monster power 8 channel snake WT?

[pucho812]

so  in the lucky dip cable scrap yard at the stu I found some good 40' of monster snake. We have two lucky dip boxes, if you dip in you might get lucky and find something you need. Anyway It's  8 channels.
I have never seen a snake constructed in such a manor. there is no outer jacket on each individual channel like one would find on mogami or any other cable manufacture on the planet. Instead there is just a foil wrap per channel.  ???
IS there something I am not getting here? is there such a purpose?  I know the answer is to not use it but I am wondering why they would construct it that way?

 

[abbey road d enfer]

so  in the lucky dip cable scrap yard at the stu I found some good 40' of monster snake. We have two lucky dip boxes, if you dip in you might get lucky and find something you need. Anyway It's  8 channels.
I have never seen a snake constructed in such a manor. there is no outer jacket on each individual channel like one would find on mogami or any other cable manufacture on the planet. Instead there is just a foil wrap per channel.  ???

No drain wire? Usually there is one per pair.

IS there something I am not getting here? is thre such a purpose?  I know the answer is to not use it but I am wondering why they would construct it that way?

Foil shield is much less expensive that braided. It also makes for a smaller cable. And actually foil shield gives 100% coverage, when the best braided gives about 95%.
The disadvantage is the foil can break if the cable is moved often.
However, there are two sorts of foil: aluminium and metallized film. The latter doesn't break.

 

[pucho812]

No drain wire? Usually there is one per pair.
Foil shield is much less expensive that braided. It also makes for a smaller cable. And actually foil shield gives 100% coverage, when the best braided gives about 95%.
The disadvantage is the foil can break if the cable is moved often.
However, there are two sorts of foil: aluminium and metallized film. The latter doesn't break.

there is drain wire.

Yes I get the foil shielding part,  I am just wondering why they didn't cover the foil shielding in an outer jacket?

 

[Brian Roth]

I'm old but recall Belden multipair with that construction.  Outer plastic jacket, then a mess of foil shielded pairs inside.  As I recall, Belden sold it up up 27 shielded pairs.  Ancient mobile/touring PA companies used that because we had no other choices.

I learned to use heat shrink!  Hate that Belden sh!t it to this day.

Bri

 

[abbey road d enfer]

there is drain wire.

Yes I get the foil shielding part,  I am just wondering why they didn't cover the foil shielding in an outer jacket?

An outer jacket on each pair increases the size of the cable by 40%.
This sort of cable is generally used for multipin connectors at both ends, because they're a PITN to fan out.

 

[Rob Flinn]

The BBC used to use cable which was something like 26 twisted pairs with an overall foil shield.  Maybe not what one wants for stage use, but fine for static installs.

 

[JohnRoberts]

An outer jacket on each pair increases the size of the cable by 40%.
This sort of cable is generally used for multipin connectors at both ends, because they're a PITN to fan out.

+1, that jacket thickness times 24 cables or more quickly adds bulk, weight, and cost.

IIRC the foil shield may have a thin film insulating layer.

JR

 

[pucho812]

An outer jacket on each pair increases the size of the cable by 40%.
This sort of cable is generally used for multipin connectors at both ends, because they're a PITN to fan out.

Ah o.k. now that explains it. thanks.

 

[PermO]

The BBC used to use cable which was something like 26 twisted pairs with an overall foil shield.  Maybe not what one wants for stage use, but fine for static installs.

In our main broadcast hub in Hilversum, the main audio matrix is a 2 mtr high 4mtr wide steel tube frame with loads of "Christmas tree" solder lugs on the frame.
Patching and incomming wiring is all 0.22mm solid core twisted pair, no shielding, just wire.
Soldered directly to the "Christmas trees" no connectrors are used.

Connectors are expensive and even the best ones need to be serviced / cleaned over time, the shielding is not needed on balanced lines, all together it just adds capacitance and costs, so that's how they do it overhere.

With everything becomming digital that system is getting less and less use, in the old days it was a huge wall of blue and white spaghetti.

 

[pucho812]

well we have no use for it here.