DMX Cables?

musictom

Member
Hi all,
Please pardon the noob question. :)
We're just now getting into some intelligents (well, a couple of Elation LED 60 strips to be exact), and need to run some DMX. I've read that I shouldn't use mic cables (of which I have hundreds upon hundreds of feet available!)
Do you guys make your own cables? Do you have a favorite source? What should I pay for say, 100' of DMX?
Thanks so much!!
Tom
 
To be perfectly honest, I almost always just use high-grade XLR (mic cable) for my dmx fixtures. Its a whole lot easier if its 3 pin, which your units are, but I do deal with converting 5 pin to 3 pin. I've also heard people say not to use XLR, but I have never had any problems with it. I buy high-grade cable and have had no problems with data transmission or the like. Plus, its cheaper that way.
 
While it has been said that you could run DMX down a barbed wire fence, it is not advisable. DMX cable is a data grade cable, where audio cable is not. If you get full 5 conductor DMX it will be more expensive than 3 conductor. I try to build my own cables as it is cheaper. Last time I bought DMX it was $0.44 per foot (plus connectors). You may be able to do better, but that was the best price I found at the time, from here. There are also a bunch of belden cables that are suitable for DMX. Here is a PDF from Belden explaining their cables that meet the DMX standard.

Also, you should build yourself a couple terminators.
 
The practice is frowned upon in the industry, but also done very often. Though it doesn't specifically address using mic cables for DMX, much valuable information about DMX can be found at Doug Fleenor's site, in the "Dr. DMX papers" section.
 
Yeah, I guess I should preface (though after the fact) my statement about XLR with this. I prefer to use industry standard DMX when possible. However, I work in educational theatre with a very tight budget. The venue I work in has a ton of high-grade XLR, so for budgetary issues it makes more sense to use XLR. I was stating that is was possible and that I had not had any problems with data loss. I'm sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
 
I sure appreciate the quick responses!!!

So I guess in a pinch, I can go to my audio cables, but I'll try and have my tech put some 3 pin DMX cables together.

Now, I just gotta figure out how to label them so they don't go in the audio cable bin!!! :)

Thanks again,

Tom
 
Ummm.. covered in a lot of other threads, but basically, the cable is also a different impedance. (110 - 120 ohm.) Although you can run simple systems with mic cable and probably not have a problem, it is best to use DMX, especially if you plan on expanding. Whatever you do, don't mix cable types as the different impedance of the cable types may cause standing wave problems. (read as things may not work correctly at the darndest times!)
 
Use a band of electrical or spike tape on the connector. Or, plug the cable into itself, tape over the connection with masking tape, and spray paint the strain reliefs a dark color. It does show up on black connectors, this is how all of our cable types are denoted.
 
Unfortunately, our audio cables have both black and silver connectors!
Good thought, however.
Use Neutrik XX Series connectors and colored boots on your DMX cables then.
http://www.neutrik.com/us/en/audio/204_42012003/XX_Series_productlist.aspx
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http://www.neutrik.com/us/en/audio/210_1970956550/XXR-__detail.aspx
proxy.php
 
A certain lighting company paints all their 5pin XLRs red, 4pin XLRs white, and 3pin XLRs blue. Then a piece of colored electrical tape under shrink-wrap to denote length. Gets confusing, "Bring me a cable with red connectors and blue tape" (15' 5pin) but it works. I wouldn't advice using their color scheme if you ever plan on renting from them, however.

If you're making cables with 3pin connectors, no reason to spend the money on two pair cable, so I'd use Belden 9841 or equivalent. It's somewhat "stiffer" than mic cable, so easy to tell apart.
 
A certain lighting company paints all their 5pin XLRs red, 4pin XLRs white, and 3pin XLRs blue. Then a piece of colored electrical tape under shrink-wrap to denote length. Gets confusing, "Bring me a cable with red connectors and blue tape" (15' 5pin) but it works. I wouldn't advice using their color scheme if you ever plan on renting from them, however.
If you're making cables with 3pin connectors, no reason to spend the money on two pair cable, so I'd use Belden 9841 or equivalent. It's somewhat "stiffer" than mic cable, so easy to tell apart.

Two pair is for 5pin data cable?! Finally someone tells me!

I have a significant length, in spool format in the electrics storage area. But the jacket seems terrible, I can't imagine it would last long. I guess it is meant for in conduit use. Is it worth doing anything with?
 
Just out of curiosity, anyone know what the standard resistance for mic cable is? I'm just wondering what the resistance difference is between the two cables -- want to do some math based on it.
 
Unfortunately, our audio cables have both black
Tom
Well then buy a can of pink spray paint and make the connectors pink, then you'll know in an instant that it's your cable....
Yah in reality often when you buy DMX (especially the good stuff) it has a shinier black jacket and doesn't really feel like mic cable when you coil it cause of the stiffness. So all you have to do is pay attention and it's usually easy to spot your cable.
As far as audio cables go, I used audio cable adapted to both 4 and 5 pin mixed with good DMX cable in high school and it worked.......alright. We used some scrollers, two moving head units, and two moving mirror units. This is where I learned the importance of terminators. There cheap and well save your butt when you really need it. (techno beams had a tendency to twitch REALLY bad with out them)
 
Well then buy a can of pink spray paint and make the connectors pink, then you'll know in an instant that it's your cable....
Yah in reality often when you buy DMX (especially the good stuff) it has a shinier black jacket and doesn't really feel like mic cable when you coil it cause of the stiffness. So all you have to do is pay attention and it's usually easy to spot your cable.
As far as audio cables go, I used audio cable adapted to both 4 and 5 pin mixed with good DMX cable in high school and it worked.......alright. We used some scrollers, two moving head units, and two moving mirror units. This is where I learned the importance of terminators. There cheap and well save your butt when you really need it. (techno beams had a tendency to twitch REALLY bad with out them)

Football and theatre?
 

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