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DIY Digital cable question

Need to make a short digital cable using Supra Trico coax cable.  There is a double braid on this cable.  The inner braid is the signal return.  The outer copper braid is for additional shielding.  When I asked the Supra rep how to connect the outer shield, he said to just let it float.  Everything I have read said it needs to be connected to ground on one end or the other. (Wish Almarg was still with us)

Thanks for the input.

corelli
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

A cable which has a floating braid will add capacitance and basically "choke" the current.  You need to ground the braid on at least one end. 

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

Minimum length for a coax digital cable is 1.5 meters. Less than that and problems can arise from reflections within the cable.

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 

I would connect outer shield to ground at the source (transport) side only.

corelli OP
977 posts
 

Thanks for the responses.  Confirms what I thought, but I was not aware of the minimum length suggestion.  Good info. 

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