7 Connectors Objectives Explain how connectors and adapters

7 Connectors

Objectives • Explain how connectors and adapters are used in the broadcast industry. • Identify the types of connectors used in the broadcast industry. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Classifying Connectors • Connectors are devices that attach cables to equipment or other cables and can be classified as: • Chassis mount connectors • Cable end connectors • Adapters © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Classifying Connectors (Cont. ) © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Connector Relationship • Male=plug • Female=jack © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

BNC Connector Female BNC Male BNC © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

DIN Connector • Four or more pins or holes © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Male F-Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Phone Connector and Mini Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Phono Connector • Also known as RCA connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

PL 259 Connector Male PL 259 Female PL 259 © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Y/C Connector • Same as S-VHS connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

XLR Connector • Also known as a cannon connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Fire. Wire Connector • Also known as IEEE 1394 connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

USB Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

HDMI Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Adapters • Used to connect two different types of connectors • Use as few adapters in cable run as possible to avoid signal loss © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

T-Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Y-Connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Barrel Adapter © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Identification Rules • Always indicate female end first, then male end • Format: sex, type, “to”, sex, type • Examples: • • FRCA to MXLR FRCA to MRCA y-connector FBNC to MPL 259 FBNC to FBNC barrel © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question When using adapters, what is the best way to avoid signal loss? Use as few adapters as possible. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Identify the three types of connectors. Chassis mount connectors; cable end connectors; adapters © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Female = Jack Plug Male = ______ © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Why is it important to know all the names and uses of connectors and adapters? Not knowing could mean significant time lost in production if the proper cabling is not available, or poor overall recording quality. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question What connects to different types of connectors? Adapters © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question What is the most common connector used in television production? The BNC connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question What does FBNC to MPL 259 mean? What does FRCA to MXLR mean? Attach female BNC connector to male PL 259 connector. Attach female RCA, or phono, connector to male XLR connector. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Which connector is made of copper, carries digital signals, and is available in 4 -pin, 6 pin, and 9 -pin? Fire. Wire © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Which connector has four tiny round pins, connects video inputs and outputs, and is also referred to as an S-VHS connector? Y/C connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Which connector is used for carrying high definition video and audio, and is commonly found in Blu-ray DVD players? HDMI connector © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question Which adapter allows two short cables to be connected to make one long cable? Barrel adapter © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Review Question What are the alternate names for the 1/4 and 1/8 connectors? The 1/4 are called phone connectors. The 1/8 are called mini connectors. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • adapter: A connector that changes the type, or connector end, of an existing connector. • barrel adapter: A type of adapter that has the same type of connector and connector end on both sides. • BNC connector: A type of connector commonly used in television production. The female and male versions lock together securely with a simple 1/4 -turn twist. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • cable end connector: A connector found on the end of a length of cable. • chassis mount connector: A connector that is built into a piece of equipment. • connectors: Metal devices that attach cables to equipment or to other cables. • DIN connector: A term that refers to any type of connector with four or more holes/pins. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • F-connector: A type of connector that carries an RF signal and is commonly found on the back of consumer VCRs and televisions. • Fire. Wire connector: A type of connector designed to carry digital signals and available with 4 -pin (audio and video only) and 6 -pin (audio, video, and power) connections. This connector is also known as IEEE 1394. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • HDMI connector: This connector is designed to carry high definition video and audio, as well as power. HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. • jack: A connector with one or more holes designed to receive the pins of a male (plug) connector. Also called a female connector. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • mini connector: A connector that is 1/8 in diameter and single-pronged. It is most commonly found on headsets used with mp 3 players and other personal audio devices. Also called a 1/8 connector. • phone connector: A connector that is 1/4 in diameter and single-pronged, with a little indentation near the end of the prong. This type of connector is commonly found on the cord used with large stereo headphones. Also called a 1/4 connector. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • phono connector: A connector commonly found on the back of quality home entertainment system components. The female phono connector is usually a chassis mounted connector. The male phono connector is usually a cable end connector with a single, center prong surrounded by a shorter crown. Also called an RCA connector. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • PL 259 connector: A connector that is similar to the F-connector, but much larger. The male end has a single prong with a large nut to tighten. • plug: A connector with one or more pins that are designed to fit into the holes of a jack (female connector). Also called a male connector. • S-VHS connector: The consumer term for a Y/C connector. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • T-connector: A connector that is shaped like the capital letter T and is made entirely of metal. The three ends of a T-connector are used to split one signal into two signals, or to combine two signals into one. • USB connectors: A durable digital connector for video, audio, and power. The electrical contacts are enclosed in a metal housing and buffered by a plastic plate. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • XLR connector: A connector for microphones that usually has 3 -pins, but can have 4 -pins, 5 -pins, and other pin configurations. The male and female ends lock together with a hook. Also called a cannon connector. • Y/C connector: A video input and output connector that is characterized by four tiny round pins and a rectangular plastic stabilizing pin. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.

Glossary • Y-connector: A connector that has three wires with a connector on the end of each. All the wires are tied together in the middle. The three ends of a Yconnector are used to split one signal into two signals, or to combine two signals into one. © Goodheart-Willcox Co. , Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.