Video Baluns – What Exactly Are They?

Active Video Balun for Camera side,
Up to 6560 Ft

Video baluns are devices that are used to convert balanced lines to unbalanced lines and vice versa. Video baluns are electronic devices used in aerial and its feeder cable and other electrical circuit elements wherein one is balanced and the other is unbalanced. The difference between a balanced and unbalanced line is that balanced lines have two conductors having equal currents in opposite directions, whereas unbalanced lines only have one conductor and that the current returns via a common ground or earth path.

Video baluns come in pairs, with one converting balanced to unbalanced and vice versa, while the other converts the signal back. Video baluns function by transforming an unbalanced video signal to a balanced frequency that originates from a different cable. With video baluns, frequencies are then balanced, transmitting a stronger signal while preventing signal interference.

As mentioned, video baluns come in pairs. They also come in passive and active forms. For example, passive video baluns are available in 3- and 2-Pair Powers, both for the camera and monitor side for security cameras. These video baluns are also cost-efficient, increasing the distance of security cameras by 1000ft using a Cat5e or UTP Cable. Active video baluns are also available, requiring Cat5, Cat6, or phone cables to function. Some active video baluns can even provide signals for up to 6000ft.

Active Video Balun, Female BNC Connector, Terminal Type, Camera Side

Video baluns are commonly used in BNC or coaxial cables, security and surveillance systems, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, and home theaters and television. They are also used in computer monitors, laptops, DVD players, USB devices, and unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables.

PI Manufacturing, Corp. is an online wholesaler of video baluns and other computer cables. Browse through PIMFG’s wide selection of video balun products such as passive video baluns, active video baluns, video balun brackets, built-in video baluns and more.

Is your video balun compatible with your security system?

When it comes to the safety and security of your home or business, it is necessary to provide the clearest video quality possible. In tight, dark spaces, an excellent video signal processed through a great video balun can make the difference. A poorly engineered video balun will produce low signal quality and undermine security and safety. Without a clearly processed signal, important video information will be missed or distorted. Don’t sacrifice security by settling for a poor quality video balun.

Figure out the compatibility of a video balun with your security system. Different video baluns power transmission distances. When selecting a video balun, make sure your camera and video balun are compatible to avoid any unexpected voltage or cable problems.

Figure out how far your cameras will be placed from where the video signal will be processed. Video baluns have various video signal ranges and the quality will decrease as the signal increases. Make sure to recognize the distance between the video signal source and where it is transmitted. Neglecting distance will result in poor video quality.

Don’t get your wires tangled. Make sure you have just the right amount of cables for hooking up your video balun and camera. Any amount of entanglement between wires can also distort signal quality. There are various cable lengths available and special video baluns designed specifically for tight spaces.

Although video baluns are small, their quality is necessary to produce efficient signal quality in order to maintain the integrity of security systems.

Computer Cable Trick: Connecting Computers

Connecting two personal computers (PC) seems like a very easy task but it actually takes a special kind of USB computer cable to do the trick. Connecting two computers using a USB computer cable is useful for file sharing and for repairing problems in one of the computers. In doing this, you will need a “bridged” USB computer cable. A bridged USB computer cable is characterized by a circuit built in the middle. This circuit minimizes the damage that could happen if a regular USB computer cable will be used.

USB Type A Female Solder Type Connector 3u Gold

You can easily purchase an affordable bridged USB cable online or offline. Once you have it, follow these simple steps.

1. Install the bridge software, if any. This usually comes when you purchase the computer cable. If this is not the case, you can go online and download the software. When you do, you will be asked to choose between link mode and network mode. Link mode is ideal for transferring files from one computer to the other. Network mode, on the other hand, is ideal if you want the two linked computers to share a peripheral like a printer or Internet connectivity. Make sure to install the software on both computers; otherwise, it will not work. There will be times, however, when you will no longer need bridge software. This is particularly true for Windows.

USB 2.0 Cable, Type-A Male to Type-A Male, 3ft

2. Now you are ready to plug the USB computer cable into both computers. It really does not matter whether the computers are turned on or not. You can do this before or after plugging the computer cable. The other computer should display link mode or appear as another drive in network mode.

Remember, use only a bridged USB computer cable for this process. Check out PIMFG.com for bridged USB cables and a whole lot of other types of computer cables.

Guide on How to Sleeve Computer Cables

USB to PS/2 (PS2) Keyboard and Mouse Adapter Cable, 7inch.

Take a closer look at your computer and notice your computer cables. How do they look? Are they cluttered? Most likely, they are. Cluttered computer cables can decrease circulation in your computer and may eventually affect its performance. One way to reduce the chances of overheating is to sleeve your computer cables. This can also give your computer cables a more uniform look. It may seem like a tough task at first, but you can sleeve your computer cables with a sleeving kit and some other tools without too much hassle.

For this modification procedure, you’ll need a sleeving kit (you can buy it online or offline), pencil, paper, scissors, heat gun (or a hair dryer. You can also the heat from a lighter.), heat shrink tubing and of course, cable sleeves.

Read

ID Bit Cable, Female to Female

y to sleeve your computer cables? Here’s a step by step guide.

1. Study the connection of each individual wire. Take the connector end of the computer cable that you want to sleeve.
2. To better help you, draw a diagram of the computer cables. Do not forget to note the arrangement and color of the wires.
3. Using your connection pin removal tool, remove the computer cables from the connector. Place the connector on a hard surface and make sure the exposed metal connections are faced upwards. Insert the removal tool with enough force until it pops out and slips out.
4. In choosing your cable sleeve, make sure it is as close to the size of the computer cable you are about to sleeve as possible. Cut the sleeve in such a way that ¾ of the cable is exposed at both ends.
5. Now, carefully thread the cable sleeve through the wire.
6. Based on the diameter of your computer cable, cut two 2-inch pieces of your heat shrink tubing and place it at both ends of the cable, covering the exposed parts.
7. Using your heat gun (or a hair dryer on high heat or the heat from a lighter), heat the tubing while twisting the computer cables to ensure even heating and shrinking.
8. Based on the diagram you made earlier, secure the pins back to the connector. Tip: the pins make a clicking sound when inserted. Make sure it is secure before installing it again.

Different Uses of Computer Cables

For the average computer user with no background on how computer hardware works, computer cables are simply wires connecting the different parts of the computer to each other. Of course, computer experts and computer aficionados know that there are differen

USB 3.0 Cable, Type A Male to Type B Male 6ft, Black

t kinds of computer cables depending on usage. Knowing the different uses of computer cables will help you deal with instant computer problems such as troubleshooting malfunctions. It will also enable you to competently set-up a new computer without having to rely too much on another person’s help. Computer repair can put a strain on the budget, so arming yourself with basic computer knowledge, such as the use of computer cables, will surely go a long way.
Here are some commonly used computer cables and their uses.

1. USB cable. This is one of the most popular and perhaps well-recognized computer cables today. USB stands for Universal Series Bus. This computer cable can be used with different devices such as keyboards, web cameras and mouse. Originally, it was made for personal computers and it was meant to make unnecessary the use of several other types of computer cables, thus its name. It is recognizable for its rectangular shape. Inside, there is a flat prong on one half and a hole in another.

2. HDMI cable. This computer cable is used to transmit high definition video signals

HDMI Cables

as well as audio information. According to experts, it is a good idea to buy gold plated HDMI computer cables because they reduce oxidization and help improve connectivity.

3. Ethernet cable. Also known as a network cable, the Ethernet cable is the computer cable used for Internet connectivity. What makes this computer cable unique is the copper connection on the input port. Additionally, the Ethernet cable has a plastic tab on top to keep it from slipping out.

4. Firewire cable. In a nutshell, a firewire computer cable is used to connect different equipment so they can share information. It allows transfer of data to high-bandwidth digital devices such as digital cameras and video cameras.

Connecting PCs or Laptops to Televisions with Computer Cables

VGA + 3.5mm Stereo Cable, Male to Male, 6ft

Computer cables have a variety of purpose. Users may connect SATA hard drives, jump drives, or gadgets like iPods, digital cameras, or notebook fans to their laptops and all of this could only be possible with the help of computer cables. With the advent of mobile phones and LCD and plasma TVs, more and more gadget-lovers want to connect their electronic devices to televised screens for a better viewing experience. Different computer cables can actually be used to make this happen:

1. S-Video Computer Cables – S-Video cables are the cheapest computer cables in the market today. This is why using S-Video cables are the most common means of connecting your laptop to a plasma or LCD TV. Additionally, almost every TV out in the market today has an S-Video port. S-Video cables come in two forms: 4-pin and 7-pin. Laptops and personal computers are typically equipped with 7-pin S-Video ports, so if your TV has a 4-pin S-Video port, this method may not work.

2. VGA Computer Cables – VGA cables are useful for hardware applications that include audio, VGA monitors and KVM switches for example. With VGA cables, efficiently connecting personal computers to VGA displays with audio is now possible. VGA cables offer better quality than S-video cables and are usually available only with HDTVs. VGA ports on regular televisions are virtually non-existent.

Projector Cable M1 (P&D) Male to HDMI Male, 6ft

3. DVI Computer Cables – DVI cables give higher quality than both VGA and S-Video cables. DVI cables require a laptop or personal computer with a DVI port and an HDTV television. Though DVI computer cables are relatively more expensive than VGA and S-Video cables, the quality it delivers is certainly worth it.

4. HDMI Computer Cables – HDMI cables offer the best quality in computer to television connection to date. Though many newer laptops have HDMI ports, some older laptops and personal computers do not have HDMI output. DVI to HDMI cables can be used to connect to an HDTV, and these cables are on the market already. HDMI to DVI cables are also being offered by cable manufacturers because they both use the same video standard.

Managing Computer Cables for Longer-Lasting Life

Computer cables are the life force of computer systems. Whether it’s a laptop or a desktop, computer cables connect almost everything to your device. From mp3s to jump drives, from USB cables to Firewire, computer cables are the only means for your device to work with a laptop or personal computer. However, too many cables can sometimes be the bane of our existence. It’s too much clutter and can sometimes be hazardous too. Caring for computer cables will not only make them last longer but will probably extend your life too. Here’s how:

1. Store computer cables in a storage basket or drawer. The more computer cables you have, the larger storage it should be. It may not sound appealing but knowing where all computer cables are stored will save you time. A centralized location is especially useful if you have plenty of devices like mp3 players, cameras, and other portable gadgets.

2. Label computer cables to know which one is used for which. Computer cables look the same and using the wrong computer cable with the wrong device may cause your gadget to malfunction. By labeling computer cables, you avoid confusion and this activity also helps you save time. Use file folder labels marked with permanent ink so the writing won’t wear off.

3. Seldom used computer cables should be folded and bound with a rubber band. Not only does this method avoid tangling, but it also saves more space, allowing you to put in more computer cables in your storage bin.

4. Several USB cables are used more frequently than others. Some might not even be removed at all due to frequent use. To avoid confusion and to save space, those that see dedicated use can be placed at the back of the laptop or computer. Computer cables seldom used can be inserted into the front USB hubs while the dedicated computer cables are safely out of the way.

5. USB hubs are invaluable to gadget lovers. If you find that you need more USB ports than what is available on your laptop or desktop, USB hubs are for you. They provide more ports for your computer cables as well as easy access to them. Store in somewhere near your laptop to avoid misplacing them.

6. Bind several computer cables that go in the same outlet or power strip. Use rubber bands, twist-ties, or zip-ties to reduce clutter and tangling. It also makes your desk look cleaner and more organized.