This range of robust stage boxes, cable drums, patch boxes and super-flexible, rugged, multicore cables is designed to withstand the rigours of life on the road. Available in four-way or eight-way configurations with standard RJ45-compatible etherCON connectors, they offer a solution to deploying multiple Cat5E equivalent cables in demanding environments, including television outside broadcast and live-performance rigs. Stage boxes and cable drums are fitted with captive multicore cables in various lengths, with etherCON break-out tails, Multicore cables have etherCON break-out tails at each end, patch boxes provide back-to back etherCON connectivity and breakout to standard RJ45 Cat5E patchcords.
The extremely rugged stage boxes and patch boxes are based on the Canford trapezoid, all metal stagebox. The narrow top, wide-base and trapezoid section of the box makes them very stable and resistant to rolling, even if cables are pulled, they also feature metal end plates for added strength and two 'runners' incorporated to the underside. These raise the unit off the ground, out of surface water, while also acting as runners, allowing the box to slide easily if dragged by the cable during rigging. All types are supplied with latching nickel plated Neutrik etherCON RJ45 connectors. The profile of the stagebox is a large trapezoid, 125mm width x 86mm height, (height includes runners). The four-way stagebox has 126mm length, the eight-way stagebox has 246mm length. Stageboxes with captive cables have a resilient spiral cable gland, 120mm in length.
Cables are the Canford CAT5E-F-J series of super-flexible deployable Cat5E multicore cables, which have either four or eight individually-jacketed cores with four pairs of conductors. The 'flexible' version (formerly called 'studio') has a soft PVC outer jacket for the best possible flexibility, and individually numbered inner jackets. The 'heavy duty' version (formerly called 'touring') has a tough polyurethane outer jacket for maximum abrasion resistance, and thicker, colour coded and numbered inner jackets for the more demanding requirements of location deployment. For full construction details, see CAT5E-F-J cable.
'Flexible' Grade Cable
Optimised to give the best possible flexibility and lie flat when deployed, they use either four or eight Canford CAT5E-F-M 5.8mm diameter cables, with silver coloured and numbered jackets. The overall jacket is soft PVC offering optimum flexibility and standard abrasion resistance in both indoor and moderate outdoor applications. This was formerly called 'studio' grade. Overall diameter: 16.8mm (4 circuit), 22.0mm (8 circuit).
'Heavy Duty' Grade Cable
Four Canford CAT5E-F 6.2mm diameter flexible cable cores, with colour coded and numbered individual jackets. The overall jacket has an inner layer of soft PVC for optimum flexibility plus an outer layer of PUR (polyurethane) for exceptional abrasion, moisture and chemical resistance. Canford uses PUR on many cable designs to provide excellent survival characteristics in harsh outside broadcast and touring applications. This was formerly called 'touring' grade. Overall diameter: 17.7mm.
Stageboxes - With cable
These are available in four-way and eight-way 'flexible' and four-way 'heavy duty' versions. They have either four or eight etherCON connectors mounted on the stage box, wired to the multicore cable which exits through a resilient, 120mm long, spiral cable-gland at one end. Each version is offered with a choice of cable lengths. The far end of the cable is 'broken out' into separate 'tails' of approximately 300mm length, each fitted with Neutrik EtherCON cable connectors.
Cable Drums - With cable
A range of wired cable drums, varying in size depending on the number of channels and length of cable, available in four-way and eight-way 'flexible' and four-way 'heavy duty' versions. They have either four or eight etherCON connectors mounted on the cable drum, wired to the multicore cable. Each version is offered with a choice of cable lengths. The far end of the cable is 'broken out' into separate 'tails' of approximately 300mm length, each fitted with Neutrik EtherCON cable connectors.
Multicore Cables - Breakout
Available in four-way and eight-way 'flexible', and four-way 'heavy duty' versions. They are available in a choice of lengths and are 'broken out' at both ends into separate 'tails' of approximately 300mm length, each fitted with Neutrik etherCON cable connectors.
Stage Patchboxes
Four and eight-way versions have two rows of four or eight etherCON connectors, one row on each side of the box, wired across, pin-to pin, to produce four or eight 'back-to-back' adapters. Tails may be plugged to one side and single cables, either fitted with etherCON or standard RJ45 connectors, may be patched to the other side and taken to the equipment. Stage patchboxes may also be used to 'daisy-chain' some or all of the multicore cores while giving the option to break-out some of the lines at intermediate points in the overall cable run.
EtherCON termination panels in a variety of connector counts and styles, including flat and angled tailgate types, are available, see CANFORD ETHERCON TERMINATION AND FEEDTHROUGH PANELS - CAT5E, CAT6 and CAT6A and see CANFORD UNIVERSAL CONNECTION PANELS - Flush and angled. (Neutrik D-series types).