RCA cable specifications

kenj · 10-08-2009, 06:39 AM

I put this on DTVForum but have had no answer yet, so... I have come to where I should have in the first place!!

I have googled till I am blue in the face but can't find any information on whether there are any restictions on cable length for RCA cables.

I want to do a temporary cheap link between 2 rooms and have an 18metre distance to cover (No RF connection). Other alternative is a video sender at $75-$130, but Cables Direct have 10metre cables at around $15 each. I already have one 10M and a connector so would only need to purchase 1 of them. So, that would be a 20M run.

Anyone help with some info on this.

Thanks

Ken

Speedy Gonzales · 10-08-2009, 09:32 AM

Nope dont think there's a limit for RCA. I've had 3-4 extensions and its been fine

R2x1 · 10-08-2009, 09:40 AM

RCA connectors were intended for audio, many years ago. Higher frequencies are the first to suffer as lengths are extended, 18 m doesn't sound far for audio, for high speed data it is quite a journey. The connectors start causing big losses at high frequencies.

kenj · 10-08-2009, 10:40 AM

Thanks guys, I will give it a go.

Ken

somebody · 10-08-2009, 11:22 AM

The longest video/audio run I've done with RCA cables is close to 35m. There were definitely some quality issues, however that may have been to do with the fact that it was a temporary set up using quite thin (and cheap) cable.

CYaBro · 10-08-2009, 12:13 PM

It shouldn't be a problem at that length.
The only thing that could affect the signal quality is if you run it along side a power cable - which you shouldn't do anyway.

Peter H · 10-08-2009, 02:44 PM

RCA is a plug type - the cable that can be used could be anything from trurip to 400v mains cable, coax etc.
Length depends on what type of signal is being carried - audio, rf, video etc and type of cable.

ubergeek85 · 10-08-2009, 07:20 PM

RCA I have found is very durable. Give it a try and see what happens.

Part of my setup has a bunch of handmade RCA cables joined with tape and a screw block connector, and part of that run goes through some old mains cable I had lying around.

Just steer clear of power cables.

porkster · 10-08-2009, 07:45 PM

As Peter H pointed out above RCA is a connector type. The distance that you can run is dependent on the quality of the cable. RCA is normally feed with unbalanced cable. The longer the cable the higher the attenuation (signal loss), and the higher the capacitance which causes frequency distortion (where higher frequencies are attenuated more than lower frequencies), and phase distortion (where different frequencies arrive at different phases compared to the input). Crappy shielding could be a problem in an electrically noisy environment as the shielding is the only form of noise protection in an unbalanced cable.

Technical stuff aside, video should go at least 20 meters without a problem with good cable.

Video over 100 meters is easily done with a quality cable.