Author Topic: RCA cable question  (Read 1762 times)

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Offline StuartambientTopic starter

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RCA cable question
« on: February 21, 2017, 01:25:59 pm »
I must be poor in the use of search engines because I could not find an answer, as simple as it sounds on this question.

I'm splicing two rca cables together.  Both have 2 wires inside the insulation, with 1 wire in another insulation.  One is obviously a signal wire and one is a ground but are they always the same? In other words is the one in the insulation always the same.  One cable here has a white insulation and the other one I'm splicing it to is a black insulated wire.  If I spliced the wrong ones together I'm not sure if I'd get anything.  This is for a video signal and right now while the image is coming through it's distorted and wavy so maybe I'm not splicing right.
 

Offline MrBungle

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2017, 01:51:28 pm »
Yep, should always be the same.
Can't you just use the continuity tester on your multimeter to check?
 
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Offline StuartambientTopic starter

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2017, 02:16:45 pm »
Yep, should always be the same.
Can't you just use the continuity tester on your multimeter to check?

I'm not sure about continuity meaning anything in this case.  Basically I have a 2.5 TRS (or TTRS) plus which has both a red and yellow rca at the other end.  I had cut off the yellow and now I've spliced on back another one.  I cut off the original right at the plug so not using the original.  There is a signal coming through but it's not right, wavy and distorted so I thought maybe I have the wires spliced incorrectly. I'll be able to do more debugging later today.  It might be my monitor or the cable. 
 

Offline Ian.M

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2017, 02:25:22 pm »
Be suspicious of Phono (RCA) cables with black inner 'insulation'  Its often a conductive plastic layer over the real insulation, and is intended to provide improved screening (in conjunction with an outer braid) and attenuate HF interference.   Phono cables with a conductive plastic layer typically are for audio use only and severely attenuate and distort video signals.
 

Offline Armadillo

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2017, 02:28:14 pm »
recommended video;


 
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Offline MrBungle

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2017, 03:23:44 pm »
I'm not sure about continuity meaning anything in this case.  Basically I have a 2.5 TRS (or TTRS) ...
Continuity will help determining if you have a swap, if it's TRS, then the 'S' should be connected to the RCA rings, if it's a TRRS then it will be the second ring from the tip. Any other way and you have a cross/swap (or it's a mongrel cable)
 
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Offline grifftech

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2017, 04:05:43 pm »
buy a longer cable
 
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Offline StuartambientTopic starter

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Re: RCA cable question
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2017, 06:43:10 pm »
Anyway, I had a chance to test the spliced cable on a better monitor and video signal is great so the splice was correct.  Now I just need a better monitor.
 


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