The things that make an excellent component video cable are simply a matter of having a well-engineered product. In essence tight tolerances and good design rules.

A cable with tight impedance tolerance, effective shielding, adequately-sized for the run and terminated with mechanically solid connectors that make good contact is what we are seeking.

As long as we don’t do things that alter the impedance of the whole assembly the design will outperform anything else on the market.
At action hardware we provide specification sheets for all products in stock and do not claim that so-and-so’s component video cables exceed the performance of the best broadcast-industry cable. Cable manufacturers know what their specs are and that is what we pass on.

5 core colour coded video cable

Video cable for component video signal

5 core 75 ohm video cable

How to make sure that the video cable is 75 ohms.

This is the impedance level required to match all common video gear. If using 75 ohm cable, there’s isn’t anything else to think about where impedance is concerned.

In practice, cable is rarely exactly 75 ohms but the variations are very slight! Small variations in the shape and diameter of the wire used in the center conductor, the consistency of the dielectric, the centering of the wire within the dielectric, the size and tightness of the shield around the dielectric, and the behaviour of the cable when flexed, make it impossible to build cable precisely and always at 75 ohms. For that reason, any manufacturer of video cable is always working to produce cable within an acceptable range around 75 ohms.

A manufacturer specifies how close the cable is guaranteed to be to 75 ohms in a specification called ‘impedance tolerance’, expressed as a +/- range.

Without a published specification for impedance tolerance, there’s no way to know whether that ‘75 ohm’ cable is 75 ohms plus or minus 1.5 ohms, or 5 ohms, or 15 ohms.

This tolerance is the single most important technical specification to look to in determining video cable quality, especially at long lengths.
The best video cables available today, are precision video cables designed for serial digital video transmission, control impedance to a published spec of +/- 1.5 ohms and rarely vary off more than about .5 ohm.

Installers 5 core video cable on 250 Metre drums

High resolution 5 core video cable

High Performance 5 core video cable with double screened 28AWG construction.  Conductors are coded Red, Green and Blue with White and Black Optional Use Conductors, this means the cable can be used as component video, component video and Sync control or Component Cable with low level audio.  Supplied on 250m Wooden Drums.

5 core double screened mini coax cable

RGB video cable

Of course being Switchcraft distributors we feel very comfortable recommending these product weather tight connectors range.

As you will be aware there are plenty of manufacturers with class A audio and video connectors that will do the job but the single most popular question is how long will they last.

Most products will be rigorously tested to international TUV standards and going the extra mile in materials used will determine the life expectancy of the products.

The technical specifications for most audio visual connectors only goes so far as dealing with quality of output and not weather durability.  For the most durable weather tight connectors make sure you speak to a technician.

There will be an update to this article and in the meantime we would like to hear your comments.

Example specification

High Quality Switchcraft Miniature Weathertight Circular Connectors.  16 pole.  To facilitate soldering these have staggered pins at the rear.   High specification product rated to IP67 available in range 2 pole through to18 pole in a wide range of mounting options.  Male and Female types, cable, panel and PCB.

Specifications:

Contact rating at 600V rms

Contact resistance 5mOhm (max)

Insulation Resistance 100mOhm at 23 degrees C

Mating Cycle 600 Minimum

Housing Material Thermoplastic rubber (UL94V-OContact Pins

Material Gold plated copper alloy