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Gear / Technical Help => Cables => Topic started by: setboy on January 05, 2009, 08:43:03 PM

Title: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: setboy on January 05, 2009, 08:43:03 PM
I think I read somewhere that I could rig up a nice long coax cable for patching into SBDs? is this right?
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: Steve J on January 05, 2009, 10:23:47 PM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: setboy on January 05, 2009, 10:59:47 PM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.

It's a no go if it's not digital then?
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: nic on January 06, 2009, 10:54:58 AM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.

It's a no go if it's not digital then?

no, you would only need a coax cable if the sbd had a coax digi out.
normally for a sbd patch you will need 1/4", rca or xlr
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: setboy on January 06, 2009, 11:04:16 AM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.

It's a no go if it's not digital then?

no, you would only need a coax cable if the sbd had a coax digi out.
normally for a sbd patch you will need 1/4", rca or xlr

could i use a coax with a 1/4", rca or xlr put on the end?
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: Gordon on January 06, 2009, 04:23:22 PM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.

It's a no go if it's not digital then?

no, you would only need a coax cable if the sbd had a coax digi out.
normally for a sbd patch you will need 1/4", rca or xlr

could i use a coax with a 1/4", rca or xlr put on the end?

no.  coax has to be digital in/out. 
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: setboy on January 06, 2009, 07:06:58 PM
If it's a digital board with a S/PDIF out, it's possible. I've run a few digi-outs from soundboards.

It's a no go if it's not digital then?

no, you would only need a coax cable if the sbd had a coax digi out.
normally for a sbd patch you will need 1/4", rca or xlr

could i use a coax with a 1/4", rca or xlr put on the end?

no.  coax has to be digital in/out. 

Thanks! :D i guess what i read was wrong. :P
Title: Re: coax cable for SBD recordings
Post by: ghellquist on January 13, 2009, 01:40:53 AM
Actually, a cable is a cable. You could run a soundboard output on any cable, but it sure is not the optimal solution. Coaxial is not optimal for running sound, but you could do it. You could use a network cable if you wanted to (CAT5), a power cable or whatever. Cables are optimized for different uses and coaxial cables are not optimum for sound.

Optimal if you want a long cable is instead to run a shielded two-pair cable. Exactly same type as microphone cable. On the mixer side, get a converter so you could plug into either XLR or TRS, mixer boards generally comes with either of these.

On your recording side, the optimal solution is to have a transformer before going into your box. These are sold under name of "passive DI-box" or similar and are typical problem solvers used on the stage and in the studio. Not having one of these, run the balanced input to your box. If your box has only unbalanced input, you might be able to connect to ground/hot (pin 1 and 2 in an XLR) but this depends on the configuration of the mixer output. This will work with most, but not if the mixer has a transformer output. Then ideally you should run pin 2 and 3 (hot and cold) into your unbalanced input. Here is where the DI box again is a true problem solver.

Regardless, good luck.

// Gunnar