ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Voice - Data - Video Discussion Line In/Out Audio on cat-5?

Forgot about those. What the heck give them a try, lots cheaper than the stuff I posted. What can you lose and you can tell us how they work.

Leviton also has the same thing for S video, I mentioned them in an old post. My question (or comment) then was they have to have a balun or transformer and it would have to be pretty small to fit into the jack insert. I wonder how well something that small will work with audio. Low frequencies need lots of iron.

-Hal

If you are running PC based MP3 a DOS solution is what I find works best. (MPXPLAY)
There are also some old Windoze packages like the early Winamp that are not corrupted with unwanted bloat/spyware.
I like the DOS solution since it can be controlled from a keypad. That is what I run in the cars. It is also the basis for the pool bar jukebox I have running off a Seeburg 3W1 wallbox. http://tomszone.com/3W1.html
I have an old keyboard card that uses switches in the 3w1 to feed keystrokes to the PC. That is a dedicated machine with no problems.
The hum problems are all on the cludge I have in the house with 2 PCs, a ReplayTV, DVD/VCR combo, componant stereo setup, TV and 2 remote amps. I have things tolerable but not cured.

I think Hal's TX transformers will fix that
Thanks Hal

Cat5 has been used in the car audio world as the interconnect between amplifiers and car stereos with reportedly good results.


[This message has been edited by brianl703 (edited 06-11-2005).]

I'll try using Cat 5e for the power wires on my next car streo. I'll uns 1 cat for the 12v and another for the ground. I'll let you know how it sounds. Maybe by the time I get around to that I'll be using cat 6.

Leviton loves the cat 5 also. I remember they want it used to power their camera system. I think they call for it on many of their products. Of coarse they are also tring to sell you their cat 5 plugs, jacks, etc. to go with it.

I have a few cat 5 questions:

What's the voltage / amprage rating for cat 5e?

Has anyone tried cat 5 for fixture wips yet?

I know intercom wire cost me $$. Has anyone used the cat 5 for that yet?

If I parallel the cat 5 how many do I need to replace a 3/0 wire on a srevice?

Do they may an underground rated cat 5 so I can use it for LV lanscaping lights?

How many inches do you need to bury cat 5?

Where do I get the red cat 5 for fire protection systems?

How do you keep the cat 5 from pulling out of the back stabs on the outlets?

If the CB is rated for only 1 conductor do they mean 1 entire cat 5?

Do they make a cat 5 with out so many whites? I want to use it for multi wire circuits so I don't need 4 neutrals.

Tom




[This message has been edited by Active 1 (edited 06-12-2005).]

CAT5e tends to be quite high resistance. I used it to feed some cctv cameras over 100 metres of cable and lost several volts at less than an amp. PoE uses 48 volts to try get round this problem.

BTW you need big iron in transformers for power.

Active1, somebody might take those comments seriously...

Except for this one:
"I know intercom wire cost me $$. Has anyone used the cat 5 for that yet?"

For all but the door release circuit, it will work just fine. For that you need to double up the conductors.

They do make direct burial cat-5, but would shy away from LV lighting, unless it were LED.

If you've ever seen how thin some of the wiring to the car stereo is on some cars (I think it's 22 gauge in some)...Cat5 wouldn't be much worse.

I use cat-5 exclusively for my cars' starter motors. All that oxygen in the factory cables give the starter a harsh, reedy sound. With the cat-5, the starter has a much sweeter, more "open" sound. It's amazing, you can hear every tooth kissing the starter ring.

For best effect, be sure to support it on hand-crafted ceramic standoffs, kiln-fired over a pool of molten sodium. Letting the cat-5 get too close to the engine and frame just really kills the fast transients.

Is that using "monster" cat5 or regular cat5?

If it's regular cat5, I can't believe you got those results from such an inferior grade of cable. Monster cable is better because it costs $2/foot. Monster cable makes everything it's plugged into work better.