RE: [KAT5] Kat5 versus balun versus component coax

["Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

OI - Who let you away from the soldering iron?

Get back to the switcher!

Phil=20

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Doxey [mailto:kat5users@xxxxxxx]=20
> Sent: 11 December 2004 12:56
> To: kat5-users@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [KAT5] Kat5 versus balun versus component coax
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> Hi Jez
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> First off, KAT5 units are Baluns.
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> A Balun is a unit that converts signals from BAL(anced) to=20
> UN(balanced) and vice versa.
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> There are two sorts of Baluns
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> PASSIVE which are essentially just transformers and are less=20
> than 100% efficient because of losses in the transformers=20
> although generally this is not significant enough to notice.
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> ACTIVE (KAT5 are Active) which contains electronic circuitry=20
> to balance and unbalance the signal. Because there are=20
> electronic they can overcome any losses in the signal.
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> Another advantage of an Active balun is that you can=20
> distribute a signal to more than one place.
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> Using either Active or Passive baluns over CAT5 cable will=20
> give you the most flexible option.
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> COAX - Essentially there is nothing wrong with using Coax but=20
> for S-Video, Component Video, RGBS and RGBHV you are carrying=20
> 2,3,4 or 5 signals respectivly and these must all arrive at=20
> the same time. This menas that the cables must all be the=20
> same length (within a reasonable tolerance) because if one=20
> cable was significantly shorter or longer is would cause=20
> errors in the picture. This is easily overcome by using=20
> something like VanDamme MultiCore coax available in 4 or 5=20
> core varieties but a arounf =A35 per metre it wouldnt take much=20
> cable to add up to the cost of a set of KAT5's and the cable=20
> would only have that one purpose in life because it would=20
> have to run from A to B on cost grounds. A to Node0 and B to=20
> Node0 would cost a fortune!
> When SWMBO decides the Plasma needs to go on a different wall=20
> you have a mojor problem :-(
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> At the end of the day, the choice is entirely yours but many=20
> Passive Baluns are seriously overpriced for what they=20
> contain. KAT5 provides a high quality, flexible and cost=20
> effective solution to AV distribution as many people will agree.
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> Hope that helps and I hope I dont appear too biased towards KAT5 :-)
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> Keith
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> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jeremy Aston [mailto:jeremyaston@xxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 11 December 2004 11:35
> > To: kat5-users@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: [KAT5] Kat5 versus balun versus component coax
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I really like the idea of using cat 5 to distribute my a/v -
I've=20
> > flood wired my place and have plenty of cable to do it=20
> with!  I am not=20
> > an electronics expert however and other installers have
suggested=20
> > using baluns to achieve the same thing.  I don't know why=20
> that might=20
> > be a better solution.
> >
> > The question is - if I wanted to distribute component video from
my=20
> > dvd to my (as yet unbought) 42" plasma am I better
running=20
> three high=20
> > quality coax cable plus audio feed (I still have the boards=20
> up to do=20
> > it), or using Kat5 hardware or using a component video=20
> balun and cat5e=20
> > cable.  I appreciate that the response here may be skewed=20
> towards kat5=20
> > but hopefully Keith or someone else will have some=20
> argumentation that=20
> > will explain what the differences are and what the=20
> pros/cons of each=20
> > method are.
> >
> > I have posted a similar msg on ukha_d and someone suggested a
Kat5=20
> > module but did not explain why it would be the best choice.
> >
> > Many thanks in advance
> >
> > Jez
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Searchable KAT5 archive can be found at=20
> http://www.ukha-archive.com/=20
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> ------~->=20
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> Searchable KAT5 archive can be found at
> http://www.ukha-archive.com/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
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