Black Box ACU3009A, CAT5 KVM Micro Extender, ACU3001A To Connect the Local Unit to the Remote Unit

CHAPTER 4: Checklist of System Components

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. Order 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 the Appendix. Please note that failure to wire the twisted pairs correctly will dramatically impair video quality and possibly prevent correct operation.)

We don’t recommend using CAT5e cable, although it might perform well in some 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 video signals.

Also, even though your network might use the same type of 4-wire twisted-pair cabling, do not connect the Micro Extender to 10BASE-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.

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