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Author Topic: Cable type for sound equipment interconnections. Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-11-2013 07:06 PM                     What type of cable should be used for the various 25 pin interconnecting cables between Dolby DA-20 and DMA8 plus and DTS 6D units? looks like I'm going to have to make my own cables.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-12-2013 12:21 AM                       I tend to use flat ribbon cables for short distances like 12 to 18 inches and have not had a problem. You can buy them pre made or by a roll of flat ribbon and the IDC connectors, male or female. You can use a small vise to clamp the connector over the the ribbon to make good connections. Waiting for Steve Guttag to object..  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-12-2013 04:25 AM                     The diagrams seem to show ribbons for sense/control and some sort of round cables for audio, but it's not clear exactly what it is.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 09-12-2013 06:46 AM                        I don't recall the factory cables being shielded, just a multicore, not paired. Seems to work OK at the level and impedance used. Louis  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-12-2013 08:05 AM                        I have been using Gepco GA61806GFC and GA61808GFC snake cable to make DB25->XLR cables. This is probably overkill for connecting a DMA8 to a processor, though. For that, I have been using regular shielded DB25 computer cables, which seem to work OK for short runs, although these will not work in your case since a DA20 (with unbalanced I/O) is involved. The hardest thing for me to find was DB25 hoods that would accept large-diameter cable. I ended using Amphenol L717DB25P and L77DB25S connectors and 17E-1657-25 hoods. Digi-Key sells these (expensively). It is sort of amazing to think that a DB25->XLR breakout cable will cost about $50+ in parts alone. Are there better or cheaper options? Probably. No doubt Steve will chime in with the definitive answer. As a side note: do _not_ buy pre-made DB25 to XLR audio cables. They will have the "Tascam pinout" which is, of course, different from the Dolby version that you actually want.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-12-2013 09:39 AM                     No XLRs involved in this Scott. The CP-65 is already connected to the DMA8 plus; I want to add a DA-20 and DTS 6D.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-13-2013 07:26 AM                     I assume that any old pair of wires will do for the Dolby motor start relays. What about the DTS timecode readers; are they fussy about what type of cable they are one? I would guess not.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 09-13-2013 08:27 AM                     You can use computer D25 cables for automation, etc., no need to make your own there. And yes, Ribbon is okay for short distances. I have seen DB25 serial/parallel cables being used for short distances for audio as well, but to me that is just too cheap. Also you never know wether these cables are fully wired 1:1 when you buy or recycle them. For audio, you can buy professional multicore cable by the metre. These are usually twisted pair, so you can also make your own balanced DB25 cables for the more recent Dolby gear with balanced connections. Typical types are 4*2 or 8*2. Thickness just suites typical DB25 connector shells. http://www.thomann.de/de/the_sssnake_mp08s.htm http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-8-Channel-DB25-DSUB-SNAKE-w-MOGAMI-2932-NEUTRIK-GOLD-XLR-Female-5/121175289156 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/888619-REG/Mogami_w2932_00_b_W2932_8_Channel_Multicore_Microphone.html - Carsten  |  IP: Logged

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