Voltage drop in Cat5 cable

[Guest guest]

I have not used any Cat 5 cable for any distance before. This year I will be using about 600' of Cat 5 cable connecting 6 LOR boards together through out the yard. I have a couple of questions about the usage of the length.

1. Is there any voltage drop in the signal when it goes from one board to another board, all the way through to the last one?

2. Would there be a slight delay in signal to the last board, which would be noticeable to the eye when the display is matched with the music?

Thank you to anyone whom may have a working knowledge of these questions and be willing to provide answers.

[Guest guest]

No "WORKING knowledge" of it. but it sounds like a good speriment.

I thought I had read it somewhere, it looks like it is 1000 FT

See this thread,

http://planetchristmas.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=5086&forum_id=25&highlight=length

[Guest guest]

Take a look at the Light-O-Rama documentation for their RS-485 adapters (PDF file). Looks like they mention a range anywhere from 100 ft to 4000 ft depending on the adapter.

Tom

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information, but with the LOR site of information on the adapters, it mentions that it is limited to the less that 100' to the first controller. Does this mean that once it hits the first controller that the signal is charged again with the same amount of signal strength to travel from the first controller to the second?

[Guest guest]

_ less that 100' to the first controller_

That is the adaptor distance from the PC not to the first controller.

[Guest guest]

Distance to the first controller is dependent on the type of adapter used at the computer. If the SC485 it is less than 100 feet. If either of the usb options then the limit is nearly 4000 feet. This is according to the hardware documentation for the adapters on the LOR website.

[Guest guest]

I understand that this is confusing. So here goes.

With the SC405 Serial Adapter:

The adapter has to be within 100' of the first controller ( WHY ? ) Well because the SC485 adapter gets its operating power through the communications cable. There is a voltage drop but there is no issue if you are within 100' of a controller.

After the first controller you can go 2000' with phone cable or 4000' with cat5. There is not a delay that can be perceived by humans nor any living entity.

The USB adapters:

No limit on the distance to the first controller. Total range is 2000' with phone cable, 4000' with cat5.

[Guest guest]

LightORama wrote:

The USB adapters:

No limit on the distance to the first controller. Total range is 2000' with phone cable, 4000' with cat5.

Dan, am I correct in saying than that if you have the USB485B than you could actually double that. So your total range could be 4000' +4000' for a total of 8000'. Beings you can run two daisy chains with it.


Attached files

[Guest guest]

JR V wrote:

LightORama wrote:

The USB adapters:

No limit on the distance to the first controller. Total range is 2000' with phone cable, 4000' with cat5.

Dan, am I correct in saying than that if you have the USB485B than you could actually double that. So your total range could be 4000' +4000' for a total of 8000'. Beings you can run two daisy chains with it.

Unfortunately it sounds correct but there is actually only one daisy chain so the limit is stays at 4000'... If you use both connectors the USB485B is not at the end of the chain but rather in the middle somewhere.

[Guest guest]

LightORama wrote:

Unfortunately it sounds correct but there is actually only one daisy chain so the limit is stays at 4000'... If you use both connectors the USB485B is not at the end of the chain but rather in the middle somewhere.

Dan, does that mean that you still have to use either the USB485 or SC485 when using the USB485B? I think I have misunderstood the way you phrased it because I am thinking that the USB485B is simply a signal booster rather than transmitting the signal through the Cat5e cable.

[Guest guest]

Ah OK, I follow you. The max is still 4000' accumulated between both sides. (The signal from the USB port can only handle 4000')

[Guest guest]

Aaron, no. He is saying that the connector appears in the middle of one daisy chain, but it connects directly to the computer thru a usb cable.

[Guest guest]

Dan

Thanks again for the insite of information. I understand now that the signal strength will drop from the computer to the first controller if the cable is longer than 100'. Once I reach the first controller, then the first controller has its own signal strength which will pass along to the next controller. The total length can not be over 4000' Cat5, while in a daisy chain.

Thanks again for your support and especially for the great products.

Jerry

Some people wishes everyday was like Christmas. I know it is for me and I can tell that most every member of PlanetChristmas feels the same way.

[Guest guest]

Aaron Bott wrote:

Dan, does that mean that you still have to use either the USB485 or SC485 when using the USB485B? I think I have misunderstood the way you phrased it because I am thinking that the USB485B is simply a signal booster rather than transmitting the signal through the Cat5e cable.

Hi Aaron,

You need only one of the SC484 or the USB485 or the USB485B.... The USB485B does not boost the communication signal, what it does is boost the voltage supplied by the USB connection so we can power other accessories such as the wireless transceiver. USB supplies about 5V but we need 9V to power the wireless unit. The USB485B takes the 5V and convertes it to 10V. That 10V is sent out on the CAT5 cable to power accessories.

The small USB485 does not provide any accessory power it does however it gets power from the USB link to provide the RS485 with power to transmit 4000'.