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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The phenomenon of transferring data up to long distances is not new to us. Thanks to satellite communications, data networks, broadcasters and cable operators, we can exchange the information we want whenever we want. This transmission of data is possible due to Fiber optic cables. Also, with the enhancement of technology, and inclination towards better performances, the utility of fiber optics is increasing with each passing day.
Today, we will know more about Fiber Optic Cables, how they evolved and a little bit about their working. First, let’s start with the introduction of Fiber Optic Cables. So, what Are Fiber Optics? Fiber Optic cables, also known as optical fibers are tiny strands (same size as human hair) of glass arranged in optical cable bundles. They’re an ultimate choice when one wants to transmit light signals to long distances. Every bundle of these cables comes with a jacket or an outer covering. Now look at a single optic fiber and you will observe that it has a core with a thin glass which helps the light to travel through it. Its outer optical layer surrounds the core and reflects light back to the cladding. It also has a coating which protects the fiber from damage and moisture. There are two major types of fibers. One, single mode, and two, multimode. When it comes to transmitting data up to long distances, the electricians usually make use of single mode fibers. And for shorter distances, they make use of multi-mode fibers. Now, let’s get into the history of Fiber Optic Cables. History of Fiber OpticsYou would be surprised to know that Fiber Optic Cables go back to the Roman era! Optical Telegraph is the first equipment that made use of these cables and enabled the operators to transmit the message from one tower to another through an array of lights on towers. The French Chappe brothers invented them in the year 1790. 1800s: The Phenomenon of Light Travel In the year 1840, physicists Jacques Babinet and Daniel Collodon reported that they can direct light through the jets of water fountain. Thereafter, in the year 1854, John Tyndall, a British physicist proved that light signals can bend as they can travel through water jets. Now, let’s talk about the Alexander Graham Bell era in the year 1880. He created a patent for an optical telephone which helped to enhance the optical technology further. In the same year, William Wheeler created a system of light pipes which produced light for the houses through an electric lamp in the basement. Dr. Roth and Professor Reuss of Vienna made bent glass rods to illuminate body cavities in the year 1888. On the other hand, in the year 1895, Henry Saint Rene crafted bent glass rods that enabled the transmission of light images through TV. And last but not the least, in the year 1898, David Smith, an American scientist applied a patent for a dental illuminator. 1900s: The Further Progress of Fiber Optics In the year 1930, Heinrich Lamm transmitted the image of a light bulb filament through a bundle of Optical Fibers. He was the first person to do so. Thereafter, Holger Moller Hansen applied for a patent in which he proposed plastic and cladding glass fibers having a low index material. Holger Moller Hansen applied for a Danish patent in 1951 on fiber-optic imaging in which he proposed cladding glass or plastic fibers with a transparent low-index material, but as it was quite similar to Baird and Hansell patent given in 1926, the authorities didn’t accept it. And now to the 70s. The year 1973 witnessed a chemical vapor deposition process which heated chemical oxygen to create an ultra-transparent glass which one can mass produce into a low loss optical fiber. Bell Laboratories was the body that introduced this phenomenon. In 1975, the Dorset police installed the non-experimental fiber optic link with the first live telephone traffic. During the mid-1980s, Sprint came into existence – which was a 100% fiber optic network. In the year 1996, they laid the first optic fiber cable across the Pacific Ocean known as TP-5. It was made out of optical amplifiers. Fiber Optic Link Around the Globe – abbreviated as Flag was the longest single cable network and it laid the groundwork for the upcoming and advanced internet applications. Several industries including data storage, telecommunication, industrial, networking and broadcast industries make use of fiber optic patch cables to the fullest. We hope you enjoyed reading about the history and evolution of the most significant type of cables. Watch out this space for more! Source: https://bit.ly/2RiJTg3
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Whether you are shopping for electronics online or offline, you must have observed that every now and then, there is an announcement for a new connector. Today, we will talk about DisplayPort Cord, also known as the digital display interface. Well-known giants like Dell, HP and Apple have recommended and made the most out of this standard.
People who make use of DisplayPort Cables use it for running their audio/video devices. These cables support the HD video resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600 with 10-bit color and surround sound audio. A lot of professionals from PC industry make use of DisplayPort technology as it can establish connection between both external and internal displays easily. Not just that, it also provides slim and cheap displays. Through this blog, we will try to understand the importance of these cables and how they help. Offering Versatility One of the best features of a superior quality displayport cable is that it can directly drive display panels. It replaces LVDS (low voltage differential signaling), internal and board to display links in CE and PC devices. This eliminates the need of VGA silicon and DVI controller. As a result, manufacturers can save on costs. The laptops that use internal DisplayPort wiring would not need cabling in the display area and computer’s body. This is because there is enough space between them. Their performance will also enhance as DisplayPort provides a directional channel with ability to perform additional functions such as notebook backlighting control. Works In Place Of DVI DisplayPort can replace DVI on monitors and computers. Now, let’s get into its anatomy and the features. And know what makes it different from its predecessors. DisplayPort cables has a USB size form factor and a self-latching mechanism. Also, the cable is slimmer as compared to SVGA and DVI cables. Now, let’s talk about what users want. It is the picture quality, of course! DVI has hit saturation and has the bandwidth of 1920x1200. Which means, it cannot meet the requirements of HD and cannot drive high-resolution screens. DisplayPort enables data transmission up to the rates of 8.64 Gbits. It also comes with auxiliary bidirectional data channel which can carry data for microphones, touch panels and webcams. You can easily connect a DisplayPort to DVI, VGA or HDMI by using adapters. However, you cannot convert it to analog television connections like component video, composite video and s-video. The Future Of DisplayPort According to the experts, DisplayPort has a bright future. This is because electronic designers are likely to come up with several features that they can incorporate it with. You are ought to see major changes in the bandwidth which provides with better resolution, color depth and higher refresh rates. Potential developments include support for independent video streams, stereoscopic 3D and increased auxiliary channel bandwidth. Although you might see these developments in few years, DisplayPort 1.1a does provide support for fiber optic cables. It works as an alternative to copper offering a longer reach between display and source without degrading the signals. DisplayPort Vs HDMI: Evolution, Comparison, And More… Some years ago, the invention of DisplayPort was to replace DVI. But during that time, dealing with HDMI was difficult. In the year 2006, DisplayPort’s initial specifications had come in. And during that time, HDMI could encompass HD as well as CE world of televisions. These days, HDMI and DisplayPort share several similarities including data, audio, bandwidth, video, signal capability etc. Well, you must know that DisplayPort’s purpose was to replace DVI, VGA and internal LVDS interfaces. And the purpose of HDMI was to get over the limitations of S-Video interfaces and Component. So, which one out of these two would you choose? Whether you choose DisplayPort Cables or HDMI, SF Cable is sure to serve all your video cable and adapter related requirements. Feel free to go through our collection of DisplayPort Cables and order from SF Cable at the earliest! Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/understanding-significance-displayport-cables/ Oh, how you wish this article was about Phoebe’s Smelly Cat from F.R.I.E.N.D.S! Well, I wish that too. But unfortunately, today, I’ve taken up the task of acquainting you with different categories of Ethernet cables. And I believe, you will hang in there if you need a profound understanding of different categories that you need to choose from. We often forget that cables are the most essential element of our electronically driven lives. Be it home or work, all the communication, including the one that takes place between family members is possible due to network cables. Although cables seem to be old-fashioned in our wireless world, they are pretty much present and reliable when it comes to connecting different devices. If you have worked on computers, you must have seen blue, white and other colorful cables stemming out of your PC and going towards modem. Known as Ethernet Cables, they are quite a lot in use when you want to connect LAN, modem or router to another computer. Due to different sleeve colors, it is difficult to tell CAT5E apart from CAT6, 6E and other cables. Through this article, we will take a look at the traits that make all the cables different from each other and how to identify them. But before we do that, let’s get an understanding of the Standardization of Ethernet Cables and how it happened. The Story of StandardizationIn the year 1985, as several businesses developed, the standardization of Ethernet Cables took place. And ever since the standardization took place, several variations came in the versions of it. However, the core technology of these ethernet cables remained the same. Some of the features that kept changing over the years were:
The experts differentiated the cables based on different categories and abbreviated them as CAT along with the numbers based on features. Standardization put these cables into different categories in the following order: 1. CAT3 2. CAT4 3. CAT5 4. CAT5e 5. CAT6 6. CAT6A 7. CAT7 You must have noticed that CAT1 and CAT2 are not in the list of this standards. Well, Telecommunication Industry Association decided to eliminate CAT1 and CAT2 cables as people didn’t use them for data communication. Hence, you will always find ethernet cables that start from CAT3 and go beyond. As I write this, CAT 8 cables are also in the making. So, we can say that these cables have come quite a long way. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the differences: CAT3 CablesThese cables are the trailblazer of the computer data communication cabling. People used these cables a lot during early 1990s. This cable can conduct 10Mbps of data transmission and comes with an unshielded twisted pair. When it comes to two-line telephone communications and other functions, people still use these cables. CAT4 CablesThese cables were like a short-lived affair. They became available during early and mid-1990s but witnessed a quick decline as people started embracing CAT5 Cables. Its speed was faster as compared to CAT3. Viz. 16 Mbps. However, its UTP remained the same. Several commercial buildings made use of these cables. However, as they did not last long, experts rarely list them as a part of their standards. CAT5 CablesTo date, CAT5 remains to be one of the most popular categories of Ethernet Cables. It is a UTP Cable and falls into the category of Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps). Also, CAT5 Cables brought in with them the 10/100 Mbps speed. It also provided backward compatibility. These cables lost their importance during the year 2001. CAT5E CablesE stands for enhanced version of any cable. The intent behind making CAT5E Cables was to lessen the unwanted transmission of signals and crosstalk. Apart from the reduction in EMI, CAT5 was one of the first cables that had the capability of Gigabit Ethernet (1,000 Mbps). The bandwidth went up with CAT5E cables and started supporting 100 MHz of Bandwidth. Just like CAT5, CAT5E are backward compatible. Category 6 and 6 ACAT6 remains the first one to have received the certified Gigabit Ethernet Standard. Although CAT5e has the potential to get the certificate for 250 Mhz bandwidth, CAT6 received this certificate. CAT6 cables have extra insulation/shielding and are backward compatible. The CAT6A Cable, is of course the enhanced version of it. It betters the speed by providing 10,000 Mbps data transmission speed and bandwidth up to 500 MHz This is double as compared to CAT6. Category 7And last, but not the least, CAT7 Cables. It is a fully shielded cable and can support the speed of up to 10,000 Mbps and the bandwidth of up to 600 MHz CAT7 cables are the future proof network for several commercial purposes. We hope this brings much clarity about different cables, their categories and features. The best way to identify them is to check their sleeves and you will find the stamp on them. Ensure that you buy the right one for your purpose! Source:https://www.sooperarticles.com/shopping-articles/electronics-articles/how-well-do-you-know-your-cats-demystifying-ethernet-cable-categories-1685789.html Talk about the majorly used power cord types and you are sure to hear the names IEC and NEMA power cords. As you all know, NEMA – which stands for National Electrical Manufacturing Association is the body that is responsible for publishing international standards for different equipment and their interconnections. In today’s blog, we shall talk about NEMA & IEC power cords and provide you with some tips to consider when you want to buy them online.
Power Cord And Their Types Looking at a power cord, you will see a single cable that has a pair of couplers on its ends. You can detach these ends from the device and electrical supply. Using it, you can connect a portable electronic device with the supply line. Also, it can easily pass through an extension cord or a wall socket. Now let’s discuss its anatomy in detail. A power cord has two major parts – The Cable Plug and the male connector. One can connect the AC outlet for rendering electricity. The receptacle on the other end, also known as the female connector connects to the equipment. Search the internet and you will find an array of connector and interface types. But the IEC and NEMA Power Cords we are referring to are usually available in North America. Now, let’s talk about the types. National Electrical Manufacturing Association is responsible for certifying different cord types in North America and other countries. These cords have amperages from 15 to 60 and voltages from 125 to 600. It is also possible to create customized and non-interchangeable plug types based on voltage or amperage. You will find several types of NEMA plugs available in North America; out of which NEMA 1-15-P & NEMA 5-15-P and C14 to NEMA 5-15 Power Cords are the most popular ones. NEMA Type 1 has prong or a round pin underneath the two flat prongs; whereas NEMA type 5 makes use of 3rd pin when it comes to grounding. Let us acquaint you with two different types of NEMA Power Cords NEMA 1-15-P Power Cord The manufacturers of electronic devices and small appliances make use of ungrounded NEMA 1 plugs due to the low cost of design and compact size. Also, they are upward compatible with grounded NEMA5 receptacles. NEMA 5-15-P Power Cord—Two-Pole With Ground Pin NEMA 5-15-P is a 3-prong grounded device. Its connector comes with two flat parallel blades and a round ground pin which is situated above and between them. You can plug it into a standardized 110 VAC wall outlet. The female outlet of 5-15-P is known as 5-15-R. And Now On To IEC Power Cords And Their Types IEC Power Cords, either IEC320 Power Cords or IEC 60309 are available for different purposes, temperatures and in several earthing combinations. If you want to use these connecting couplers, you would have to just change the power cord that complies with the standards. Doing so will help you ensure that it has worldwide compatibility. Take a look at different types of IEC Power Cords. IEC 60320 Power Cord IEC 60320 is an international standard embraced by several countries in the world. “320” depicts the number of specifications of the power connector. The IEC 60320 power cord types range from C1 to C24 and come with different blend voltage, temperature and current. IEC 60320 C13 Vs. C15 Power Cord IEC C15 is no different than C13 power cord but have few differences. The IEC-C15 connectors can connect to the C14 inlets. But IEC C13 connectors do not fit into the C16 inlets. IEC C15 connectors can work with high temperature devices including computer networking closets, electric kettles, server rooms as well as PoE switches that have high wattage power supply. The standard IEC C13 on the other hand can run monitors, computers, printers, amplifiers as well as fixed configuration switches. They have a rating of 15A/250V (domestic) and 10A/250V (International) with the temperature rating of 70°C. So, What Points Do I Need To Consider Before Buying IEC And NEMA Power Cords? There are several points that you need to consider before buying power cords but it is of utmost importance to select a power cord that delivers high performance, both durability and speed wise. Thereafter, you need to select the right plug for your country. For example, if you remove NEMA power cord from a cord set built from North American cables and replace it with a European plug - CEE 7/7 power cord; it will not be standardized for usage in Europe. Also, you need to check the voltage specifications as the wrong voltage might destroy your device as soon as you plug it in. We hope that the above given points prove to be of good help when you choose to buy IEC and NEMA Power Cords online. Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/guide-buying-power-cords-needs/ You use power cords for sure. But, do you know what standardizes them and what makes them useful for the purposes you want? The International Electrotechnical Commission – abbreviated as IEC is the body responsible for providing the Power Cords with the standardization based on their specifications. Let’s take IEC320 Power Cords for example. The term “IEC 320” refers to the electrical specification of that power connector. IEC rates the IEC 320 receptacles for 6 to 10A at 250 VAC.
So, most of the accessory power cords come with the plug that fits into instruments but whether or not their end will fit to the power outlet depends on the country and the device that you use. When it comes to producing power cords for international manufacturing, producing one instrument with common power receptacle along with the right power cord is more effective than producing different models. Until now, we have talked about several different types of power cords. Today, we will be talking about Type C power cords of different types and discuss their features. C13 Power CordsC13 power cords are 125-250-volt connectors. Search for these cords online and you will different lengths and ranks of them. Over the years, they have gained a lot of popularity due to their efficiency and design. You can find C13 power cords that are angled, straight and the ones that come with a lock. You need to find out which one would serve your purpose. The cords that come with a lock prevent the perils of downtime arising out of loose connections. When you go for buying these cords, you need to follow certain steps:
C5 Power CordsPeople often refer to C5 power cords as “Mickey Mouse” connector due to their shape. With a C5 power cord, it is possible to access exchanged mode power supplies. You can utilize them for different kinds of portable workstations. C19 Power CablesC19 power cords are a high-temperature variation of C19/C20. You will often find C19 power cords on datacenter rack force dispersion units and enterprise class servers. People also use these cables as a part of Cisco MDS9700 arrangement rack-mounted SAN switches. No matter which of the above-mentioned power cords you decide to buy, you will find them in both; non-detachable and detachable structures. So, depending on the utility and the type of device, but a power cord that provides safety and efficient working. Source: https://sfcable.kinja.com/significant-insights-on-power-cords-and-plugs-that-you-1829410200 If you have experienced the loss of internet connectivity and long hiatus in working environments, you must be aware of the importance of high performance data networks. The local area networks, also known as LANs, cannot work at the best of their potential without Ethernet Cables. Today, if you take a look at 10 Gigabit Ethernet, you wouldn’t be able to believe the fact that at a certain point in time used to establish connections between telephone networks.
The Evolution Of Ethernet Cables Over the years, technology has evolved a lot and there is a lot of demand for high network speed. To support these demands, engineers have developed components and cables that are able to transmit fast speeds at long distances. In the 1980’s, the introduction of CAT3 Ethernet cables took place as it could support 10BASE-T Ethernet as well as voice services. The introduction of CAT5 in mid 1990s outgrew its popularity as it could support the network speed of up to 100Mbps. Thereafter, came CAT5E as it could support Gigabit network applications. It also introduced stringent crosstalk specifications and enabled high data transfer to work more effectively. For the past decade, CAT6 cables have become imperative for installations of Gigabit network application. They deem perfect for installations in new buildings and support the bandwidth of up to 250 MHz. CAT6A, in which A stands for Augmented; supports the bandwidth of up to 500 MHz and data rate of 10G up to 100 meters. Universities, data centers and hospitals of today make use of CAT6A extensively. So, What Is The Difference Between CAT5E, CAT6 And CAT6A Cables? The cabling infrastructure of CAT6 Cables is far more superior as compared to the infrastructure of CAT5E. During the initial days of advent of CAT6, it was 50% more expensive than CAT5E. Considering its price, several refrained from installing it. After few years, its costs reduced drastically and now it has become the latest and the most acceptable standard for new cabling installations. European countries make use CAT7A cables a lot. Whereas they are always the first choice for installations in the USA. The development of CAT8 cables is on for supporting 40 Gb speeds and utility at data centers. Introduction To CAT-6A Cables CAT6A cables can support the data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps at a maximum bandwidth of 500MHz. If you look at its anatomy, you will observe that it has tighter twists and comes with additional insulation that lessens the crosstalk. Also, these cables are backward compatible with CAT-6 as well as CAT-5e. If you are looking for a cost-effective solution for a future cabling system, CAT6 Cables are a perfect choice. Class EA networks make use of CAT-6A components as defined in ISO/IEC 11801 and TIA/EIA 568. Some Drawbacks… The size and the weight of CAT6A cable was its biggest drawback during the initial days in 2008. Thereafter, its size slimmed down and reduced by 20%. If you make use of cables that are bigger in size, they would need more space and would ask for large cable trays and conduits for fitting them. Termination becomes difficult when it comes to CAT6A. However, there are a few outlets and modular jacks which you can terminate in a matter of 2 minutes. They ask for lesser cost and time for installation. The Gleam Of Hope… Despite of the above drawbacks, CAT6A goes on to become the right choice as it future proofs the network. So, if you want a greater lifetime for your cabling system, you must choose to install these cables. Shielded Or Unshielded: Which One To Go For? You can also identify Shielded and unshielded cables as F/UTP (shielded) and U/UTP (unshielded) cable. CAT-6A U/UTP depicts that the cable has four unshielded twisted pairs and comes without an outer shielding. And CAT-6A F/UTP depicts that the cable has a shield and consists of 4 unshielded twisted pairs and an outer foil shield. One of the latest additions to the CAT-6A shielded cable range is a U/FTP cable. This cable configuration has all four pairs individually shielded, rather than an outer foil shield. The overall test results and performance of this cable has been quite impressive. If you want to know more about CAT6A cables and are looking for different configurations of it, SF Cable is the right place to be. Just place your order online and we will deliver them to your doorstep in no time! All of our cables come with a lifetime warranty and are ROHS compliant. Make sure you buy from the best online vendors of cables and accessories in the USA! Source: https://www.sfcable.com/blog/numerous-advantages-cat6a-cables-network/ |
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