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Broadcast installation – wiring tips?
Hi!
I am planning a fairly small broadcast installation, and will for the first time be doing all the wiring myself. I know how to crimp a BNC and all that, but I am wondering if there are some wiremen in here who might have some advice when it comes to cable management, and how to “make it neat”.
We have a 40 I/O router, which obviously requires alot of cables from and to the router to/from the patch bays, and to/from devices. Most devices are in the same rack. I especially have one specific question regarding the wiring. The router and the patch bays are fairly close to each other in the rack. Would you still run the cables from the patch bay, all the way to the floor and then up again into the router, or is this just nonsense? Any logic in whether the cables are on the left or the right side of the rack?
I realise this might seem abit obsessive, but I would very much like to get it right the first time, and so I am very open to both general and specific advice.
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2 Replies
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How did you get on with the install? I have a similar job soon. Any advice would be welcome.
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Well the project has been delayed, I don’t know how many times, but we’re looking at getting started early next year. I still have not sorted out exactly how I’ll go about this, but I could always give you some advice based on previous experience.
1. Get a rack that is deeper than you need. You’ll be thankful when you see how much space cable management takes. Also get more rack units than you need, And fill the empty room with blanking panels.
2. Buy some of those cable lacing bars similar to this: https://www.middleatlantic.com/images/iracacc/lacep.jpg Will definitely help with the vertical cable management.
3. It’s pretty obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. Mark all cables with numbers and/or letters. I use a system where the two first numbers are the device numbers, and the two second numbers is the output number or whatever. For instance, you have a HyperDeck Studio that is device no. 11, then your first SDI out will be no. 1101. There are many ways to do this, this is just how I do it.
4. Make exact length calculations so you avoid cable loops in the bottom of the rack or outside of the rack, if possible. Don’t make it too tight, though. Let there be a couple of extra inches just in case you should need to install new equipment later on. I/O placement differ on different equipment.
5. Plan the power management. You should have one PDU strip at both sides of the rack, as equipment vendors can’t agree whether to place the power on the left or the right side. It’s a pain in the arse. Avoid those big consumer-ish power adapters that takes the space of two or three outlets on the PDU.
6. Plan equipment placement in the rack carefully.
Aleksander Steffensen
Steffensen Multimedia
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