10-conductor breakaway cable

[Mark Utley]

I've been looking into having a 10-conductor breakaway cable built that could hold my two XLR outs, 1/8" mini return and an XLR return (so I could run an on-camera mic or wireless receiver through the mixer). The cable can be built - the problem is trying to find a 10-conductor connector that is big enough to fit over the cable and doesn't cost $200. The breakaway is more important than the XLR return so I'll just get a regular cable made if it can't be done.

Any thoughts or ideas? If it makes a difference, I'm using a Sound Devices 302 mixer.

Thanks,
Mark

[Steve Oakley]

EIJ(?) had a standard 10 pin connector, but its pretty big. used to be used between cameras and VHS recorders. the most conductors is 8 pins on a Nuetricon speaker connector, but its bigger then the 7pin most folks are used to. why not just keep that mic local to the mixer on a short boompole if all you are looking for is ambience/uncritical NAT sound.

[Wayne Brissette]

I had to buy, OK had is a stretch, a couple of those hirose connectors and the connectors themselves were $40 each! I found them at DigiKey in the US. Even with my soldering station, and experience soldering 100 pair cables in the military, I found it very tough to get to some of those inner pins. I did manage to make the cable I needed, but when I needed a new cable, I broke down and bought the Remote Audio version. It does suck that the cables cost so much, but when I compare the cost vs. frustration, it was worth it for me.

Wayne

[Chris Soucy]

Somewhere near where my Dad was born, if I'm not mistaken.

To business:

Excuse the ignorance.

I do connectors, I do cables, but what, exactly, is a "breakaway cable"?

The problem I'm having is trying to figure out a fix without actually knowing what the problem is.

Give me a hint here.

CS

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Mark Utley

I've been looking into having a 10-conductor breakaway cable built that could hold my two XLR outs, 1/8" mini return and an XLR return (so I could run an on-camera mic or wireless receiver through the mixer). The cable can be built - the problem is trying to find a 10-conductor connector that is big enough to fit over the cable and doesn't cost $200. The breakaway is more important than the XLR return so I'll just get a regular cable made if it can't be done.

Any thoughts or ideas? If it makes a difference, I'm using a Sound Devices 302 mixer.

Thanks,
Mark

Remote Audio makes almost exactly the cable you want - I bought one from Trew along with my 442 just a week or so ago. The one I have is has a Hirose connector on the mixer end but a very similar version is available with XLRF connectors plus a TRS for the return at the mixer. It's 20 feet long with the breakway 3 feet from the camera end, camera end has 2 XLRM, a 1/8 TRS male return to go to the camera's headphone output, and a 1/8 TRS female pigtail tapped off the return line so the camera op can monitor as well as the soundy. They also have a variety of lengths of extension cable available. They also makes a XLRFx2 to stereo 1/8 TRS male adapter cable with blocking capacitors to let you plug into the mic connector of a DV camera that doesn't have XLR inputs. The only difference in what you're looking for is that extra XLR line to bring an on-camera mic back to the mixer. I think I'd just use a pair of XLR cables joined end to end and taped parallel to the breakaway cable with their length chosen so the connection is at about the same point in the line as my breakaway. Don't know why you'd need that for a wireless receiver, though. I'd take the rcvr off the camera and put it in the bag with the mixer.

These are called Betacam Breakway Cables because they first emerged for newsies using betacams. http://remoteaudio.com/cables.htm#betacam and the model you want is CABETACFP33.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Chris Soucy

...
I do connectors, I do cables, but what, exactly, is a "breakaway cable"?

The problem I'm having is trying to figure out a fix without actually knowing what the problem is.

Give me a hint here.

CS

A "breakaway" is a multi-line cable combining 2 balanced lines for mixer-to-camera audio plus a stereo line to carry a return from the camera headphone monitor back to the mixer plus shield and sometimes an intercom line as well, all in one jacket, and having an inline quick-disconnect near one or both ends. That way you can easily separate the cable into two parts and then reconnect again when moving the camera and mixer between setups so you can avoid dragging cables, accidently pulling over gear, or stressing the camera and mixer connectors with tugs and repeated plugging and unplugging.

[Mark Utley]

Just to clarify (I typed that first post on my Nintendo Wii, so editing text is a bit of a hassle), I'm having the cable built by an audio mixer I work with. He has a 442 and builds breakaway cables. He does great work, I save a bit of money going through him and he does free repairs if the cable gets damaged.

Since he does custom cable work, I figured I'd see if I can send a few 'extras' down the line (I was looking into sending a BNC video line, but putting that in a breakaway requires a $1000+ connector! Seriously!). The reason I wanted an XLR return is for when I'm shooting sports - I've had very good results putting wireless mics at each end of the court/rink/field and a shotgun on the camera.

If it's not possible to put another XLR in a breakaway, I'll just get the basic 2 x XLR, 1 x 1/8". I suppose this is an advantage because by using the same connector, I can borrow/rent someone else's cable if something ever goes wrong with mine.


I just came across these, which might work:

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/produ...&cat=80&page=1
http://www.trewaudio.com/store/produ...&cat=80&page=1


Thanks for the replies.