Detangling VGA Balun Installation

Distributing video within a home or business has always been problematic. Especially after construction is finished, Bulky VGA cables are hard to work with and when the cable is terminated getting the connectors routed can be a hassle. All video projectors have VGA or HD-15 cables, newer models also incorporate Component video or HDMI ports. Businesses can be especially difficult to retrofit due to fire codes that prevent standard cables from being run in air ducts or raceways.

A series of products have emerged that provide a solution to this problem using inexpensive CAT5e cables. These baluns were discussed back in our febuary 18th post, so I won’t go into the gritty details on how they work.

MCM has just launched a series of VGA baluns to solve the video problem.
These baluns as they are called allow you to send video and/or data over CAT5e cables, either standard or plenum. The line consists of VGA passive kits that will transmit video up to 300’ and VGA active kits that transmit video up to 1000’ and wall plate versions for residential installations.

These baluns can be purchased as kits or individually depending on the application. The cool thing about these is how small they are and the ease of installation. If you already have Cat5e cables run, then you can just plug and go.

 

See our stock of specially priced VGA Baluns

iPod Accessories

So you finally saved up or you used your economic stimulus check to join the iPod craze. For the first couple of weeks it is awesome, you load up all your songs and listen to them while you are working out or on your way to school. But then when you realize that you don’t have it on, you wish you did. If you could only have it playing everywhere you go then you could enjoy awesome music all the time.

Well, we have some products that will help you do just that. So let’s take a look at some of these and see what they do. Now you could connect your iPod to your home stereo but the battery then runs down. Well the answer is a charging dock that also has a stereo output and then you have eliminated the issue.

MCM has two products:

58-12580 iDock Basic iPod Charging Doc with Remote Control

58-12625 iPod Dock Universal Audio Video Charging

Both at buyout prices now only at MCM. Either product would handle that job for you. Both products will charge your iPod while you jam to your tunes through your stereo. The 58-12625 will even output your videos that you have on your iPod as well. OK so now you are getting your songs while you’re walking around the house but every time you want to skip one then you have to go back to your dock and change the song. That’s kind of annoying and if you had a remote control then that problem would be solved.

Our 58-12255 iPod Remote Control will do just that. Allowing you to control your iPod while it is in the dock from anywhere around the house.

Now what if your stereo has no inputs or if you are in your car? Probably have to go back to the headphones right? Well not exactly, because we have 2 great FM transmitters on sale right now:

80-6765 IPod Stereo FM Transmitter

58-12585 Ipod Charging Dock FM Wired to Remote

Both products will transmit your favorite Ipod songs directly to your radio on an empty station. It’s like having your own custom radio station! Pretty cool right?

Alright so maybe you are in your office or studio and you don’t have a stereo to connect your Ipod to. A bedroom is also a good candidate because maybe you want to wake up to your Ipod. Well we also have a great new iPod clock radio:



83-11378 2.1 iPod Docking Station

This is a self contained unit. Not only does it charge your Ipod but it also is a full featured clock radio with FM tuner. Cool! It has a remote too and last but not least, it will play your videos. No, it will not go to work or school for you.

So that concludes today’s lesson on iPod accessories and different ways to outfit your iPod. See our iPod Utopia page where you will find all these and more related Ipod accessories on sale now while quantities last.

Adaptiplate™ Wall Plates

Adaptiplate™ Wall Plates from MCM Custom Audio

Installation professionals and as well as occasional hobbyists know the frustration in dealing with the nearly infinite combinations of connectors required in wall plates used in residential A/V system installations. It seems that no two home theater system installations are the same. Throw in inter connection with whole-house distributed audio systems, remotely located subwoofers, surveillance cameras and the like, and you quickly realize that having a pre-made wall plate for every situation is impossible.

One solution is keystone connector systems, such as Quickport® products from Leviton. This system allows a great deal of flexibility and provides very high quality terminations that would be expected from a name like Leviton. However many have found this to be somewhat restrictive and costly.

Another solution is to use pass–through wall plates, such as the Wireport™ and Splitport™ products from Midlite®. , however many installers prefer not to have cables hanging out of wall openings while waiting for final connection of equipment. They consider terminated wall plates to be a more professional looking installation.

To address this problem, MCM has put together a collection of blank hex opening wall plate inserts, and a wide variety of connectors, called the Adaptiplate™ Wall Plate System.

The MCM Custom Audio Adaptiplate™ System allows installers to configure single or multi– gang wall plates with exactly the connectors needed. Hex inserts accept “F” and RCA connectors to suite a wide range of audio and video applications. Keystone style inserts are compatible with both Leviton and Tyton Hellermann wall plates, allowing easy integration with existing Decora style devices.

The following photos were taken during a recent home renovation by a member of the MCM staff, where Adaptiplates were used to accommodate a telephone, CATV and speaker connections.

Read further to get the complete picture of the MCM Custom Audio Adaptiplate™ System. You may also download the complete information sheet in PDF format.

To configure wall plates, you first start with a blank Decora Insert. These single gang inserts accept one to eight connectors. If more than eight connectors are needed, multiple inserts may be used.

If Keystone inserts are desired, then you will also need to select Hex Inserts which will allow the Adaptiplate™ Connectors to be inserted into Keystone Plates.

If Keystone plates are used, standard matching Voice and Data jacks are also available.

Once the wall plates have been selected, simply select the desired Connectors for your specific application. RCA connectors are available with a variety of color inserts and are suitable for all audio, video, digital and HDTV applications. "F" connectors and speaker binding posts are available as well.

All that is left then is to select the necessary Cover Plate for the number of decora inserts used.

Again, all plates and inserts and fully compatible with standard Leviton and Tyton Hellermann devices and may be combined with other low voltage terminations.

Duratool at MCM

You may have noticed spectacular deals on a brand that MCM carries labeled as "Duratool." We proudly bring you your most needed tools with this good quality, low cost alternative. We are constantly reviewing this line to make sure we can bring you highly demanded tools at the best prices possible.

Some new additions to the Duratool family include the following:

Have you ever needed to peek behind a wall, into a pipe, or simply anywhere that otherwise would require x-ray super powers? We just added a range of Duratool Wall Scopes (also known as “fiber optic scopes” or “borescopes”) that will give you something close to super-human abilities. These scopes will fit into a hole or gap as small as ¼” wide. Why cut a 6” hole or rip out an entire wall to look for wire obstacles? For a cable installer, one of these beauties will pay for itself the first time you have to use it. They are also great for law enforcement, plumbers, inspectors, carpenters, mechanics and more. They are available in 18” or 36” lengths, with flexible or obedient (you bend it in the direction you need) styles.

So you’re changing a battery or repairing your electronic device, and you run into a screw-head in which you know you’ve never seen before. How do you get past this little pest? No; put down that Dremel cut-off tool, and pick up one of our security bit sets. We offer 32-piece and 105-piece sets that cover a majority of your needs. We also just added a specialized five-point torx-style set for a new breed of tamper-proof fasteners.

For comfortable ergonomics without the specialty tool prices, check out our ergonomic Pliers Set, Mini Pliers Set, Soft Handle Nut Drivers, and Precision Screwdriver Set. Nothing is quite like working with great tools with a silky-soft finish that was molded to fit your hand.

Of course you will need something to store all of your beloved tools in. We now offer a wide selection of Duratool toolboxes. You can pick from three rolling workshops in either plastic, metal, or chest versions.

Our Duratool LED flashlights are now in stock! You can get a pocket-sized 9-LED model, portable 28-LED, or a colossal 32-LED toolbox companion. No matter which model you treat yourself to, these lights are extremely bright and offer an extra-long battery life. Best of all, they make a very useful gift for any occasion!

Look for other upcoming items including top-quality tweezers, butane table torches and glue guns, and drill bits at amazing prices!

If there’s a tool that you’re paying too much for, let us know and we’ll consider it for the Duratool line-up.

Thanks,
MCM eMarketing Team

Distributing Audio/Video Over Cat5 Cable

Distributing Audio/Video Over Cat5 Cable

Today’s audio video industry has created demand for audio signals and high resolution video images to be sent over increasingly long distances of cable.

Applications include:

• Airports, with arrival/departure information presented on an array of video displays
• Specialty retail stores with video monitors displaying assorted specials
• Local taverns with rows of television monitors showing live sporting events
• Home theater rooms with equipment installed in locations remote from the projector
• Lecture halls with ceiling projectors receiving information from the laptop at the podium

The challenge with these environments is the size and cost of the video cabling, especially when long lengths are involved. Additionally, as technology changes and improves, cabling requirements change, causing costly cable replacement and installation labor.

A solution has been developed to tackle this problem. By placing “balun” adapters at each end, signals can be adapted to be effectively and efficiently sent over long distances of Cat5 cable. For example, rather than installing three 75Ω coaxial cables to send Y/Pb/Pr (component video) signal, simply install a single run of Cat5 cable, and place a Component Video Balun at each end. While the cost of the baluns must be considered, this is usually outweighed by the savings of Cat5 cable. Additionally, Cat5 is much smaller and easier to run, and often already in place. And, if requirements change in the future, only the baluns must be replaced, not the cable.

Defining a “Balun”:

The term balun is a combination of the terms “balanced” and “unbalanced”. A balun is a device that is used to convert a signal from unbalanced to balanced or vice versa.

Unbalanced signals are typically sent over a coaxial cable, with the signal traveling over the center conductor, and the ground reference in the shield. This is common of RCA type audio cables, 75Ω television coaxial cable, component and composite video cable as well as countless others.

Balanced signals have two conductors, each with identical signals. The key is these signals are mirror images of each other. Any noise or interference that is introduced into balanced cable becomes out of phase at the receiving end, thus is canceled out. Regardless of the level of interference induced over the length of the cable, the net interference level is zero. Because of this, balanced transmission cable often does not require a shield.

The primary job of an audio or video balun is to convert an “unbalanced” signal to the proper “balanced” configuration to send over balanced cable. At the receiving end, a second balun is used to convert that “balanced” signal back to its original “unbalanced” configuration to remain compatible with connected equipment. The baluns second job is to correct the signal impedance. Video signals are typically 75Ω, audio signals 600Ω, while Cat5 cable pairs are 100Ω.

For years, the most common example of balun use in the A/V industry was television antennas. Typical antennas were designed to deliver signals over 300Ω balanced flat “twin–lead” cable. As 75Ω coaxial cable became increasingly popular, 75Ω/300Ω baluns became common.

There are many types of baluns used in electronics today, transformers being the most common in A/V applications. Transformers are ideal because they are efficient, compact and inexpensive and require no power source.

MuxLab Inc.

There are several manufacturers of baluns in the industry today, with MuxLab being a key player. For years, MuxLab has been on the leading edge of technology in the field of A/V signal transmission over twisted pair cable. As a stocking distributor for MuxLab, MCM offers their entire product range of MuxLab VideoEase® baluns for sending composite, component, S-Video and VGA over Cat5 at distances of up to 2,200’. Additionally, MuxLab has developed audio baluns for both consumer and professional audio applications, with Cat5 distances up to 5000’. Among MuxLabs unique products is their Model 500302 CATV balun, which will support broadband RF, CATV, UHF, VHF and FM over a single Cat5 pair.

MCM Custom Audio

MCM Electronics has identified the need for a low cost A/V Cat5 Baluns line to suite the growing demands in the commercial and residential A/V installation industry. While brands including MuxLab remain critical to this market in long distance applications, many situations exist where cost is critical and range requirements are 300’ ~ 1,000’. MCM launched its initial line of MCM Custom Audio A/V Baluns in the second quarter of 2005, with great success. With “retail”, and contractor “dealer” prices substantially below competition, installation professionals are now empowered to incorporate Cat5 benefits at much lower cost.

In the second wave of this product launch, MCM developed its unique line of Keystone Mount A/V Baluns, thus adding even more flexibility to the balun concept. Because baluns accept unterminated Cat5 cable, and each is sold as an individual component, installers can configure Keystone wall plates with exactly the connections needed for a specific application.

MCM Continues to expand the MCM Custom Audio line of A/V baluns, with new models slated to arrive in June of 2008. The MCM line includes models that will cover video applications, digital, analog (RCA), and balanced (XLR) audio, as well as soon–to–be–released VGA baluns.

Regardless of the application, MCM Electronics stocks the baluns needed to deliver your audio video signals via the most efficient means possible. Whether you need to send high quality audio or video to the other end of the room, or the building, MCM has the products you need.

Fire Prevention

October is National Fire Prevention Month so I thought I’d talk about fire safety in this week’s blog. When I was in fifth grade I won a city wide “Fire Prevention Poster Contest” so I know a thing or two about fire prevention.

More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and 25,000 are injured. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion annually. A little bit of planning and preparation could reduce these numbers greatly.

To protect yourself, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. What can you do to protect yourself, your family and your property in the event of a fire?

Install smoke alarms. Properly working smoke alarms decrease your chances of dying in a fire by half. Place smoke alarms on every level of your residence. Test and clean smoke detectors once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years. A convenient way to test smoke detectors is with Techspray’s Smoke Detector Test. The unique formulation consists of aerosol particles that simulate actual fire and smoke conditions. It sure beats holding a lit cigarette or match up to it.

Have a sound fire escape plan and practice escaping from every room. Designate a meeting place outside and take attendance. Remember to leave the building immediately and once out, stay out. NEVER go back into a burning building for any reason.

What else can you do? Store flammable liquids in approved containers, in well-ventilated storage areas. Be careful when using alternative heating sources and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep matches and lighters up high, away from children. Do not overload extension cords or outlets. If you need to plug in two or three appliances, get a UL-approved unit with built in circuit breakers to prevent sparks and short circuits. Install A-B-C-type fire extinguishers in your residence and teach family members how to use them.

For more information and tips you can visit the FEMA and U.S. Fire Administration websites.

Have a great day!

ProVision Scope Kit

I manned the MCM booth at a recent tradeshow. One of the items we were exhibiting was the ProVision® Flexible Shaft Scope. It received a lot of attention from show attendees. (I could go into the difference between what men and women did with the sample when they picked it up but that’s a topic best left for another blog…Let’s just say there were differences!) Back to the scope; it received attention because it’s a handy tool. Designed for up close focusing in tight places the flexible fiber optic cable fits into holes as small as ¼” diameter. The omni-directional cable bends in every direction and has a 40° field of view. It has a high-resolution lens and a powerful halogen lamp. The scope is available with an 18” cable or a 36” cable. Each kit includes a clip-on viewing mirror, clip-on retrieval magnet, replacement halogen bulb and hard case. A 37mm camera adaptor, to connect the scope to most digital or film cameras, is available as an optional accessory.

The lens and cable are both waterproof which expands its use. Just imagine what you could do with this…look behind walls, down into drains, inside engines or hundreds of places without costly demolition or disassembly. Who could use this? Anyone: installers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, exterminators, inspectors, home owners. My friend’s husband could have used this when she thought she dropped her earring down the drain. Instead he took the drain apart (cursing the whole time), only to discover that it wasn’t there. It had actually fallen behind the bathroom trashcan. Oops. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how upset he was! (Most women reading this are sympathizing with my friend and the men are probably groaning…it all goes back to the differences between men and women!) The ProVision® Scope could pay for itself over and over again in reduced labor time and increased productivity.

Do you have one? If so, how do you use it? If not, what would you do with it if you had one? How could it improve your productivity? I’d like to hear your ideas. (Be creative but keep in mind that it’s not medical grade!)

Have a great day!