CABLES FOR YOUR LED VIDEO WALL
When building an LED video wall, you will need a variety of different types of cables. Everything from power cables to ethernet cables will need to be utilized. Ground, neutral, and live cables are necessary for your power supplies. HDMI, USB, and SDI cables can be used for video signal. Even individual LED modules have their own power and ribbon cables. It can be confusing to know what is needed, so we will go over some helpful and interesting information about a few of these cable types.
Since 2001, Category 5e(CAT5e) cables have been the most commonly used twisted pair cables for creating computer networks, they are also used with rj-45 connectors in video wall set-ups. A twisted pair has a type of wiring where two conductors of a single circuit are twisted together. This type of cable improves electromagnetic capability, reduces crosstalk between neighboring pairs, and helps reject external electromagnetic interference. All of these improvements help stop undesired effects on other circuits or channels, which in turn, is good for video performance! Twisted pair cabling was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1881. Today most outdoor landlines are of this cable type.
Fast forward to today and you can find Category 6, 7, and 8 cables which are standardized for ethernet, telecommunication, and various other devices. These cables can transmit streams of raw data in the form of bits. At up to one hundred meters in length, CAT6 cables can run a speed of five gigabits per second (Gbps) at a bandwidth up to 250 megahertz (MHz). They can run up to ten gigabits per second at a length of no longer than fifty-five meters. These data speeds are called 5GBASE-T, and 10GBASE-T respectively. CAT5e are 1000BASE-T to 2.5GBASE-T at no more than one hundred meters between equipment. A CAT7 network can have a maximum 100-meter length with 10 Gbps and a 600 MHz speed. Cat 8 is limited to thirty meters of cabling with 25 Gbps or 40 Gbps at a speed of up to 2000 MHz! Data speed and cable length will need to be determined when choosing which type of cables to use with your video wall. If looking to save money on your cables, CAT5e are anywhere from eighteen to thirty cents a foot while Cat6 can be thirty to forty-three cents a foot.
Finally, a couple of good types of video cable are HDMI and Serial Digital Interface (SDI). HDMI and SDI cable both support uncompressed digital video and can be used with any NovaStar or other type of video controller. They can also connect a video camera to an LED wall for a live video feed. This can be a great application for any presentation, show, or service you might be using your video wall for. When considering which type of cable to use, know that HDMI can only transmit at the longest forty meters. An SDI cable will allow you 120 to 400 meters between your video source and wall. So, if you want to be a little further away with your camera or video processor, go with the SDI cable! Now that you gained a bit of knowledge, head on over to Azar Pixel’s SinaPlug Online Store for all your cable needs. If you have any other questions just visit the website or contact us.
Joshua H. Berry
Bench/On-site LED Technician
16531 Addison Rd
Addison, Texas 75001
972-707-0801