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Belden Spec
Belden Spec
The serial digital interconnect standards are designed to operate where the signal loss at 1/2 the clock frequency
does not exceed the approximate loss value listed below.
The maximum length values shown are based on typical attenuation values for the cables listed and the following
criteria:
Maximum length = 30 dB loss at 1/2 the clock frequency: SMTPE 259M, PAL, Widescreen
Maximum length = 20 dB loss at 1/2 the clock frequency: SMTPE 292M and SMPTE 424M
The bit error rate (BER) can vary dramatically as the calculated distances are approached. BER is dependent on
receiver design and the losses of the actual coax used.
Note that 1694A shows a distance of 250 ft. at 3G (1080p/60). Some designers and installers say that is not far
enough. Well, the numbers in that table are generated by a formula that is in the SMPTE digital standards
(SMPTE 292M, 424M etc.). These are not measured distances. A good cable, when driven by good chips, can go
much farther. For instance, we have shown at many tradeshows, a Grass Valley 'Trinix' video router, running a
3G (1080p/60) signal 544 ft. on Belden 1694A, a lot farther than 250 ft.
We just suggest that, if you pass that 250 ft. distance, you test the cable to assure performance. Bit errors, eye
patterns, anything that shows you that the signal is working. The ultimate way to test any cable (or anything else
in the line: cable, connectors, patch cords, patch panels, adaptors, bulkheads, feedthroughs etc.) is to test for
Return Loss. We do it in the lab all the time. We do it in the factory on every foot of digital cable that we make.
The graph below shows the Return Loss of our one-piece compression HD connectors. The blue line above it is
the guaranteed maximum of our digital cables. These all go out to 4.5 GHz to cover 3gig 1080p/60 applications. In
the next blog, we'll go into Impedance and Return Loss in detail.
The data above represents the typical performance you can expect from the Belden line of HD Brilliance BNC
Connectors. Again, this is not the maximum reading of a single connector, but rather the combined average of
over sixty repeat tests.