Cable Forum - View Single Post - Mini-Din 6-Pin and CAT-5e cable... WILL IT WORK?

altis · 17-01-2005, 11:02

CAT5e cables are made of 4 twisted pairs which have a characteristic impedence of 100 ohms. They are intended for carrying balanced signals - as one leg moves up the other moves down.

A video signal is normally unbalanced - one leg goes up and lown while the other is held at ground - and has a characteristic impedence of 75 ohms.

As you can see, the two are not ideally suited, but it may work reasonably. Watch out for reflections which will reveal themselves as ghosting on the image.

There's a pinout of a 6-pin S-video connector here:
http://pinouts.ru/data/pin_leadtek_tvout.shtml

Note that 2 types of signal are carried on the same lead - YC and composite. You probably only need YC and, if so, then a 4-pin S-video lead will be adequate. If 25m is long enough try this:
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=gensearch&y=0

If not then I'd look for some small 75 ohm coaxial cable and try to squeeze two (or three) into a mini-din connector. Look hard enough and you'll find some twin 'shotgun' coax with two runs laid side-by-side.

17-01-2005, 11:02	#9
altis Inactive Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Warrington ntl:81304 Altitude: 12m (and falling) Posts: 4,499	Re: Mini-Din 6-Pin and CAT-5e cable... WILL IT WORK? CAT5e cables are made of 4 twisted pairs which have a characteristic impedence of 100 ohms. They are intended for carrying balanced signals - as one leg moves up the other moves down. A video signal is normally unbalanced - one leg goes up and lown while the other is held at ground - and has a characteristic impedence of 75 ohms. As you can see, the two are not ideally suited, but it may work reasonably. Watch out for reflections which will reveal themselves as ghosting on the image. There's a pinout of a 6-pin S-video connector here: http://pinouts.ru/data/pin_leadtek_tvout.shtml Note that 2 types of signal are carried on the same lead - YC and composite. You probably only need YC and, if so, then a 4-pin S-video lead will be adequate. If 25m is long enough try this: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=gensearch&y=0 If not then I'd look for some small 75 ohm coaxial cable and try to squeeze two (or three) into a mini-din connector. Look hard enough and you'll find some twin 'shotgun' coax with two runs laid side-by-side.