Black Box IC441A User manual

CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
INFORMATION
Order toll-free in the U.S. 24 hours, 7 A.M. Monday to midnight Friday: 877-877-BBOX
FREE technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax [phone]
Mail order: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Drive, Lawrence, PA 15055-1018
Web site: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: [email protected]
FEBRUARY 1998
IC441A
Video Stereo Audio Baluns
VIDEO
PAIR 4
(7 & 8)
AUDIO(L)
PAIR 2
(3 & 6)
AUDIO(R)
PAIR 3
(1 & 2)
Video Stereo
Audio Balun

3
FCC/IC RFI STATEMENTS
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
AND
CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS
Class B Digital Device. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B computing device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or telephone
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user
is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
• Consult an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Caution: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible
for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
To meet FCC requirements, shielded cables and power cords are required to
connect this device to a personal computer or other Class B certified device.
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emission from digital
apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation of the Canadian Department of
Communications.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de classe B prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage
radioélectrique publié par le ministère des Communications du Canada.

4
VIDEO STEREO AUDIO BALUNS
Contents
Chapter Page
1. Specifications ............................................................................................. 5
2. Introduction ............................................................................................... 7
3. Installation .................................................................................................. 8
4. Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 10
4.1 Things to Try if a Problem Occurs .................................................. 10
4.2 Calling Black Box .............................................................................. 11
4.3 Shipping and Packaging ................................................................... 11

5
CHAPTER 1: Specifications
1. Specifications
Cable Required — Between Balun pairs: (1) Unshielded twisted pair (UTP):
cable:
Construction Standard: Category 3 or higher;
Gauge: 24 AWG or lower
Termination: RJ-45 plugs;
Pairs: 3 or more (6 wires used) to carry all video and
audio channels;
Impedance: 100 ohms at 1 MHz;
Maximum Capacitance: 20 pF/ft. (6.1 pF/m);
Maximum Attenuation: 6.6 dB/1000 ft. (2 dB/km);
To attached devices:
Video: (1) Standard 75-ohm coaxial cable with a BNC
male connector on the Balun end;
Audio: (2) Standard RCA phono cables
Compliance — FCC Class B, DOC Class/MDC classe B;
CISPR Pub. 22 Class B
Standard — Composite (baseband) video: NTSC, PAL, or SECAM
Impedance — Coaxial side: 75 ohms;
Phono side: 600 ohms;
UTP side: 100 ohms
Bandwidth — Video: DC to 10 MHz;
Audio: 20 Hz to 50 KHz
Maximum RF
Input — 1.1 volts at 60 Hz
Insertion Loss — Less than 2 dB over the DC-to-10-MHz frequency range
Return Loss — Greater than 15 dB over the DC-to-10-MHz frequency
range
Common-Mode
Rejection — Greater than 40 dB at 10 MHz

6
VIDEO STEREO AUDIO BALUNS
Maximum
Distance — With Category 3 cable: 1200 ft. (365.8 m) for color video,
1500 ft. (457.2 m) for black & white video and for audio;
With Category 5 cable: 2200 ft. (670.6 m) for color video,
2500 ft. (762 m) for black & white video and for audio
Connectors — (1) Shielded RJ-45 female, (1) BNC female, (2) RCA
female
RJ-45 Pins Used — Pins 1 (audio right), 2 (audio right ground), 3 (audio
left), 6 (audio left ground), 7 (video), and 8 (video
ground)
Temperature
Tolerance — Operating: 32 to 131˚ F (0 to 55˚ C);
Storage: –4 to 185˚ F (–20 to 85˚ C)
Humidity
Tolerance — Up to 95% noncondensing
Size — 2.3"H x 2.4"W x 1"D (5.7 x 6.1 x 2.5 cm)
Weight — 2.8 oz. (80 g, 0.2 lb., 0.1 kg)

7
CHAPTER 2: Introduction
2. Introduction
With the Video Stereo Audio Balun, you can transmit composite baseband video
and audio signals across Category 3 or better unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable,
which is already wired into most commercial sites. Use pairs of Baluns to transmit
standard NTSC, PAL, or SECAM composite video with stereo audio: The Balun
near the media source takes a single composite baseband video signal from 75-ohm
coaxial cable, as well as left and right audio signals from two 600-ohm phono
cables, converts the signals, and transmits them over UTP cable to the other Balun,
which converts them back and sends them to their destination.
Connect the Video Stereo Audio Balun to a site’s structured cabling through a
modular wall jack in the work area. Each Balun has a BNC connector and two RCA
connectors at one end and an RJ-45 jack at the other end.
The Video Stereo Audio Balun is designed for use with CCTV cameras and
monitors, video-cassette recorders (NTSC, PAL, or SECAM), video-conferencing,
and other baseband audiovisual equipment. Applications include: security/
surveillance monitoring, video bulletin boards, financial information services, news
services, education, video training, airport displays, video capture, and
informational displays in stock exchanges, hotels, and convention centers.

8
VIDEO STEREO AUDIO BALUNS
3. Installation
To install a pair of Video Stereo Audio Baluns, take these steps:
CAUTION!
Do not attempt to open the housing. There are no user-serviceable parts
inside the Video Stereo Audio Balun. Opening the unit will void your
warranty.
1. Make sure that the video-destination device is not too far away from the
media-source device(s) (refer to the Maximum Distance specification in
Chapter 1). If the destination device is beyond the reach of the source Balun,
the signals the device receives will be weak or nonexistent.
2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for turning off power to the video and
audio equipment you will be attaching, and disconnecting that equipment
from AC power and from all other devices.
3. Make certain that the telecommunications outlets and cross-connects to
which you will connect the Baluns are configured properly and are labeled so
that the circuit can be identified.
4. Verify that the twisted-pair circuit you want to use is not already being used
for other LAN or telephone equipment.
CAUTION!
Do not connect the Video Stereo Audio Balun to a telecommunication
outlet wired to unrelated equipment. Making such a connection may
damage the equipment and/or the Balun. Please make sure that all
wiring is straight-through-pinned.
Do not mount the Video Stereo Audio Balun over equipment-
ventilation openings. Covering the openings may cause the equipment
to overheat.
5. For each Balun—depending on what type of video equipment you are
attaching it to—either plug its BNC female connector directly into the
device’s BNC male connector, or plug the Balun into a cable that runs to the
device (this cable must have a BNC male connector on the Balun end). You
can also run phono cables from your audio source(s) and plug them into the
Balun’s RCA phono jacks; you can use one or both of the audio channels, as
appropriate for your application. Refer to Figure 3-1 on the next page.

9
CHAPTER 3: Installation
Figure 3-1. The Balun and its connectors.
6. Connect one end of a UTP cable into each Balun’s RJ-45 modular jack. To
carry the video signal, these cables must carry a wire pair pinned to RJ-45
Pins 7 and 8. To carry the left audio signal, the cables must carry a pair
pinned to Pins 3 and 6. To carrythe right audio signal, the cables must carry a
pair pinned to Pins 1 and 2.
7. Plug the other end of each UTP cable into the appropriate video wall outlet
or patch panel. When this is done, a complete cabling circuit should run
between the two baluns, as shown in Figure 3-2 below.
Figure 3-2. Two Baluns cabled together.
8. Reconnect and power up the video and audio equipment.
Your Video Stereo Audio Balun system should be ready for continuous operation.
VIDEO
PAIR 4
(7 & 8)
AUDIO(R)
PAIR 3
(1 & 2)
AUDIO(L)
PAIR 2
(3 & 6)
Video Stereo
Audio Balun
VIDEO
PAIR 4
(7 & 8)
AUDIO(R)
PAIR 3
(1 & 2)
AUDIO(L)
PAIR 2
(3 & 6)
Video Stereo
Audio Balun
VIDEO
PAIR 4
(7 & 8)
AUDIO(R)
PAIR 3
(1 & 2)
AUDIO(L)
PAIR 2
(3 & 6)
Video Stereo
Audio Balun
RJ-45 for UTP
Category 3 or
higher UTP

10
VIDEO STEREO AUDIO BALUNS
4. Troubleshooting
4.1 Things to Try If Problems Occur
If at any time your Video Stereo Audio Balun system does not seem to be working
properly, take these steps:
1. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, perform diagnostics on your video
and/or audio equipment.
2. If this doesn’t solve the problem, check all cable connections and the integrity
of your site wiring.
3. You might be trying to transmit the audio/video signals across too great a
length of cable. The maximum distance over which the Baluns can transmit
and receive video signals depends on your cable and your video and audio
equipment; refer to the Maximum Distance specification in Chapter 1.
4. Make sure that the patch cord you are running beteen the Balun and your
site’s wiring system is the correct cable type and is properly pinned (see the
Cable Required specification in Chapter 1).
5. If possible, replace the Video Stereo Audio Baluns involved in the problem
with Video Stereo Audio Baluns that are known to be working, one at a time.
If at any point the problem goes away, there is probably a defect in the Balun
you just replaced.
6. If you still cannot diagnose the problem, call Black Box for technical support
as described in the next section.

11
CHAPTER 4: Troubleshooting
4.2 Calling Black Box
If you determine that a Video Stereo Audio Balun is malfunctioning, do not attempt
to alter or repair the unit. It contains no user-serviceable parts. Contact Black Box
Technical Support at 724-746-5500.
Before you do, make a record of the history of the problem. We will be able to
provide more efficient and accurate assistance if you have a complete description,
including:
• the nature and duration of the problem.
• when the problem occurs.
• the components involved in the problem.
• any particular application that, when used, appears to create the problem or
make it worse.
• the results of any testing you’ve already done.
4.3 Shipping and Packaging
If you need to transport or ship your Video Stereo Audio Balun:
• Package it carefully. We recommend that you use the original container.
• If you ever ship the Balun back to us for any reason, contact Black Box to get a
Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number.

NOTES

1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • 724-746-5500 • Fax [phone]
©Copyright 1998. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.