Passed with flying colours: Draka video cable in test run at EMG Germany

Video cable in everyday use test: EMG Germany GmbH, a TV service company for studio, outside and post-production based in Hürth near Cologne, Germany, put the Draka 75 Ohm HDTV coaxial cable 0.8L/3.7Dz through its paces under real working conditions. The performance measurements focused on interference-free 3G transmissions and length tests in connection with various cables, such as power lines. In the end, the specialist for video productions was completely satisfied. In the future, he will rely on the high-performance Draka copper cable for studio operations and for smaller outdoor transmissions.

With the Draka 0.8L/3.7Dz, the Multimedia Solutions (MMS) BU of the Prysmian Group supplies a versatile and highly flexible video cable for analogue and digital signals. The Draka coaxial cables are ideally suited for indoor and outdoor use. EMG Germany, a leading global provider of transmission technologies and media solutions for live broadcasting of sports, entertainment and events, has used and observed the Draka 0.8L/3.7Dz coaxial cables in practical applications in common working environments. The focus was specifically on 3G transmissions (video signal HD-SDI 1080/ 50p according to SMPTE 292M) to experience the cable's performance in this important area of use.

Test under normal working conditions
As test environments, EMG Germany used TV studios with an area of up to 1,600 m2 as well as various outdoor productions. Since the cables were not used in an insulated environment but under real conditions, the technicians had to make do with a wide range of temperatures. The range was from heat in non-air-conditioned environments to a cool ten degrees in air-conditioned studios. The level of cable installation also varied: from good to poor, it was all there. EMG Germany crimped the cables regularly and used gold 3G-compatible connectors as couplings.

With a transmission path of up to 70 metres, the experts from EMG Germany could not observe any anomalies or faults such as spikes or glitches, short-term faulty signals. What is noticeable in everyday use, however, is that the input and output modules of the respective devices to be connected still differ greatly. Even within one brand or manufacturer, the performance of the modules varies. While the transmission of one monitor with a cabling length of 70 metres works smoothly, other monitors already show picture disturbances such as black stripes at 30 metres transmission distance. However, the error is not necessarily due to the cable used; rather, the technicians must check all components, modules or couplings used.

Optimistic outlook
EMG Germany looks back on their test phase with satisfaction. "For studio operations and outside broadcasts, we will continue to work with copper cables, using the Draka 0.8L/3.7Dz coaxial cable," says Norbert Zoppelt, Production Engineer at EMG Germany. "Only for spatially large events and further distances of 60 to 100 metres, such as the Rugby Final Stade de France Paris 2021, for example, fibre optic broadcast cables are the better choice."