EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.—Sanus, a leading provider of mounts and accessories for TVs and smart devices, has added 8K and 4K HDMI cables to its lineup. 

The Sanus 8K Ultra High Speed and 4K Premium High Speed HDMI cables, which are now shipping, provide a throughput for home theater audio and video in a single-cable solution. Offering an ideal way to connect devices such as streaming boxes, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles to HDMI-enabled displays and projectors, the cable options include 8K, 4K, and in-wall-rated versions to fit any project, the company said. 

"The Sanus mission is to create premium products that allow customers to get the most out of their audio and video technology. This includes providing them with everything they need to complete their TV or projector install, whether that's a mount, stand, furniture, or cabling," said Garrett Humphrey, product marketing content specialist at Legrand | AV. "Our new 8K and 4K HDMI cables are superior, feature rich, rugged, and help complete the one-stop-shopping AV experience."

Sanus' new 2.1 8K Ultra High Speed HDMI cables support 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 120Hz, providing the fastest refresh rates and highest resolution, while the 2.0 4K Premium High Speed HDMI cables transmit 4K at 60Hz. 

Both the 8K and 4K HDMI cables feature low EMI cable design and shielding to prevent interference with other signals, Dolby Atmos to take surround sound to the next level by delivering a true 3D audio experience, gold-plated connectors for the highest level of signal conductivity resisting corrosion, sure-grip connectors, a cotton-braided jacket that protects the cable and maintains flexibility, and cable ties to secure the cable to a TV mount or other components. 

The 8K cables also boast an enhanced audio return channel (eARC) that supports high bitrate audio formats — including DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, and Dolby Atmos — and variable refresh rate (VRR), delivering fast video frames and fluid video by preventing display lags, judder, and tearing, Sanus reported. 

The HDMI cables come in a variety of lengths. Both are available in 3.28 feet (1 meter), 6.56 feet (2 meter), 9.84 feet (3 meter), and in-wall-rated 13.12 feet (4 meter) lengths. Additionally, the 4K cables are available in in-wall-rated lengths of 16.40 feet (5 meters) and 22.96 feet (7 meters).

More information on Sanus' entire family of 8K and 4K HDMI cables is available at www.sanus.com/en_UM/products/accessories/#cables.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—It would be hard to imagine a more basic subject in the television industry than cable and connectors, as such components have been a behind-the-scenes necessity since the first camera was pointed at the first subject. However, just because cable and connectors have been around since… well, forever, this old product category has plenty of new tricks. Wireless technology might attract crowds, but cable and connectors get the job done.

As stories about severe weather make headlines, the question arises about how to deal with cables that have been deployed that are now exposed to the elements.

“Water and electrical signals are not the best of friends,” said Steve Lampen, an industry consultant who spent a career as a product line manager for Belden and author of the book “The Audio-Video Cable Installer’s Pocket Guide.” “Some might think they are mortal enemies, but there are lots of cables that work perfectly well in water. Some of those are just dumb luck, while others have [water resistance] added in the design and manufacturing.”

Lampen said that a little rain falling on cable is not usually a problem.

“It can get wet in a storm, but will dry out soon after,” he said. “Almost any cable with a plastic jacket can withstand this wet/dry cycle. Of greater consideration in this case is the jacket of the cable, which should be black. Black cable uses ‘carbon black’ as the additive to give it the color, and this material is very good under ultraviolet light, such as sunlight. Any other color can crack and break over time, and allow water inside.”

In addition to using carbon black, Lampen said that the type of material makes a difference for weather resistance.

“Polyvinyl chloride [PVC] is soft and not very water-resistant, although I have heard stories of gray PVC cables underwater lasting more than 50 years,” he said. “A better jacket is polyethylene [PE]. If you can get hard black PE, it is the best plastic at resisting water.”

SERIOUS CONSIDERATION

There is a serious consideration about using PE-jacketed cable, however, since it’s flammable.

“Hard black polyethylene would work great outside and last for many years, but it would not meet any fire code inside,” Lampen said. “If you want riser- or plenum-rated cables, those will most probably not have PE jackets. That being said, there are recently upgraded cables that have indoor/outdoor jackets that meet fire ratings, and yet have good ruggedness for outdoor applications.”

So if you need to roll a production van up to a shoot and deploy cables, getting some rain on them is probably not a disaster if you care for them properly. A bigger concern is when cables are immersed in water for extended times.

“Real problems begin in standing water such as a pool, fountain, ocean or anywhere the cable will not dry out,” Lampen said. “One other place you will see standing water is in conduit. Once conduit fills with water, it is very hard to empty it. Although many designers and architects think conduit is how you ‘protect’ cables, they are sadly mistaken as these cables can fail in only a few months. Pulling them out and reinstalling them does nothing to solve the problem. And, although you can blow the water out of a conduit, the more important question is, how did the water get in there? More than likely, the water will come back in and your new cables will be in standing water yet again!”

Many installers automatically recommend “direct burial” cable for outdoor installations. In many instances, all that needs to be done is to dig a trench and lay in the cable.

“As long as the cable can resist the sharp edges of stones and dirt, you’re good to go,” Lampen said. “When the cable gets wet, most soil will allow the water to pass and the cable to dry out.

“Even direct burial cable comes in variations depending on your application [and wallet],” he continued. “The simplest uses dry water-blocking—this is a layer put inside the cable that looks like a layer of fabric. If there’s a hole in the jacket and water gets to this layer, the material swells up, filling the hole and preventing more water from coming in. Many of these cables have PVC jackets that are not very strong, but if you put a layer of sand below and above the cable, that will reduce the impact on the cable and increase its useable life.”

CONNECTORS

There is much more that could be said about cable and its ability to withstand environmental assaults, but another factor affecting the performance of cable is how it is terminated. In other words, the connectors on the ends of cables play a major role in how cables function in wet conditions.

At least one manufacturer suggests that wet cables and connectors might be reused if carefully checked.

“If connectors are not sealed you would want to dry the connectors and cables out,” said Steve Cooper, vice president of engineering at Switchcraft. “After checking insulation resistance between conductors, if the insulation resistance is above 100 Megohms, it is probably OK to reuse the connectors and cables before deciding to throw them out. If contact resistance of mated connectors is reading higher than expected you probably want to discard. If they are sealed to IP67 or IP68, they have a better chance of being reuseable.”

Cooper noted that this is the case with cables that carry the typical low-voltage signals used in the television industry. A cable carrying higher voltages should be checked more thoroughly or replaced.

Using the best connector for the job is always smart. Broadcasters should review their situations and determine the risk of the environment that the assembly will be exposed to, then select appropriate cables and connectors that would reduce the risk, Cooper said. These include non-sealed connectors, as well as connectors sealed to IP67, IP68 or IP69K.

Other specialists agree with the practice of selecting the correct connector for the expected (and even unexpected) conditions.

“With wet and stormy weather you always have the risk of connector failures and poor fiber performance, due to the fact that when you disconnect or connect fiber connectors you always have the risk of contamination issues,” said Fabio Röllin, product manager for optical fiber solutions at Neutrik.

Röllin pointed out that Neutrik has fiber connectors rated to IP67 in mated condition, which is tested by immersion in 1.2m of water for more than 30 minutes.

“Storms and harsh weather conditions are challenging for productions all over the globe,” Röllin said. “I strongly recommend the choice of products and solutions that are truly specified for these challenging applications. Only then you will save time and avoid potentially catastrophic situations during your productions.”

WEAKEST LINK

Still, the connector is probably the weakest link in the chain when it comes to preventing unexpected ingress of water.

“Connectors are one of the most difficult parts of this puzzle,” Lampen said. “First, the cable is cut just to put them on. Second, the nature of a connector is to open things up and make connections. There certainly are water-resistant connectors, but finding one for each water-blocked cable is not an easy task.

“One might assume that all the connections are made above ground, where they can be protected, but that is not always possible, especially with very long cables, more than 1,000 ft. (304m),” Lampen continued. “Now you can order long cable runs from a manufacturer [to minimize the chance that a connection will be in an undesirable location.]”

Lampen detailed the importance of the metals used in connectors, and explained the options.

“Commonly, you have a choice of nickel, silver or gold,” he said. “These are just a layer on the pin which might be brass. Nickel, of course, is the cheapest and has reasonable corrosion-resistance. Silver, on the other hand, has the lowest resistance—if you plug these connectors together and never unplug them again, then silver is the best choice. If you unplug them, move them around, and plug them back in (or leave them unplugged for a while), silver is not so good. Silver corrodes or tarnishes, which is why are forever cleaning real silver flatware or coffee pots to get the tarnish off.

But silver oxide (tarnish) is the same conductivity as regular silver so what’s the problem?

The problem, according to Lampen, is that the tarnish adds a layer on the outside of the object; in other word it changes the dimensions of everything.

“A silver pin that is oxidized is very slightly wider than it is in an unoxidized state. Where the atmosphere around these connectors has a lot of water vapor [and other contaminants], the oxidation will increase, with thicker layers, more quickly created. Eventually, these connectors will have intermittent connection points because the dimensions of the pins and jacks has changed so much.”

MOST PROTECTION

The ultimate connector metal is gold, Lampen said. Gold does not oxidize and has good electrical characteristics (although not as good as silver). For cable that offers the most protection from water damage, Lampen recommends gel-filled cable. If cables and connectors have been flooded with water, the general recommendation is to discard it all and start from scratch.

“It’s a crapshoot about using them again,” Lampen said.

The bottom line is that adding water to cable and connectors is a recipe for failure. “There is no cable or connector that is truly water-proof,” Lampen said. “Every cable and connector will eventually fail—it might take years or decades, but it will fail. If people are walking on these cables, even for one weekend, I would be hesitant about reusing them. Occasional wet/dry applications are a lot easier than standing water.”

Lampen mentioned a major flood in a large city that put an outdoor display and sound system underwater for weeks. The city sued the manufacturers but lost, as there was nothing in the manufacturers’ catalogs or online that said the cable used was water-blocked or special in any way.

“This could be a situation where wireless connections might make some sense,” Lampen said. “Of course, they have a whole encyclopedia of problems of their own.”

TOTOWA, N.J—Canare has launched three new Micro BNC Connectors targeting smaller racks and the subsequent need for increased connections within the broadcast industry.

Among the new connectors is the HBCP-D25HD, for use with Canare’s L-2.5CHD cable. It features a solid center conductor and is used for 3GSDI to SD transmissions. Its ideally suited to withstand the rigors of field production work, where it might be more harshly treated by camera operators, techs and directors alike, the company said.

Canare’s new HBCP-D25HW connector is intended for the company’s L-2.5CHWS cable, which has a stranded center conductor. Its small form factor makes it ideal for studio applications where it can be easily concealed.

The HBCP-D33UHD connector is compatible with its L-3.3CUHD 12G-SDI cable, which is part of the company’s original 12GHz lineup. This cable features a solid center conductor, with a copper foil and copper braided shield. It is well-suited for both studio and rack-mount purposes and provides up to 12 meters of full HD signal, Canare said.

“Our Micro BNC connectors are perfect for point-to-point connections in compact rack units in studio or in mobile applications,” says Shadath Shahid, engineering manager at Canare. “BNC connectors have long been a standard in broadcast, with applications that include racks, cameras and monitors. The Micro BNC affords users with the ability to incorporate more connectors into smaller spaces, which works well with the increasing trend for smaller technological elements. Our Micro BNC connectors are also compatible with Amphenol solutions.”

MOUNT MARION, N.Y.—Laird wants to untangle the cabling process for consumers with its latest offerings, pre-loaded reels of 12G-SDI Single Link BNC camera cables.

The reels are military-grade with a spool brake and a 4K/8K chassis mount BNC connector. SMPTE compliant Belden and Canare low-loss coax cables terminate with BNC connectors and deliver 12G-SDI signal transmission up to 328 feet, depending on model, as well as 3G up to 686 feet.

Laird is offering these new cable reels in six models and a variety lengths. Available models include LCR-4855-B-B, LCR-4505-B-B, LCR-4694-B-B, LCR-4794-B-B, LCR-RT4855 and LCR-12G-B-B.

NILES, ILL.—Fiber transmission and custom fiber provider Joseph Electronics has made its way up to the Madison, Wisc., studio for WISC-TV to provide a JE-designed patching system. Intended for the station’s SMPTE hybrid cables, the new system will enable WISC-TV to more easily perform cable maintenance, per Joseph Electronics’ press release.

Custom Access Box Built by Joseph Electronics for WISC-TV's Fiber-Patching System

WISC-TV’s previous cable set-up had its SMPTE cables hooked up to each camera and running into the CCUs in the control room. With the new patch bay on the studio wall from Joseph Electronics, WISC-TV can maintain two separate cables: one from the camera to the wall, and another from the wall to the CCU.

Partnering with Token Creek, Joseph Electronics fabricated the access boxes and supplied new cables for the camera/studio side of the link. Token Creek handled the on-site fiber transmissions, while WISC-TV did the copper terminations.

Nothing is more essential to a television system than a reliable interconnection system. This is the circulatory network, carrying the lifeblood of the operation from one point to another, enabling the necessary work of the facility.

Despite the amazing and important inroads wireless products have made, fiber and cable are still the first paths of success for any television operation. Implementing a solid cable and fiber infrastructure will make all other television functions easier.

Cable and fiber manufacturers continue to innovate with new products and connectivity concepts. The NAB Show will have plenty of this innovation.

Artel’s 3500 Series FiberlinkFIBER
Artel Video Systems will demonstrate the latest IP- and hybrid IP/SDI-based capabilities in the company’s DigiLink Media Transport System, a fully integrated, modular solution for transporting broadcast-quality media including 3G/HD/SD-SDI and ASI plus Ethernet traffic over IP, direct fiber and managed optical networks. The company will also showcase its 3500 Series Fiberlink product line, including model 3524 that supports four channels of independent 3G/HD/SD-SDI or DVB-ASI, with or without embedded audio and data. Using two single-mode or multimode fibers, the Fiberlink 3524 supports 4K/UHD resolutions at 60 fps.

Apantac will show a variety of KVM and signal extension products, including the SDI-FIB-Tx/Rx pair that transmit multirate SDI up to 18 miles (30 km) using a single-mode or multimode fiber-optic cable with ST connectors. The SDI-FIB-Tx/Rx are miniature devices that support all SDI formats up to 3G including 3G-SDI, HD-SDI and SD-SDI.

Bluebell Opticom will introduce the BCX- 760 series 10G Ethernet point-to-point fiber link, a camera-back interface that allows connection and signal transport between a camera and an OB truck or a base station. The BCX-760 series products are designed to create rugged connections in a range of remote production environments such as special-event venues, ENG sites, sports arenas and golf courses.

DAWNco will showcase its SATfiber solution that allows ENG crews to locate a satellite dish at considerable distance from where the signals are needed. With the company’s Box-Mount TX and Rack-Mount RX products, the fiber transmit module is mounted at the dish and the receive end can be up to 50 miles away.

Multidyne will mark the NAB Show debut of FiberNet, a real-time uncompressed optical networking topology that takes advantage of fiber infrastructures and can interconnect multiple nodes for managing, controlling and distributing all types of uncompressed signals from a central location. More than simple point-to-point links, FiberNet allows the user to send any incoming signal to any output or even to multiple outputs.

CABLE
AVP will be at the show with a variety of products, including its SMPTE 311M fiber camera cable. This composite cable type integrates power for a TV camera, and control line and optical fiber for video and audio transmission. It uses epoxy and polished contacts for termination reliability.

Belden will show its new 10GXS Cat-6a data cable, with a significantly smaller diameter and an absorptive layer to counter alien crosstalk, the bane of smaller diameter data cables. In addition to high-speed data cable, Belden will also be there to talk about its portfolio of traditional video, audio and control cables.

Clark Wire & Cable will introduce several new products, including the RCC2V2A1C6HDE “snake” cable that contains two RG-6 coax, audio pairs and a Cat-6 data cable in the same jacket. The RG-6 components are swept to 4.5 GHz for wide bandwidth, and the overall cable has a diameter of 0.72 inches.

Joseph Electronics will be available to discuss the company’s custom cable engineering services, available in both copper and fiber. The company can provide a full custom cable system, cut to length, color-coded and terminated to meet any project’s needs.

Nemal will debut two versions of its SMPTE standard camera cable. FOCC24S7 is targeted for applications where size, weight, and flexibility are critical, and FOCC24S7U is the same size with a rugged polyurethane jacket for harsh outdoor environments.

PATCH PANELS
Bittree manufactures patch panels and connectivity systems. At the 2016 NAB Show, the company will be showing its new high-density fiber and copper data patch panels as well as a 4K/UHD coaxial single-link solution.

Switchcraft will spotlight its connectors and patch panels, including the MidSize series of video patchbays that use mini- WECO connectors. The company’s Mid-Size patchbay panels are available in 1RU, 1.5RU and 2RU versions, with up to 34 jacks across.

Canare 4K-DIN coax connectorCONNECTORS
Canare will shine a spotlight on its new 4K-DIN coax connector that contains four high-bandwidth fittings in one small housing. This allows you to connect or disconnect four 3GSDI signals in one easy step.

Fischer Connectors will highlight its 1051 HD Triax Pro+ connectors for remote camera operations. The 1051 HD Triax Pro+ has a plug-and-play circular connector and can support fiber-optic signal and power connectors, with options to connect CCUs to cameras, equipping OB vans and connecting fiber media converters.

Lemo will display its anodized aluminum M-series connectors in a choice of colors. The bright colors can be applied to one of 37 connector models available in eight different sizes, and the color will remain visible after extensive use in harsh environments. Based on Lemo’s M-series connector, it is IP68-compliant and includes gasket and sealing options that are oil and fuel resistant.

Neutrik UHD BNC Cable ConnectorNeutrik will introduce the rearTwist UHDBNC connector, specifically for high frequencies such as those used for 4K and 8K television. The connector’s insulator design combined with the reduced outer diameter of the gold plated center pin allows UHDdata transmission within acceptable returnloss limits.

QPC will exhibit its Qmicro expanded beam fiber-optic connector that features a compact and lightweight housing. The connector’s hermaphroditic design allows assemblies to be daisy-chained without adapters, and the expanded beam connector uses a spherical lens to collimate the signal at many times the original diameter, making the connector resistant to shock and environmental damage.

Sommer Cable has cable and connector customers in dozens of countries around the world. At the 2016 NAB Show, the company will introduce Hicon screw-and-play solder-less RCA connectors.

Studio Technologies 5205Studio Technologies will roll out its Model 5205 mic/line-to-Dante interface that allows two microphone or line-level signals to interface with systems that use Dante networking technology. The unit has adjustable gain and P48 phantom power, so that virtually all condenser, dynamic and ribbon microphones are compatible, as are most balanced and unbalanced analog line-level sources.

Whirlwind will highlight its ES4 digital audio snake, which can be configured for Cobranet, Ethersound, Dante or AVB formats by changing the network module in the unit. The typical Whirlwind ES4 system consists of two components: the ES4T transmitter module, which has sixteen balanced mic/line inputs and eight line level outputs. The matching ES4R receiver module has 16 line-level outputs and eight line level inputs.

IRVINE, CALIF.—Pasternack, provider of RF, microwave and millimeter wave products, has released a new line of ruggedized phase stable VNA test cables that are able to operate up to 40GHz. The cables are specifically designed to handle test lab use and production testing for 50 ohm communication systems.

The cables are available with male or female versions of SMA or Type-N connectors for cables operating up to 18GHz, 2.92mm connectors for those operating up to 26.5GHz, and 2.4mm connectors for those operating up to 40GHz. Torison resistant connector heads are attached to stainless steel conduit style armoring for a rugged design for up to 5,000 mating cycles with proper care. The VNA test cables have a maximum phase change of +/- 2 degrees at 18GHz, +/- 3 degrees at 26.5GHz, and +/- 5 degrees at 40GHz with typical calibration procedures.

Pasternack’s new VNA test cables are now available.

ALLEN, TEXAS—Fairview Microwave has introduced a new line of ultra-miniature UMCX, WMCX and HMCX32 cable assemblies. Able to operate from DC to 6 GHz these micro-coax jumpers can be used with wireless communications systems and other wireless applications, including antennas, Wi-Fi, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, LTE and more.

The UMCX and WMCX cable assemblies are compatible with Hirose U.FL and W.FL connectors and feature miniature snap-on connectors with mated connection heights from 1.2 to 2.5mm. Fairview is releasing 40 unique configurations with multiple coax options including 0.81mm, 1.13mm, 1.37mm, RG178 and double shielded RG178. In-series and between-series cable assemblies are available.

All three of the ultra-miniature cables are offered in 6, 9 or 12 inches. Custom lengths are available upon request.

The UMCX, WMCX and HMCX32 cable assemblies are currently available for shipping.