Unless you are using smoke signals, the most basic and vital foundation to effective communication systems is power and cabling. Problems with them such as insufficient circuit capacity, ground loops, and intermittent dropouts can be especially worrisome to trace down and fix. Advance preparation and appropriate equipment selection can prevent a world of trouble. Power and getting it to its destination are mission critical. The cables and power devices surveyed here show how far AV hardware manufacturers have come in answering that call.
Featuring a web-based user interface, the AtlasIED AP-S15IP power conditioner and PDU has eight outputs, and it can display voltage, current, temperature and humidity. The rear panel outputs can be scheduled to sequence ON/OFF individually or in groups on a 24-hour, 7-day schedule. Alarms can be configured to alert operators over the network or on fault contacts. Units connected to the network are automatically detected and identified. A temperature/humidity probe can be placed in the rack where desired. Fault logs can also be shown on the UI.
Fiber is fragile compared to coax and power cabling but the Belden OptiTuff Mini Fiber Cable features all-dielectric armor in the form of ruggedized thermoplastic material to protect the light pathway inside. The key is that the crush resistance is combined with easier handling. This combination of strength and flexibility exceeds what is available in most metal armored cables. It is promoted as being 90% lighter than metal armored cable with a 70% smaller outside diameter. USB is everywhere and reliable cabling for it is in high demand. The vast array of USB devices requires an equally wide assortment and availability of connector format combinations.
The Black Box USBC2TYPEB-1M is a 3.2ft. line with a USB 3.1 connector at one end and a USB 2.0 Type-B Male at the other end. This is especially useful for connecting older USB2.0 printers to more late model computers. The USBC2TYPEB-2M is the 6.5ft. version with the same connector combination. This cable can handle a charging current of 500mA.
Constructed for more than just doing its job once installed, the C2G Bulk Category Cable is made to survive the wear and tear of installation. Its inner spool design eases pulling and helps avoid tangling. Cable can be matched to the job through a range of available technologies, jacket ratings, and colors. Among these is shielded F/UTP (Foiled Unshielded Twisted Pair) that includes an integrated metal foil screen with a crosstalk/EMI reducing drain wire. The new slim packaging reduces cardboard waste and saves cable storage space.
The Cleerline SSF Drop Cable is designed with a 4.8mm jacket to provide very high strength to suit a wide range of applications. Each line is terminated with premium Senko SC APC connectors and handling is facilitated through its Soft Peel 250µm acrylate coating. The very high bend tolerance and aramid water-blocking yarns allow this cable to work for indoor and outdoor installations, including riser spaces and duct placements.
Among the company’s variety of Media Presentation Wall Plates, the Crestron MPWP152 allows HDMI connections to pass through partitions, presenting a Type A HDMI connector on the user side and a female HDMI connection on the back side. The device works with HD and UHD video signals with resolutions up to 4K60 4:2:0 and 4K30 4:4:4. The single-gang unit with its gold-plated connector helps prevent corrosion and intermittent contacts with HDMI’s many pins. To match room décor, it is available in white, black, or almond.
A very handy power component housed in a half rack-space metal chassis is the DVIGear DVI-7520-PDU. Eliminating the need for Y-cables and plug-in wall warts, this power distribution unit outputs +12 VDC power on eight outputs, each of which is rated for 24W. An MTBF of over 220,000 hours demonstrates reliability and there is an overall power reserve of 200 watts. AC power input accepts AC line voltages auto-ranging from 88 to 264 VAC and AC line frequencies from 47 to 63 Hz. Each Phoenix connector output is protected from overload, over-voltage, and overly high temperature.
Power cabling is most vulnerable at the user connector end where it gets the most wear and tear so the FSR FL-600P floor boxes are made of sturdy metal with bottom punch-outs included. Designed for installation in carpet, tile, or wood covered floors over poured concrete applications, the boxes have a hinged flip-back cable exit door that provides access to connectors and stored cabling. Internal brackets can be arranged to provide options for both high and low voltage standard gang openings. Several box depths are available.
The Furman AC-215A compact power conditioner has two AC outlets protected by Linear Filter Technology (LiFT) and Extreme Voltage Shutdown (EVS) technology to protect any connected equipment. Transient voltages are safely absorbed, clamped, and dissipated with Furman SMP surge suppression. Furman SMP clamps at 188V AC peak, 133V AC RMS. The compact metal housing includes front panel LEDs to indicate power quality and operational status. The unit is 10A rated with a front mounted circuit breaker and large rocker style power switch.
Made for extending USB 3.0/3.1 Gen1 and previous version USB signals for very long distances at data rates of up to 5Gbps, the Hall Technologies CUSB3V1-AP* is the company’s USB 3.0 Javelin Active Optical Plenum Cable with Regulated Power. Components at the receiving end can count on precise regulated 5V output power at up to 900mA. A light-weight hybrid of fiber and copper, the cable has a flexible bend radius of 0.3in. and the small cable ends significantly aid installation. These cables are available in lengths ranging from 49 to 328ft.
Juggling power bugs and batteries isn’t necessary with the Hosa Technology ACD-477 Universal Power Adapter and its auto-detection of AC input from 100 to 240V. A surface switch configures it for DC output of 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, or 12V and there are six interchangeable output connectors to assure compatibility with many DC powered products. The adapter also provides a green LED to indicate proper operation and shortcircuit protection (SCP). For easier storage and damage prevention there is a folding AC input connect
For a rack-mounted design with high-power distribution capacity there is the Juice Goose JG11-20. Providing eleven AC receptacles rated at 15A each, the whole unit is rated at 20A. The rear panel has nine outputs that are switched in addition to one unswitched. The front has a single unswitched AC connection. Placement is made easier by the 15ft. power cable and a fast-acting metal oxide varistor (MOV) clamps voltage between the power cable and each neutral. The level of AC line interference transmitted between these is also reduced by a capacitor.
The Kramer C−HM/HM/PRO premium high-speed HDMI cable is equipped with triple-shield bonded pairs and K-Lock connectors for assured transmission quality. These lines can handle video up to 4K@60Hz (4:4:4) at data rates as high as 18Gbps and the cables are terminated with 24K gold-plated, corrosion-resistant connectors. Plenum certified as far as 15ft. and equipped with a triple overall shield against EMI/RFI interference, they are available in 3, 6, 10, 15, 25, 35, 50 and 65ft. lengths. Audio formats supported include Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS–HD Master Audio, DVD Audio, and SA-CD.
One rack-mount PDU with output connectors spaced to allow wall wart DC power units to connect on the rear panel is the Lowell Manufacturing ACSPR-2009. The status of its TCR triple clamping redundant protection is monitored and indicated on front panel LEDs. The large, illuminated rocker switch beside them controls five rear outlets while the front and three of the rear outlets are unswitched. This product comes with a 9ft. attached cord terminated with a NEMA 5-20P connector.
Lending some very handy flexibility to powering shows on the road, the new LynTec Dual Output DMX Relay has a 20A input that can pass through to a single output or be used to split the load between both of its outputs. This tough little unit can be mounted in a variety of places including road cases and trusses. When it senses a DMX signal it turns on automatically, but the onboard RDM functionality can be manually used with DMX addressing to control each output separately. Each unit is CE certified.
Globally extending power control is a special feature of the Middle Atlantic NEXSYS Online UPS Series with RackLink. This puts power control at the user’s fingertips on the device in their hands. Device-level control is directly provided through the RackLink Cloud customizable dashboard interface. Among the features is zero transfer LynTec Dual Output DMX Relay Lowell Manufacturing ACSPR-2009 time and the powerful capability of individual outlet and outlet bank control. The 3000VA models also include an additional NEMA L5-30R outlet that is always on. Customized settings and notifications are done through NEXSYS Power Management Software.
One of the most rugged, road tested, and reliable connections for vital, live show power, the Neutrik PowerCON XX Series twist-lock connectors gets and keeps electric power going to all of its intended destinations. The chassis connectors meet requirements of the IEC 60320-1 and the UL 60320-1 with breaking capacity (CBC). They carry three contacts for line, neutral and premating safety ground. Cable input connectors also bear the familiar blue label while output lines are grey to avoid intermating.
The rapid proliferation of DC-powered devices and systems, particularly in home automation, has demanded new and sophisticated DC power distribution and control. The Nice DC12-IP is designed to not only organize and protect DC-running AV devices but to allow power control for them from anywhere. AC filters smooth out the input power and protect against surges and other voltage fluctuations. These are indicated on the front panel of this rack unit and are sent via IP to remote operators via the Blue Bolt app.
One of the more innovative approaches to clean signal transportation is active optical cable and the Opticis USC-CC32 USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 Type C active optical cable takes USB at 10Gbps as far as 50ft. It does this while delivering 100W power at 33ft. or 60W at 50ft. for powering and charging devices at the far end. Equipped with USB Type C male-to-male connectors, the active cable is compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 standards and supports DisplayPort Alt mode 4K@60Hz on two DisplayPort lanes.
The Pro Co RMST-PCONAB-4AC 4-output AC drop box allows power to get into all the places needed in heavy road use. The unit is fitted with a PowerCon inlet and is available with a PowerCon outlet for thru box wiring in single-circuit chains of AC distribution. The extruded aluminum chassis can absorb all the banging around expected in road shows. Each box provides two 20A duplex Edison receptacles and has a 15A total current rating.
When the power suddenly stops coming, the Snap One WB-OVRC-OLUPS-1000-1 WattBox Double Conversion UPS seamlessly takes over because its inverter is already supplying the connected equipment load. This 2RU rack device features advanced system monitoring and configuration with the user able to daisy-chain up to five extended battery packs. The WattBox user interface allows operators to monitor battery health and charge percentage along with backup run time, and there are options for custom loadshedding to extend power to the most critical loads. Battery health notification alerts facilitate proactive battery replacement.
One ongoing source of unnecessary wear and tear on expensive amp/speaker systems is loud pops caused by turning on the amp first and then the gear at the inputs. To make sure things are powered up in the right order there are power sequencers such as the SurgeX SEQ. This model has 14 rear panel outlets in 4 groups and an additional 2 that are always on. The front features a large LCD screen used to display system status. There is also a 12VDC output to control other equipment. Units can be daisy-chained and there is a wide range of other sequencing functions along with remote control of this device.
For DC power distribution, the Thinklogical PDU-12 offers twelve 5V 4A DC outputs and redundant AC/DC load sharing power supplies. Each of the twelve DC outputs has a locking power output connector. There are twin system status and fan indicators on the front panel along with two AC/DC status LEDs on the back. The two redundant, hot-swappable AC/DC power supplies are capable of load sharing and each can handle 100- 240VAC at a frequency of 50-60Hz. The back of the unit also has a phoenix connector for a dry contact alarm connection.
The Tripp Lite PDUMH30AT Automatic Transfer Switch PDU delivers 24A single phase power with separate primary and secondary inputs. This 2RU component provides redundant power through two banks of 5-15/20R outlets and a single L5-30R outlet. There is fast 1-5 millisecond switching between primary and secondary inputs. A front panel display shows output amps in four segments, kW power consumption, and input voltage. Also on the front panel, LEDs confirm power availability on both input lines. Each output bank has its own breaker.
Knowing exactly what is happening within the power is essential and the Whirlwind PLPM1RJ power meter tells the whole story while monitoring voltage, current, and frequency on 3-phase Y power with three 120V AC legs or single-phase AC with two 120V legs. Line-toneutral and line-to-line voltages as well as line current values are measured and shown along with neutral-to-ground voltage and line frequency. All this can also be monitored remotely through any Ethernet LAN, internet, and on the phone app.
Ready to carry next-gen 4K and 5K HDR content, the Wyrestorm HAOC active optical cables use an uncompressed 4-core transmission system with each core rated at 6Gbps. They’re designed to support HDR signals as they evolve to 4K/60 4:4:4 10-bit video, plus metadata. Kevlarstrengthened lines have a detachable Type-A head on the RX end.
