Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

cat vs phone line


sthobe

Recommended Posts

I know that I have to connect my computer to my first controller with the included cat data cable.Do I need to use the cat data cable to connect to the next controller or can I use phone cable or something less costly.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Either!
It is up to you!
I use Cat 5E because I have lots (years of computer installations).
If I had to buy the cables I might opted for the cheaper phone cables.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only thing I can add is that cat 3 or phone wire more often than not does not have the twisting of the wire pairs. The twisting of the wire creates a higher value of capacitance in the wire pair. This in turn will help reduce noise on the wire. Less noise, means less chance of your command signals being trashed and not received by the controller.

So, if you end up using teleco wiring between controllers. And your display is just doing random stuff (does not look like what you have sequenced). Then you might give consideration to using Cat 5 wires.

And just a reminder. Try to keep your teleco / cat 5 wires from laying on top of the power wires, to include the power leads of your display items. If running the wires parallel, then keep the comm wire at least 12" away from the power leads. This will help decrease the noise on the comm wires.

There are those who say that I am nuts about the noise issue. Just wait, one day they will be crying that they do not understand why their display has a mind of its own. Sure they might have been doing it like that for X years. As I have said, just wait.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Max-Paul wrote:

There are those who say that I am nuts...

I'll probably be the first of many to agree with that statement :P

The RS485 electrical signal is designed to cancel out the same noise that twisted pair addresses. But I'm like Max, I prefer to err on the side of caution and use CAT5.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

rwertz wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:
There are those who say that I am nuts...

I'll probably be the first of many to agree with that statement :P

The RS485 electrical signal is designed to cancel out the same noise that twisted pair addresses. But I'm like Max, I prefer to err on the side of caution and use CAT5.


Thanks..... I think :? (confused or just plain nuts)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

rwertz wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:
Thanks..... I think :? (confused or just plain nuts)

Ummm...
JustPlainNuts.gif

Thanks Reg for a good start to a monday on a tuesday. Left me chuckling for a few good minutes.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Max-Paul wrote:


There are those who say that I am nuts about the noise issue. Just wait, one day they will be crying that they do not understand why their display has a mind of its own. Sure they might have been doing it like that for X years. As I have said, just wait.

I was one of those people. For a few nights a few years back, I noticed my lights didn't seem to be in sequence properly. Then my neighbor wondered why my lights were randomly flashing at 2am. It turned out a squirrel was eating thru the cat5e cable line. Wished he went for something a little more high voltage!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...