Quality of Connectors & Cables

[drcheese]

Hi All,

I'm rigging up my HD monitor and Tote Vision 703 for use with my HVX and I was wondering if the quality of cables and adapters matters, or are they all pretty much created equally.

I can get the Steren 254-425IV 25ft BNC to BNC cable for $25 and lots of female/male & right angle adapters for $1 and that adds up to quite a bit cheaper than the stuff on b&h.

Is this just another example of film gear websites charging more because it's film gear?

Thanks!

 

[Ted Spencer]

Cable and adapter quality does matter, though I often stop short of the overpriced "Monster Cable" types, but I'm actually going to offer an answer here to a related question you didn't ask, regarding the connector quality on the HVX itself:

They're pretty darn fragile is the answer. Consumer quality RCA audio/composite video outputs, a rather loosey-goosey D4 component video connector, tiny 1/8" jacks for the remote zoom/iris/focus jammed into a cramped little notch on the camera's side...all of these are going to be unfortunately easy to break I fear, as too many users have apparently already found out.

I think it's going to prove to be highly advisable to baby the connectivity big-time from day one of ownership. In my own case, I plan to "mother hen" the sucker in that regard whenever it's in other people's hands. I may drive them nuts, but it will probably be worth it. An HVX with broken off I/O ports could become a $6000 doorstop in a major hurry, and I wouldn't expect a particularly rapid repair turnaround in those cases.

It's an understandable limitation given the camera's position in the pro-video marketplace (as in entry-level pro HD), but a significant concern nonetheless.

HVX = Handle Very eXpertly

My $.02