This is exactly wrong, Cat 5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A are all classes of specification for the wire. To meet a rated as a CatX cable it must meet or exceed standard for things like loss up to a specified frequency, return loss, impedance and many more. Many people associate Cat5 with 100MB/s networking as that's the fastest ethernet speed for which Cat5 meets' the standard, Cat 5e and 6 both will run Gigabit (1000MB/s), Cat6a or Cat7 is required to meet the specification for 10GB/s ethernet.
Please be aware that "Cat 5" is a speed rating for ethernet and NOT a wire type.
Most of the above discussion seems to relate to solid core, unshielded stuff rate only for permanent installation even for ethernet. There are many cables rated for cat5 and most are also rated for RS-485 which is the basis for DMX. DMX requires shielding. Portable cables are usually stranded wire, with a tough outer jacket.
Cat 5 is the "wire" standards for speed and impedance etc. The 803.x standards are for the "wiring" as in cable, connectors, etc., just as DMX is a "wiring" standard, although wire that meets those standards we call DMX cable. Cat 5 lacks a shield, but when run through conduit works probably better than standard "DMX" cable. Outside of conduit becomes a question but we have all done it Noise rejection is the question, but I've also run ClearCom through Cat 5 and had it sound clean, so it does pretty well even in that department. Of course, DMX is an old and very slow data format, so I would suspect if a cable is good enough for 100 Mhz, it can probably handle the 250Khz DMX signal! Now, the main problem as I see it comes when using the super cheap Cat 5 that is a solid conductor. Easy to damage, easy to break. Still, for a one-shot throw away run, it has worked fine for me. There are far more durable versions of Cat 5 and Cat 6, but their price per foot is about the same as DMX, so there is no tangible advantage that comes to mind.I thought cat 5 was both a type of wire but also the wiring "standards" that go with it, which all together provide a certain capicitance and resistance range, and allow for - or assure - a certain minimum data speed. Its probably still cat 5 wire if you do a sharp right angle bend or exceed a segment length, but doesn't seem you can call it cat 5 then.
Why would you have to have a certain training and instruments to certify it as cat 5 if it was just the cable, because I could read what's printed on the jacket.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
BTW I've been told that DMX actually works better on cat 5 cable than the typical Belden called out.
I thought cat 5 was both a type of wire but also the wiring "standards" that go with it, which all together provide a certain capicitance and resistance range, and allow for - or assure - a certain minimum data speed. Its probably still cat 5 wire if you do a sharp right angle bend or exceed a segment length, but doesn't seem you can call it cat 5 then.
Why would you have to have a certain training and instruments to certify it as cat 5 if it was just the cable, because I could read what's printed on the jacket.
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