4.2.5TO CONNECT THE LOCAL UNIT TO THE REMOTE UNIT
To interconnect the Local and Remote Units of the Micro Extender, you’ll need industry-standard structured cabling (Category 5 UTP or STP, 4-pair) terminated with RJ-45 plugs. This cable is not included with the Extender. You’ll need CAT5 patch cables such as our product code EYN737MS or CAT5 bulk cable such as our EYN840A. The bulk cable should be terminated with high-quality RJ-45 plugs such as those included in our FM732 25-pack.
CAUTION!
This cable must be solid-core type; stranded patch cable will give poor results over longer distances. The pairing of the cable and pinning of its connectors must be in accordance with EIA/TIA-568A or (preferably) EIA/TIA-568B. (Refer to the wiring chart in Appendix A. Please note that failure to wire the twisted pairs correctly will dramatically impair video quality and possibly prevent correct operation.)
Regular CAT5 is preferable to CAT5e cable (rated for 155 Mbps), although CAT5e should perform well in most applications. Avoid using “Level 6” or “Level 7” cables, or other types of cable rated for data rates higher than 100 Mbps (bandwidths higher than 100 MHz). This is because the wires in these cables are twisted much more tightly than those in regular CAT5, which is great for high-speed data but really bad for analog video signals. Having said that, however, the signal-skew problems caused by tightly twisted pairs in these cables can sometimes be resolved by swapping which pairs are used for which signals or by using an external delay line. Please contact tech support if you have problems getting a good picture with CAT5e cable or if you must use cables with bandwidths higher than 155 Mbps.
Even though your network might use the same type of 4-wire twisted- pair cabling, do not connect the Micro Extender to 10/100BASE-T Ethernet devices or any other network equipment. Doing so will virtually destroy the Extender’s circuitry and could also damage the attached equipment.
The Micro Extender is designed for use up to a maximum cable length of 50 m (160 ft.). At this length the video quality should be acceptable even at a screen resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels.
Although a single continuous length of interconnect cable is preferable, it’s possible to operate a Micro Extender system if the Local and Remote Units are connected through multiple patch panels. However, the more patch panels the cable is routed through, the greater the probability that the video signal will be degraded.
NOTE
The Micro Extender has been tested and found to work, in certain situations, with 4-pair Category 3 cable or with four pairs of 25-pair UTP trunk cables instead of 4-pair Category 5 cable. We do not recommend such installations; if you want to experiment with them, do so at your own risk.
