SF Cable Blog - Get Expert Tips & Advice on Cables & AccessoriesIn our blog, we educate customers on the various types of cables, components and accesscories for computer, laptops and mobiles. Find More Blog
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SF Cable Blog - Get Expert Tips & Advice on Cables & AccessoriesIn our blog, we educate customers on the various types of cables, components and accesscories for computer, laptops and mobiles. Find More Blog
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Transmission speed, connection, distance and costs. These are some of the factors you need to consider when it comes to buying cables for your ethernet network. “Should I use category 5E or 6A for wiring my ethernet network?” People often ask this question. This is majorly because all these cables have different names, standards and configurations.
Today, we will focus on CAT5E and CAT6A Cables and understand the major differences between them. Thereafter, you might be able to make the right choice. Let’s understand about CAT5E Cables first. CAT 5E Cables CAT 5E emerged as the first to hit the potential of 1 gigabit network. It is now 15 years old. If you aren’t willing to spend much and do not mind using old cables, CAT 5E can be a good choice. CAT 5E Cables are an enhanced version of CAT 5. You might find them at the lowest prices but sometimes, their transmission speed is low. This ethernet cable allows the data transfer speed of 1 Gigabit per second at 100 MHz up to 328 feet. When you use this cable, there are less chances of transmission errors and interruptions. The reason? Well, there is lesser crosstalk amongst the wires in the cable. Although, it shows lesser upgradation adaptability for future applications, it renders a good output if you want to apply it in today’s applications. CAT 6A Cables With price, comes the quality - Do you have this mindset? If yes, you must go for - CAT 6A Cable. CAT 6A Cable is for larger network requirements and for the future thinkers. This Gigabit ethernet network is costlier than CAT 5E Cable. But, it is even more advanced in terms of transmission speed and connection distance. How? As these ethernet network cable comes with a speed of 10Gbps and is capable of reaching up to 328 feet with a speed of 650 MHz or even higher. Moreover, it is technology friendly. So, you may be able to connect it easily to future applications. And of course, it comes with even lesser crosstalk than CAT 5E. Apart from all this, CAT 6A cables contain more copper per inch which makes it thicker and safer to use. Which One Should You Go for and When? For certain applications, CAT5E cables work just fine. Several companies have moved their servers on cloud. So, if all the data processing happens on cloud and you need less amount of networking, the network cable will never be an issue. However, the internet speed might become an issue in such cases. CAT5E helps you make faster connections than the internet speed, it becomes a primary choice for many. If you want to indulge into activities like audio/video processing and want to run applications like SQL databases, roaming profiles on domain controllers etc - CAT6A having 10GB networking might solve your purpose. Some other important points you must read Every 1.5 years, the rate of the data keeps on doubling. Make sure that the device you are using is capable of catching the speed. Because the speed performance is not just dependent on the cable that you use. Can I Use Anything other than Ethernet? Yes, you can also use Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) for analog transmission. When the cables need to carry broadband videos, its performance has a When carrying broadband video (CATV), the cable performance has a big impact on signal quality and in turn, the length your cable runs can be. For these sorts of applications, Cat6 may have some value. Of course, Cat6a would be even better but Cat6a is relatively new and the price jump between Cat6 and Cat6a is much steeper than the difference between Cat5e and Cat6. Consult your specific application specifications to see what cable lengths are permitted for each type of cable. Conclusion We are sure that the above-mentioned information and comparison will come of great help when you are in the dilemma of choosing between CAT5E Vs CAT6A. These days, as all these products are available online, and thus, you do not need to visit the traditional brick and mortar stores for buying these products. Remember that, the network transmission speed is dependent on some of the crucial elements of your network. So, if you own a fast cable, it doesn’t mean that it has the potential of coping with the essential Gigabit speed.
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Every person was rejoicing after the preface of HDMI cable. They knew that now they could get rid of the bulky connectors and multiple cables. In earlier times, as we all know, one cable was used for audio and other for video was in use. In fact, HDMI brought the change, with which the size of connectors got smaller. The need of separate video and audio cable also gone astray.
Over the years, the standards of HDMI have shown fierce advances. The use and the needs of TV have shown extensive changes. Thus, addition of extra features to the HDMI cords became imminent. HDMI started inclusion of many advance provisions. High bandwidth Digital Copy Protection (HDCP) and basic control of multiple HDMI connected devices (CEC) belong to the “family of change.” It safeguards the content providers from piracy. You will find a very long list of the devices for which HDMI is in use. The devices include – HD and ultra HD TV’s, video and desktop monitors, video projectors. HDMI cord also coects home theater receivers, home theater in-a-box system and sound bars. The list goes on to further include media streamers and network media players. The newest and the most useful is the usage in connecting HD cable and satellite boxes. As newer versions of HDMI became available, the list of devices got thicker. Each version had something better than the previous. In most of the cases, the physical connector remains the same. However, the capabilities of the HDMI wire keep evolving. The purchase time of a HDMI supporting device would determine the type of HDMI cable you may have. HDMI cables are backward compatible. It means that you would not be able to access all the features of a newer version. However, if the HDMI component were new, it would work with the older devices. Let us check out the different versions of HDMI Cords – HDMI 1.0/ 1.1/ 1.2/ 1.3 In 2002, the world first got their hands on HDMI. HDMI 1.0 could send digital video signals. It was a two channel audio signal over a single cord. HDMI 1.1 (May 2004) went a step ahead with the ability to transmit a bit more. That more was Dolby Digital, DTS etc. HDMI1.2 has the potential to carry SACD audio signals in digital form. Of course, it needs a compatible player and a receiver to achieve this. HDMI 1.3 (launched in 2006) brought the increase in bandwidth and transfer speed. It coincides with the introduction of Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Further, the screen resolution came up with some positive changes. It could support resolutions above 1080p but below 4k. The audio support also saw an increase. It could accommodate the Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD surround audio sound formats. HDMI 1.4 The year was May 2009, when HDMI 1.4 hit the market. It had wide range of functionalities to its name. It had internet and Ethernet connectivity to HDMI. Yes! Both Ethernet & HDMI became available in the same bundle of wire. However, the most practical application of HDMI 1.4 was the audio return channel. This feature enables a single HDMI connection between TV and home theater receiver. Suppose, you are listening to audio accessed by the TV’s tuner. Then, you would not need a separate cable connection for the home theater receiver. It means that, you do not need separate cable for TV and home theater. HDMI 2.0/ 2.0a/ 2.0b HDMI 2.0 (launched 2013) expands the 4k (2160p) resolution of 1.4/1.4a to accept frame rates of 50/60Hz. It can also accept 32 simultaneous channels of audio. In addition, it also supports an impressive surround format. It supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro 3D Audio. Moreover, it has the capability to send up to four separate audio streams for viewing on the same screen. It enhances the HDCP copy protection (HDCP 2.2). HDMI 2.0a (introduced in 2015) adds support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies. For the consumers, this meant that 4K ultra HD TVs that incorporate HDR technology can displays a much wider range of brightness and contrast. This makes the colors look more realistic. HDMI 2.0b (March 2016) extends HDMI support to the Hybrid Log Gamma format. HDMI Specification 2.1 Launches In the later part of 2017, the HDMI Forum announced the release of Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification. The news of the spec release has brought in the attention everywhere around the world. It supports high resolutions and refresh rates such as 4K120 and 8K60. The resolution is up to 10K. Along with this, a series of features for enhancing smoother and faster viewing were also in the cart. It would introduce interactive gaming experience. With this, the future of entertainment industry is going to be super-immersive and stunningly beautiful.
Internet connectivity over an optical cord has become a precious standard for fast and high-quality data transmission. This technology is relatively new. This new nature of it can leave some in a dilemma. Some would even be unwilling to invest in it. Some would still prefer go old school and use convention network cables.
Over the years, with the technical progress, even conventional cable has risen to new horizons. But, which technology is better? Both copper and glass or optical cords have their benefits. Both have unique features. If something is better for others does not necessarily make it better for you. So, the right question to ask is which means would suit your business? Fiber Optics Cable The conventional copper wires transmit data via electricity. Fiber wire relies on light. It does not transmit data through the flow of electrons. This enables much faster internet connection. In fact, it also enables handling of a higher bandwidth. Sometimes, even during the peak demand, the performance of fiber wire stands out. The cost of optical deployment has seen a dramatic reduction recently. Moreover, the fiber optic cable is future proof. This gives it an edge over the use of copper cables. It surely has a better prospect in the world market. Let us compare fiber and copper on these five determinants to decide which one is better and suits your purpose. Cost As mentioned above, the cost of fiber components has seen a decrease recently. Once, the cost of optical cord was twice that of a copper wire. Now the cost difference is minimal. In fact, if we consider the overall cost, copper cable can get costlier. This is if we consider the cost of wiring closet. This includes cost of uninterrupted power source, data ground and HAVC (Hybrid Automatic Voltage Control). Overall, an all fiber LAN is more cost efficient than a copper-based network. Bandwidth Copper is sufficient for voice signals. Even though it has a limited bandwidth of up to 60Gbps. Fiber cords are capable to provide 1000 times as much bandwidth as copper. It can also travel for a longer distance in lesser time. In simple terms, a 500-meter fiber wire can transmit 1GHz. Whereas, a twisted pair copper wire (Cat 6) can transmit 500Mhz just up to 100 meters. Moreover, the signal loss is negligible in an optical cable. Copper has higher losses at higher frequencies. It is also noisy. Transmission Speed & Distance This is literally the battle between photons and electrons! Photons do not achieve 100% efficiency in achieving the speed of light. But, even with 31% slow speed, it is much faster than the speed of electrons. You cannot overlook the significant difference which exists between fiber and copper. Moreover, copper wires also have the limitation of 100 meters. This is not the case with fiber cables. In optics, the distance can range from 550 meters for 10 Gbps single mode and up to 40 Kms for multi-mode! Reliability Fiber optics is not susceptible to damages from the surrounding environment. Copper has the trait of losing quality over certain distance under conditions. In fact, if we use a fiber optic cable over the same distance, under the same condition, it would provide you reliable data transmission. Moreover, fiber is immune to environmental and climatic factors. Temperature variation or any electromagnetic variation will not tarnish its performance. Copper is sensitive to these factors. You can deploy fiber optic cables near industrial equipment without worry. Likewise, you can also lay down fiber into deep oceans. Security One can trap the electrical signals from the copper cable. In addition, it also radiates signals. If someone traps the signals, the entire system can fail. On damages, it gets difficult to identify the leakages. In case of a fiber wire, detection of a broken wire is easier. This is because several monitoring techniques are in practice for detecting its flaws. Copper wire can cause a short circuit which can even result in a fire. Conclusion The usage of fiber cable with its ever reducing cost and other advantages is making it future proof. Increase in bandwidth, ridiculous increase in transmission speed and many more features make it better and reliable medium for networking. It is one of the most significant mediums for innovative installations and upgrades. View Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/know-fiber-optic-cables-future-proof/
It is very common to see two or more screens mounted on the desk of developers, passionate gamers and others who want to have a superior quality virtual experience. In fact, they feel quite confined if they use a single monitor. Now, for using more than one monitor – CRT or LCD, you would need a monitor cable having a Video Graphics Array (VGA), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), S video connector and a DVI, HDMI, VGA, or S Video port for connecting the second monitor with your computer.
Let us understand all that you would need to set up more than one monitors and how would they help in detail. Monitor Cables In some monitors, you might find a monitor cable. In some, you might not. So, go through the monitor’s packaging and you can know if the device is sold with the cable including monitors having VGA, HDMI and DVI connectors. In case the monitor does not come with the cable, you can browse through monitor cables available online and find the one that fits into the connector on the bottom or back of the monitor. It should be compatible with the connector. Monitors It is okay to use CRT or LCD type monitor for meeting your needs. However, a monitor that uses same type of monitor cable that you are using currently would work really well. This is because, it keeps the issue of having a converter or video adapter at bay. You can find CRT and LCD screens from several online electronics companies in the U.S. Make sure you conduct ample amount of research and find the right one. Windows 8 Windows 8 comes with a wizard which can detect and set up another monitor. But for it to work, you need to launch the Device Wizard of Windows 8 and commence with the detection process. Here is how to do it. Navigate your mouse to the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Launch Windows 8 Charm. Click on "Devices,"; thereafter, click on "Second screen." This way, Windows 8 applies display settings for each monitor and broadcast content on both monitors. Connectors For the second monitor to work, your computer would need a second monitor connector port on its video port. Also, the monitor cable that comes out from the second monitor must be compatible with the connector on the back of your computer. In case your computer does not have a second monitor connector port, you can buy a USB video adapter. If you have a desktop computer, you can also buy a video card. You can avail these video adapters and cards from different online electronic companies. It is very important that your electronic delivery ecosystem works well so that you can have a seamless and uninterrupted working experience. We hope the above information and tips will suffice for you to be able to work on two monitors off one computer. Please share as to how would you maximize your experience of working with more than one monitor.
We thrive in the era of wireless charging. We have cloud data backups. But, we still heavily rely upon USB cables for power and data management. Apple users went through transition many years ago. They left behind a flat, 30 pin dock connector to a smaller lightning connector.
And today, the rest of the smartphone industry is moving towards USB type C connectors. It is difficult to decide which cable offers the best features. Which cable promises more longevity? If we look closely, Apple is currently using USB type C for MacBook & MacBook pro. The question is will we ever see the same on other Apple devices? Lightning cable Lightning Connector not only charges iPhone, iPad, and iPod. But, it also charges Apple’s headphones, earbuds, and other accessories of the Mac. The lightning cable does a little more than just transmit power. It can also receive digital information. You can use this cable to download photos and videos to your laptops. Moreover, you can also download movies and music. Moving ahead, with the launch of iPhone 7, now the lightning cable can also transmit audio. Now the earphone is also gone for a toss with this technology! Wireless transmission is the tech giant’s paramount interest. The latest iPhones come up with lightning-to-headphones adapter. This allows the user to still hook up the wired headphones! Features of Lightning Cable Since, lightning is Apple’s connector of choice. There are a number of reasons; Apple never wants to give up this technology.
USB type C USB type C could enter the market in late 2015. USB type C is able to gain immense popularity in the realm of USB adapters. It has a slim profile and functions powerfully. It is not just an average adapter. It has a higher power bandwidth. Its higher transfer speed, charging and video output capacity makes USB type C the choice of Apple’s MacBook pro and Chromebooks. Features of USB type C The current trend in smartphone industry is to reduce the connections. The mini headphone jack is already under the threat of elimination. The rival to the lightning cable is the USB type C.
Conclusion It is fairly difficult to choose between USB type C and Lightning cable. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But the question that arises is that, will the users ever have a standard USB Cord? Will the user be able to use the same cable for universal or absolute purpose? View Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/future-usb-cable-lightning-usb-type-c/
Sharing files through Local Area Network (LAN) cables is by far, one of the oldest ways of transferring data. Over the years, with the forward propulsion of technology, this practice has seen many changes. Today we have other options. We can create a network even without the usage of any cable.
What if you lack access to a network and need to transfer data? Or wish to establish a connection between two computers? You can simply connect the computers using a Crossover Ethernet Cord. Your productivity increases when you create such a network for sharing data. It does not matter if you create this network junction for personal pleasure or for some official work. There is no need even for a router for establishing this. You can even cut down costs of pen drives or CD’s. This is more of a hassle than being costly. Within half an hour you can set up a network between two computers using a Crossover Ethernet cord. The procedure is simple. Let us look at how to connect two computers using LAN cables: Step 1 Plug one of the ends of a LAN cable into a computer's Ethernet port. Thereafter, plug its other end into the second computer's Ethernet port. Step 2 Reboot both of your computers. Also, make sure both the devices are members of the same workgroup. You can check this by right-clicking on the "My Computer" tab. Then, you can find the "Workgroup" line on the main page of the screen. The default item is "Workgroup." You should be good to go ahead when both the computers are members of the same workgroup. Step 3 Go to the start menu. Here, you need to enable file sharing. You will now need to go to the "Control Panel," and further to the "Network and Sharing Center." Now, click on "Change advanced sharing settings." You can also do this by scrolling down until you find the option for "File sharing." Here you will find the option to enable file and printer sharing. Turn it ON, on both the computers. Step 4 Now you will need to reboot both the devices one more time. On lighting up, the computers should now be able to share files using the "Network" tab from the "Start" menu. Here you can find the both the computers in connection. Now you can easily exchange files and folders at will. Now let us look at the Advantages of Wired Network over Wireless networks: Use Lesser Power Physical cables are necessary for creating a wired network. This does not help the cause of mobility. But, this sure costs lesser than the unwired (WIFI) connection. As it does not need power cables and adapters, it does not drain the batteries of laptops and other mobile devices. More Reliable Networks based on Ethernet Cables are much more reliable than wireless networks. In fact, the foundation of any network (wired or wireless), lies on them. The only problem one faces while using them is that sometimes the connection becomes loose. But, you can overcome this challenge by using zip-ties. It keeps the cable tangle free and protects against damage and performance degradation. Superior Performance There is no doubt that wireless network technology has shown drastic improvement over the years. But, the Ethernet based networks is still superior in terms of performance. Especially in a home-based environment. It has a higher transfer speed. Its maximum theoretical transfer speed is as high as 100MBPS. Even though this is not easy to achieve (rarely achieved), it is still better than the 54MBPS maximum speed of wireless network. Security Security of a home based wired network predominantly depends upon the firewall. Most broadband routers already include a firewall. In fact, you can also install software firewalls on individual machines. All the data in a wired network travel safely through the network cable. This is safer than the transfer of data through the air in case of wireless network. Conclusion One of the oldest means of transferring data in the technical world, after the introduction of computers is the data transfer through network cables. Today we have the option of choosing either wired network or wireless network. But wired connection has some advantages over wireless connection. You can create a wired connection when you lack access to a network and need to transfer data. Using LAN cables you can establish such a connection. Creating this type of a network takes just a few minutes. It is safer, economical and more efficient. |
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