driving 200ft video cable

S

s-audio

Active member
I am using a DVX 100 for IMAG. the camera only has RCA output or s-video.
What do you guys use for driving 200 ft cables without any image loss?
The company I do work for is saying VGA is best so they can do color correction and there is no signal loss???

Is there any benefit to getting a VGA adapter for the RCA or s-Video? I would not think so but I figured I'd ask.
Or do I need to spend 8k for a camera with VGA or composite outputs :)

Thanks for any info.
 
VGA is a lot less durable over long cable distances than the composite video coming out of your DVX. :) You can typically run 200 feet of composite video and get a usable signal (I won't go so far as to say there's no loss, but it's at a level where IMO most people wouldn't notice it), where VGA is sometimes lucky to get 50 feet.

If you're worried about signal loss, the way to go is either a line driver (to boost the signal) or a powered twisted-pair transmitter and receiver.
 
I've used 70 foot firewire cable with DVX to capture image and sound to laptop running onLocation. For longer distances than 72 feet you need to use a repeater. Cables and repeaters are available from Laird.
 
Thanks for the info guys.
Were can I find a line booster? is this something that B&H might have?
I'll do some searching.
 
Or you can use what is called a "Distribution Amp" it is used at the end of a cable run and will only boost the signal back to what it is supposed to be... that is 1 volt peak to peak or 100 IRE on the NTSC scale. We used these in the TV studio for cable runs.
 
A line driver is basically just a distribution amp that only has one output; a DA, by definition, has multiple outs. :)

That said, based on a quick Google search I just did, I don't know that anybody's making a video line driver anymore, so something like this DA might be what you end up with. I've had DA's occasionally get funky with me, so for another $3 I'd add this for the unused output just in case.
 
Captain Pierce said:
A line driver is basically just a distribution amp that only has one output; a DA, by definition, has multiple outs. :)

That said, based on a quick Google search I just did, I don't know that anybody's making a video line driver anymore, so something like this DA might be what you end up with. I've had DA's occasionally get funky with me, so for another $3 I'd add this for the unused output just in case.
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Thanks but I am well aware of the difference lol... I worked in a TV studio and a TV engineering lab for many years, and I have a degree in Electronics :)

That is why I mentioned a video DA... Probably easier to find a good cheap surplus DA than a decent line driver these days. But you can build one easy enough.

How many outputs is inconsequential. Any unused outputs can and should be terminated into the proper impedance...

The video Da's have 2 + outputs and are unity gain... by definition :) Unity gain is the important part....
 
Sorry, was trying to explain that for the OP or anybody in future who might happen across. Didn't mean to imply that I thought you didn't know that. :)
 
Captain Pierce said:
Sorry, was trying to explain that for the OP or anybody in future who might happen across. Didn't mean to imply that I thought you didn't know that. :)
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No problem at all.. I thank you for your consideration... I think there are a lot broadcast surplus equipment dealers around.. maybe the OP can find a line driver or a DA for his use.
 
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