Bob Zelin – RS422 Patch Panel?

[Bob Zelin]

This is a long post, as it requires some explanation, and effort, but it is worth it.

You will need the following –
CAT 5 coupler patch panel
RJ45-9 pin male adaptors
CAT 5e cables – 5 long ones to your VTR’s and AJA boxes
CAT 5e cables – 2 short ones, to be used as patch cords.

This is the most efficient and inexpensive way of patching RS422 signals around. Although companies like ADC, Bittree and Audio Accessories make expensive “professional” RS422 patch panels, even ADC is now making CAT 5 coupler patch bays, for the increased demand of CAT 5 patching.

You can purchase a CAT 5 coupler patch panel from
http://www.markertek.com
If you look at Page 34 of their new pink catalog, these items are on page 34
on the bottom. It is called the TecNec RJ45 Feed Through Bays.
The part # for an 8 port bay is PB8-R4R4. This is $119. You can get larger
panels like the 16X45 for $169, which has 16 ports on it.

The CAT 5e cables (or CAT 5) can be purchased from any mail order computer company, or office store. They are generic ethernet cables – possibly the most commonly used cable today (except for RCA plugs for stereo systems). The short “patch cord” cables will probably have to come from a mail order company, like CDW, or Tiger Direct (2′ patch cords work great).

Now for the “hard” part. You need to make up RJ45-9 pin adaptors. You can order these from http://www.milestek.com. Milestek also sells CAT 5 coupler patch panels as well.
https://www.milestek.com/search.asp?ltype=2&search=1&skw=RJ45%2FDB9
The male part # is 10-01042 – this is the RJ45-9 pin male adaptor

This is the link to the milestek site for both the RJ45-9 pin male, and RJ45-9 pin female adaptors. These adaptors simply screw into your VTR Remote ports, or AJA RS422 ports. You then run your CAT 5 lines to your patch bay, and patch away.

The RJ45-9 pin adaptors come UNWIRED – you must wire them yourself – which is simply pushing in the pins into the holes.

This is the color code that I use for this (but you can use any color code you like, since RS422 is pin for pin – as long as you keep the colors the same on both ends, any code will work) –
this is what I use –
Pin 1 – RED
Pin 2 – ORANGE
Pin 3 – BLACK
Pin 4 – GREEN
Pin 5 – empty (no wire)
Pin 6 – BROWN
PIN 7 – BLUE
PIN 8 – YELLOW
PIN 9 – WHITE

These adaptors cost $2.65 each. There is no soldering involved, and no special tools required – you push these pins (with the wires already attached to them) right into the 9 pin adaptor, and then the adaptor snaps into the plastic shell (I use a small screwdriver to push in the 9 pin into the plastic).

Unlike RS422 cables, which are difficult to purchase, and difficult to test, RJ45 cables are readily available, very inexpensive, and if you choose to test them (in case things aren’t working), there are countless CAT 5 ethernet cable testers on the market, sold by many companies.

Hope this helps.

Bob Zelin

[Joe Murray]

We built one of these RJ45 patch panels using the TrendNET TC-P16C6, available on newegg for $33.95. Works very well for very little money.

Joe Murray

[Bob Zelin]

I believe that Joe has posted incorrect information. The TrendNet TC-P16C6 is not a RJ45 coupler patch panel. This is a standard CAT 6 PUNCH BLOCK panel that uses 110 style punch down connections. This means that you simply just don’t buy the panel, and pop in the premade cables. You take a bare end ethernet cable, and punch down the wires onto the back of the 110 punchblock on the back of the TrendNet.

Walter wants a simple solution, and the panels I have listed are RJ45 COUPLER panels, which means that you simply take the RJ45 plug and pop it into the back of the panel – the jack has RJ45 connections on both the front and back of the connector.

Of course, if Walter wants to buy a Harris or Paladin 110 punch tool, and develop the skill of punching down ethernet cables, then he can get the TrendNet panel.

Bob Zelin

[Joe Murray]

Well yes, that’s correct. We do own a punchdown tool and that’s how we did it. Bob’s solution is simpler, no doubt. It took our engineer about an hour to wire the panel for three rooms and four decks.

Joe Murray

[Joe Murray]

And actually, Walter’s post specifically asked for cheap, not simple, which is why I mentioned the TrendNet.

[Walter Biscardi]

Appreciate the very informative post Bob! We’ll take a look at this and let you know how it goes.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Walter Biscardi]

[Bob Zelin] “This is the color code that I use for this (but you can use any color code you like, since RS422 is pin for pin – as long as you keep the colors the same on both ends, any code will work) -“

Question here, you say I need to keep everything pin for pin, but in this case, I’m only putting the RS-422 connection on one end of each of the 5 cables for the VTRs/Konas, right? the other end will be left as Cat-5 to connect to the panel. So I should just be able to follow your color code and be good to go? thanks!

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Joe Murray]

As long as you keep the color code the same on each RS-422 connection, the ethernet cables will keep everything pin to pin through the rest of the connections. That’s how it works for us. Bob, let us know if I’m oversimplifying here.

Joe

[Walter Biscardi]

One last question I think, we currently have a 75′ RS-422 cable run from our 2nd suite to the equipment rack. I’m assuming I can simply use a female Cat-5 adapter on that cable to the patch panel instead of running a new Cat-5 cable all the way back to the edit suite?

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Walter Biscardi]

[Joe Murray] “As long as you keep the color code the same on each RS-422 connection, the ethernet cables will keep everything pin to pin through the rest of the connections. That’s how it works for us. Bob, let us know if I’m oversimplifying here.”

Thanks Joe!

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters