Is this a chinese copy or original?

[SanTai]

I found this: http://www.srexact.com/style/frame/...tomer_id=240&name_id=1991&rid=26248&id=140275

Chinese manufacturer of cables and connectors. The product is a cable connector that is both ethercon and rj45 compatible. Is this a copy or true original? I like the idea and if it good and works well I could think of quite a lot of applications where it would be a very good solution.

 

[MikeJ]

Looks nifty. I don't think Neutrik even makes a ethercon that has a removable shell like that. So while it is probably not a "copy" it may be an "original" but it is still Chinese.
I would worry about loosing the outer shell on those, unless it has some kind of tether.

Look into the ProShell. http://www.stagespot.com/proshell-rj45-cat5-ethernet-cable-connector-protector.html
They go right on duracat terminated with a regular RJ45 connector.

If everything you have is ethercon, than stick with it, but if much of your gear goes into run of the mill patch panels and switches, the proshell is a much better option, though it might be worth trying some of the connectors you liked to is you have mostly ethercon, with the occasional non-ethercon jack.

Also the caps of the proshell are really expensive, and generally not necessary.

 

[porkchop]

The problem is that to assemble an EtherCON you have to break off the locking tab on the RJ45 connector inside. The tab isn't specifically mentioned in either the assembly instructions or the video. The pictures seem to show an intact locking tab during the crimping process but then it looks like it either magically goes away or is captured in a non-working state by the connector body. Because of this I would expect these connectors to not lock properly when used as RJ45's

If you find yourself using mixed RJ45 and EtherCON a lot, and the lack of interchangeability is actually a problem for you, it might be worth the money to buy one and try it out.