Cables and Connectors Television Media Technology 2020

Cables (and their connectors at each end) are an absolute necessity when working with any electronic
medium. Generally speaking all equipment has ‘internal’ cables which connect the various parts of the
equipment internally; and then we have ‘external’ cables which connect various different pieces of
equipment together. In this course we are concerned about the ‘external’ cables; you will never be
required to take a unit apart to fix it inside (as an electronic engineer might do).

As someone working in television production you will constantly be working with various cables. Broadly
speaking, they can be classified into 4 groups:

1. Power cables: Such as those you plug into the mains supply (AC), or otherwise used from a Charger
or Power Adaptor (DC).
2. Audio cables: Either for analog or Digital Audio
3. Video cables: Either for Analog or Digital Video
4. Control cables
5. Multicore cables: Those which have a combination of the above encased inside a single cable.

Only Power cables do not carry some sort of ‘Signal’ inside them, which is being transported from one
piece of equipment to the next; for example an audio signal between microphone and recorder, or a
video signal between a camera and monitor. Generally the signal is carried by one or more inner cores
to the cable, and the whole cable is surrounded by a ‘sheath’ for electromagnetic and physical
protection.

The signal wires and sheath are soldered onto connectors at either end. There are many different
connectors, some are shown in the table below. Generally connectors are classified as ‘male’ or female’
– for obvious reasons. We commonly refer to the male end as a ‘Plug’, and the female end as the
‘Socket’.

It is important to realize that even though a cable may seem like an inexpensive piece of equipment,
some of them are very expensive to replace. More so than this, however, is the fact that should the
cable malfunction while you are in production, your production must be compromised or even come to
a halt. In this case the ‘inexpensive’ cable costs you the entire production. It goes without saying that
the cables you use are vital to your production, and as such should be treated with the utmost care.
Here are some precautions to observe:
1. If a cable is not being used, roll it up and store it out of harm’s way. Do not leave them
where they can be tripped over.
2. If a cable is to be used where there is human traffic, place it in such a way that it is least
likely to be stepped on or tripped over, and tape it down.
3. Never pull a cable by the connector when you are rigging. Make a loop of the cable, and pull
the cable itself. This goes for rigging and derigging.
4. On the other hand, when you are removing a plug from a socket, ONLY pull on the
connector itself; DON’T PULL ON THE CABLE.
(The reason for the 2 precautions above are because the inner signal wires of the cable are
very thin, and break easily. As soon as one breaks, that’s the end of your shoot)
5. When rolling cables up, you should ‘coil’ them. Don’t roll them up over your elbow and
hand. Cables should be rolled in such a way that each coil doesn’t introduce a ‘twist’ into the
cable.
To do this correctly, hold a single coil of the cable in your hand. Then reaching down the
same distance each time (so that the coils all end up with the same diameter), grab the
cable with your other hand, and twist it in your fingers as you lay it into the first hand.
Some cables are difficult to put a twist into with your fingers. In this case you lay one coil the
‘normal’ way, then the next you grab ‘inside out’ and lay it that way; so that one layer
nullifies the next.
6. Really thick cables should be layed in a ‘figure 8’ if they aren’t rolled on to a drum. A figure 8
nullifies the natural twist of the cable.

CONNECTOR

TO CABLE DRUM

7. Whenever you have rolled up a cable in your hand, always tie it (with Velcro or string) so
that it stays together and doesn’t get caught up and tangled with other cables.
8. Check your cables – as you should with all your equipment – before your shoot. While you
are checking, move them around near the connector, because often faults are intermittent.
9. Conversely, if something goes wrong with a cable whilst on the shoot, report this to the
technician when you book the equipment back in.
10. When rolling cables on to Cable Drums, make sure you disconnect the ‘fly lead’ (the short
cable between the drum and connector panel) before you start winding the cable in.
11. When rolling the cable on to the drum, make sure you do it evenly across the width of the
drum, don’t have ‘lumps’ in the winding afterwards.
12. Whenever you wind or roll up a long cable, don’t just drag the connector along the ground,
around corners, etc. It can snag on things along the way, and damage the soldering and
connector; and you will only find this out when you do your next production! Rather have
someone hold the connector whilst it returns, or otherwise bring the cable/connector back
to the drum, then begin winding.
NAME PICTURE DESCRIPTION USES

MAINS plug A 3 pin Power Used in South Africa for ‘Mains’

connector. Has 220V Power.
Live, Neutral
and Earth pins

JANUS Accepts the Used on Extension Cables

socket/coupler Mains plug
above.

KETTLE plug / Smaller Mains Usually connects equipment to

socket power 220V.
connectors

3 PIN XLR A 3 pin Audio Used for ‘Balanced Audio’, but

connector sometimes other uses as well

4 PIN XLR Same Used for DC power on some

‘casing/body as equipment, and also comms
the 3 pin XLR, headsets.
but with 4 pins

‘Normal’ JACK Single pins, with Can be 2 wire audio, or 3 wire

PLUG different ‘rings’ (balanced/stereo) audio.
around it.

‘MINI’ Jackplug Miniature Used for when small equipment

version of size limits space
jackplug above

RCA Connector Single pin with Used for unbalanced ‘line’ level
external ring for analog audio
earth/shield

BNC Connector Single pin for For analog video signals

signal, with
earth ring and
twist connector.
LEMO/SMPTE Camera Fibre Used for HD Broadcast camera
Connector connector with connector
power and fibre
pins

TRIAX Co axial Variety of uses, but normally

Connector connector with broadcast HD/SDI (Serial Digital
3 concentric Info) camera connector
rings/sleeves

LC Optical fiber Optical fiber and Used to join optical fibers where a
connector connectors connect/disconnect capability is
required.
Long distance video, audio and
data(converter box)

USB Connector Flat multipin Digital and power (low) for

connector peripheral equipment.

HDMI Flat multipin Digital High Definition (HD)

Connector connector picture and sound

CAT 5 (or 5 Pin flat Digital information

CATV) connector
Connector