product is.....If interested we could e-mail to find out how to source it. Just a thought.
Deco

First off let me say that I did not respond as a way to make any sales dollars. I do not sell anything directly and my business is directed at the Data Comm world. The mfgr. I was refering to is Ortronics, I work for a Mfg. Rep Firm based out of Cincinnati and they are one of the manufacturers we represent. The particluar product they have for this is an S-VIdeo to 110 Punch Down Jack that guarantess 125' over Cat 5e cable, this is essentially the same cable as Cat 5, Cat 5 has fallen by the way side as a standard, and been replaced by 5e which stands for EIA/TIA Category 5 Enhanced, I won't bore you with exact electrical characteristics of this product, but will be happy to if you need(just email me). Anyway, on to the jack, you can go to www.ortronics.com and then go to the products page and in the Product and Part search box at the top left plug in one of these numbers-60900225 and/or 63700025. After you check this out if this is something you are interested in drop me a line with you location and I will respond to you with a distributor in your area that can help you out. Again, I do not sell anything. I am just the Rep. I hope this doesn't violate any rules of the forum, and if it does I hope a Moderator will delete it immediately.
Hope this helps,
JK

Thanks Joe for your response. I am glad to hear that the CAT5 possibility does exist, thought I may have heard wrong. I will inquire per the info you supplied and perform some tests. I will post my findings on this thread.

I also want to thank everyone else for their responses. I was pretty sure that soldering those tiny S-Video connector pins was not being done by most guys. It appears there are several coaxial/adaptor solutions as well. Glad to hear it they are successful as well. I will never solder S-Video again.....thanks