Installing Video Entry System - Cat 6 cable

[binngone111]

Hi All,

I hope someone can help. I plan to fit a video entry system and was advised I need a Cat 6 cable wired up to support this. I brought a reel of cable off eBay.. I know I know.. I didn't think i could possible get a dodgy cable.. That's why I'm here.. This is what I have and unfortunately I have had it wired in behind my walls, plastered and painted the whole works.. Now the doubt has crept in.. Can anyone alleviate my worst fears? .. This is what the cable looks like

Is this cable any good for anything?

Thanks

 

[Lectrician]

Really can't tell from that pic.

Stip a good 8 inch, and see if each pair of colours are firmly twisted around each other through their whole length (so 4 pairs of twisted cables).

Cat 6 should also have the cross piece in the middle, which yours does seem to have. Some cheap cat5e and cat6 cables are made from copper clad steel, not pure copper, and these should be avoided (although don't confuse the company called CCS who make genuine cable!). What colour are your actual conductors? Can you scrape the covering of the conductor off?

Some door entry systems do indeed work with cat6, but not all. So make sure you choose one which does!

How much did you pay?

CAT6:

CAT5e:

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Colours are non-standard, but that's non-functional.

Twist doesn't look enough, but that might be where you've been handling the end.

Is the cable stamped with anything?

Is it a make you've heard of?

 

[Risteard]

Looks like alarm cable to me. Certainly not Cat6.

 

[Spark123]

Yep, it looks stranded.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I hadn't noticed that - yes, it's stranded.

unfortunately I have had it wired in behind my walls, plastered and painted the whole works..

That is unfortunate.

Got any of the paint left?

 

[bernardgreen]

If there is only one video signal along the cable then it may work over that cable but possibly with some loss of picture quality. Audio and control signals will be OK.

At least try it before ripping out the cable.

 

[binngone111]

The cable was advertised as cat 6.. However it is unbranded and definitely not twisted.. If anything there is a slight twirl just enough to make out the pairs.. Only way to test is the buy the video units but if it doesn't work then I'm buggered.. I guess what I would like to know is whether a video door entry system will work with these cables or will it even be good enough for standard telephone door entry systems?

 

[binngone111]

Yep, it looks stranded.

What does it mean when u say it's stranded?

 

[flyingsparks]

Yep, it looks stranded.

What does it mean when u say it's stranded?

The cores are made up of lots of fine conductors (like hairs almost) as Appleseed to cat6 has a single solid copper conductor

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The cable was advertised as cat 6..

What are the odds that it was

a) Cheap

b) Sold from outside the UK. China?

Only way to test is the buy the video units but if it doesn't work then I'm b*****r..

No more than if you don't buy them, and don't have a working system.

But if you don't want to take the chance then you'd better start removing the old cable so that when the proper stuff arrives you can install it.

Are the video units powered via this cable as well?

I guess what I would like to know is whether a video door entry system will work with these cables or will it even be good enough for standard telephone door entry systems?

Might.

Might not.

If it doesn't conform to the standard, there's no way of knowing by how much it falls short.

What does it mean when u say it's stranded?

The conductors are not single solid cores - they are multiple thin strands. If you are connecting it to equipment which is expecting solid core, and therefore is using IDC terminals you'll have problems.

 

[JohnW2]

If there is only one video signal along the cable then it may work over that cable but possibly with some loss of picture quality. Audio and control signals will be OK.

If the cable run is fairly modest in length, it would not surprise me at all if it works OK - I never cease to be amazed by what one can actually 'get away with'. If the video signal were analogue then, as you say, there might be a loss of picture quality - but things could get more problematical if it were digital video.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SimonH2]

Looks like stranded patch cord to me. It's clearly twisted (look at the green/white pair) - but nothing like the twist rate used in "real" Cat6.

It's also "cheap" in that they've used solid colours rather than bi-colour cable. I've come across this before, and it's a right PITA as you have to be really careful to avoid mixing up the whites. However, telecoms technicians of a reasonable age would probably cry "wimp" as all telecoms cables used to use solid colours until 20-30 years ago - a lot of fun if you had to fix a cable cut off short without stripping a lot back

It'll almost certainly work - as already said, there's a fair leeway especially on a short link.

 

[Grenage]

I find it hard to believe CAT6 is really a requirement for a video entry system, but it's always a good idea to install it rather than CAT5e, if it's structured. It should as already said be solid core, not stranded.

Is that even copper cable? The colouring is wrong, the twists aren't right (although it may be a lot better in the sheath). What would I do? Use the cable and see how it performs - depending on the length and quality of the run, the terminations, and the equipment - amongst other things.

I've seen things work over truly shocking runs.

 

[JohnW2]

What would I do? Use the cable and see how it performs - depending on the length and quality of the run, the terminations, and the equipment - amongst other things.
I've seen things work over truly shocking runs.

Indeed. As I wrote:

If the cable run is fairly modest in length, it would not surprise me at all if it works OK - I never cease to be amazed by what one can actually 'get away with'.

Kind Regards, John