Max length for 8 pin analogue cables

[14maxwjo]

I have two original zero 88 alpha packs which don’t have DMX on them so I was wondering what is the longest you can make a analogue cable without the voltage drop affecting it to much

[Brian]

The input resistance of an Alphapack is around 100k. So assuming you want to keep the volts drop to less than 1% you can get away with a cable resistance of up to 1k. Which would be several tens of km.

[timsabre]

The input resistance of an Alphapack is around 100k. So assuming you want to keep the volts drop to less than 1% you can get away with a cable resistance of up to 1k. Which would be several tens of km.

 

Noise pickup / channel crosstalk becomes a problem long before volt drop is a problem. I used to have a 100m multicore reel which worked ok.

[Andrew C]

Noise pickup / channel crosstalk becomes a problem long before volt drop is a problem. I used to have a 100m multicore reel which worked ok.

On a 0-10VDC analogue control system?

[14maxwjo]

Yeah it’s a 0-10v system

[timsabre]

Noise pickup / channel crosstalk becomes a problem long before volt drop is a problem. I used to have a 100m multicore reel which worked ok.

On a 0-10VDC analogue control system?

 

Yep, had the then-standard 37 pin (?) socapex on each end. It was that really stiff braid screened cable. Sometimes the pins got bent in the soca plug and you would get a phantom channel where moving an adjacent fader made that channel flash and then go off. But mostly it worked fine.

 

[Jon Wiles]

I have two original zero 88 alpha packs which don't have DMX on them so I was wondering what is the longest you can make a analogue cable without the voltage drop affecting it to much

 

 

Graemeftv has DMX converters for these alphapacks.. we 'won' a free one from him, and it works treat.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Jon Wiles

[IRW]

37 pin (?)

 

That they were. I had to solder one once...before I was 'good' at soldering! :s

 

As a side note, did anyone else ever used to find that the insulation on individual analogue cable cores used to melt back further when you so much as looked at it with the soldering iron in your hand?!

[alistermorton]

Bizarrely, meltback can be caused by using an iron that is too small and/or not hot enough.

[14maxwjo]

I have two original zero 88 alpha packs which don't have DMX on them so I was wondering what is the longest you can make a analogue cable without the voltage drop affecting it to much

 

 

Graemeftv has DMX converters for these alphapacks.. we 'won' a free one from him, and it works treat.

 

Do you have the link for these

[IRW]

Bizarrely, meltback can be caused by using an iron that is too small and/or not hot enough.

 

Aha! Given I was probably using a cheap maplins jobbie at the time when I would have been soldering analogue cables, that could explain it!

[Junior8]

I don't think you'd be able to see the stage before it became a problem. I regularly ran over 30m/40m back in the day with no worries.

[david.elsbury]

I have two original zero 88 alpha packs which don't have DMX on them so I was wondering what is the longest you can make a analogue cable without the voltage drop affecting it to much

 

 

Graemeftv has DMX converters for these alphapacks.. we 'won' a free one from him, and it works treat.

 

Do you have the link for these

I’m quite sure he’ll be along soon [or 3 weeks time] to spam... I mean, advertise, in this thread

Otherwise if you’re in a hurry you could google Ultra Light and Sound.

[sunray]

Bizarrely, meltback can be caused by using an iron that is too small and/or not hot enough.

Totally correct, it took me a long time to realise it though.

 

 

I made 2 cables a very long time ago, I'd like to say pre 1990 with 100 m of 25w 7/0.2mm cable and 4off 6 pin din plugs at each end. I didn't know what it was for when I made them but they came back occasionaly to have new plugs fitted.

[Barreller]

I have two original zero 88 alpha packs which don't have DMX on them so I was wondering what is the longest you can make a analogue cable without the voltage drop affecting it to much

 

 

Graemeftv has DMX converters for these alphapacks.. we 'won' a free one from him, and it works treat.

 

Do you have the link for these

https://ultralightsound.co.uk