HRT - FAQ

1. What is the maximum distance a VGA signal can be transmitted over traditional coaxial VGA cable?

4. Is the supplied power supply grounded?

5. Do I have to use shielded UTP (Cat5/5e/6) cable?

QUESTION 1 : What is the maximum distance a VGA signal can be transmitted over traditional coaxial VGA cable?

When transmitting a VGA signal over longer cable runs the resolution of the signal and the content you are looking at are the 2 determining factors of how long the cable run can be. As the resolution increases, the distance will decline. If you are looking at very fine print text you will also need to run shorter distances. If you are looking at larger icons/buttons/widgets etc... bigger items, then you can run longer cable lengths. Here are some general rules of thumb:
   Resolution 800 X 600: 100 Feet maximum
   Resolution 1024 X 768: 75 Feet maximum
   Resolution 1280 X 1024: 50 Feet maximum
       For fine print text, subtract 25 feet from the above distances.

QUESTION 2 : Can I use Cat 6 or Cat 5e cable?

We recommend using Cat-5 cable due to less difference in the twisting of the pairs of wire in the cable. This difference in the twisted pairs will cause bleeding, in other words, skew in the video on longer runs. For runs over 150' we recommend using zero skew cable, which can be purchased through HRT. You may also purchase the SKU-RGB skew corrector from HRT which will optimize your video display and eliminate skew in the video.

QUESTION 3 : Can I use my own DC power source?

Please contact the factory to work with your power source needs. (800) 959-6439 M-F 8 AM - 5 PM PST

QUESTION 4 : Is the supplied power supply grounded?

Yes. All the units come with a universal, center positive, grounded power supply.

QUESTION 5 : Do I have to use shielded UTP (Cat5/5e/6) cable?

No. With the filtering and method of transmission used only rarely will shielded CAT-X cable be needed. Most common interference is completely filtered out and only the most pervasive interference can cause trouble. However, it is always best to avoid running the CAT-X signal adjacent to any other cable for long distances. If you choose to use shielded CAT-X cable the Mini-Cat® product will automatically ground the shield at both ends.

QUESTION 6 : Does the Mini-Cat® require power?

Yes. The Mini-Cat® is shipped with one power supply which can be plugged in at either the sender or receiver end, whichever is most convenient. In cases where the cable run is extremely long it may be helpful to buy separately another power supply so you can power the Mini-Cat® from both ends.