Knox Video t-CAT User manual

CAT
Video Distribution System
Operation and Technical Manual
Knox Video Technologies
8677 Grovemont Circle
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
301-840-5805 / 301-840-2946 Fax
www.knoxvideo.com

Warnings, Cautions and Others
Mises en garde, precautions et indications diverses
WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK:
• DO CONNECT CHASSIS TO PROTECTIVE (SAFETY) EARTH WITH SUPPLIED
POWER CABLE,
• DO NOT OPEN,
• DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER (OR BACK),
• DO NOT EXPOSE TO AN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE,
• DO NOT EXPOSE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE,
• DO NOT BLOCK THE POWER PLUG LOCATION,
• DO NOT ATEMPT TO SERVICE, NO USER SERVICE PARTS INSIDE,
• DO NOT ATEMPT TO PERFORM UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS,
•
DISCONNECT THE MAINS PLUG TO SHUT THE POWER OFF COMPLETELY.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an
equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude
to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point, within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

For U.S.A.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital
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 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
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment
off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more 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 the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
For Canada/pour le Canada
CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG
TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT. ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS
ELECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS
LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQUAU FOND.
This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la Classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.
• Do not block the ventilation openings or holes.
(If the ventilation openings or holes are blocked by a newspaper or cloth, etc., the heat may not be
able to get out.)
• Do not place any naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, on the apparatus.
• When discarding batteries, environmental problems must be considered and local rules or laws
governing the disposal of these batteries must be followed strictly.
• Do not use this apparatus in a bathroom or places with water. Also do not place any containers
filled with water or liquids (such as cosmetics or medicines, flower vases, potted plants, cups,
etc.) on top of this apparatus.
ATTENTION:
• Ne bloquez pas es orifices ou es trous de ventilation. (Si es orifices ou es trous de ventilation
sont bloqués par un journal un tissu, etc., la chaleur peut ne pas être évacuée correctement de
l’appareil)
• Ne placez aucune source de flamme nue, telle qu’une bougie, sur l’appareil.
• Lors de la mise au rebut des piles, veuillez prendre en considération es problèmes de
l’environnement et suivre strictement les règles et les lois locales sur la mise au rebut des piles.
• N’utilisez pas cet appareil dans une salle de bain ou un autre endroit avec de l’eau.

• Ne placez aucune récipient contenant de l’ear (tel que des cosmétiques ou des médicaments, un
vase de fleurs, un pot de fleurs, une tasse, uec.) sur cet appareil.
ATTENTION
Afin d’éviter tout risque d’électrocution, d’incendie, etc.:
1. Ne pas enlever es vis ni es panneaux et ne pas ouvrir le coff ret de l’appareil.
2. Ne pas exposer l’appareil a la pluie ni a l’humidité.
Caution — STANDBY/ON switch!
Disconnect the mains plug to shut the power off completely. The STANDBY/ON switch in any
position does not disconnect the mains line. The power cannot be remote controlled.
Attention — Commutateur STANDBY/ON!
Déconnecter la fiche de secteur pour couper complètement le courant. Le commutateur
STANDBY/ON ne coupe jamais complètement la ligne de secteur, quelle que soit sa position. Le
courant ne peut être télécommandé.
RoHS – Restriction of Hazardous Substances
The RoHS Directive, enacted by the European Union (EU), restricts the use of six hazardous
substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or
polybrominated diphenyl ethers) within electrical and electronic equipment. The goal, consistent
with other international regulations, is to contribute to human health and the environment by
restricting the use of these hazardous substances in new equipment. Manufacturers of electronics
products outside Europe must abide by this legislation if the equipment they produce is ultimately
imported in an EU member state. This equipment complies with the RoHS directive 2002/95/EC.
Initial Inspection
Before shipment, this unit was inspected and found to be free of mechanical and electrical
defects. As soon as the unit is received, inspect for any damage that may have occurred in transit.
Save all packing materials in case that the unit has to be returned. If damage is found, please file
a claim with the carrier immediately. Do not return the unit to Knox Video Technologies without
prior approval.
Limited Warranty
Unless otherwise stated in the product specific documentation received with this product, Knox
Video Technologies provides a five-year limited warranty for this product. The above warranty
period shall begin on the date of shipment by Knox to purchaser or, if purchaser is an authorized
reseller of such Knox products, from the date of shipment by the reseller to the reseller’s original
customer. The warranty set forth above shall not apply to failure or deficiency, which has been
caused by misuse, abnormal or unusually heavy use, neglect, alteration, improper installation,
unauthorized repair or modification, improper testing, accidental or causes external to the product
such as but not limited to excessive heat or humidity, power failure, or improper installation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights, which vary from
state to state.

IF SERVICE IS REQUIRED:
If the product does not perform as warranted, call Knox Video Technologies at
301-840-5805 for available service options. If it is necessary to return an item to Knox Video
Technologies obtain a Return Authorization, RA, number prior to returning the product. When
returning the product, the defective product should be securely packaged in original boxes and
insured for shipment. Place the RA number on the outside and inside of the package. Include a
description of the problem with the product. Owner agrees to insure and accept all liability for
loss of or damage to this product.
YOU MUST CALL TECHNICAL SUPPORT AT 301-840-5805 FOR A RETURN
AUTHORIZATION NUMBER (RMA) AND “SHIP-TO” ADDRESS BEFORE SHIPPING
ANY PRODUCT TO KNOX VIDEO TECHNOLOGIES.

Table of Contents
SECTION 1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
1.2.1VIDEO FORMATS
1.2.2AUDIO FORMATS
1.2.3AUDIO ELECRICAL TRANSMISSION
1.2.4LENGTH FOR t-CAT to r-CAT
1.3 DETAIL SPECIFICATIONS
SECTION 2. INSTALLATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 UNPACKING AND INSPECTION
2.3 INSTALLATION
2.4 VIDEO CONNECTIONS
2.5 AUDIO CONNECTIONS
2.6 CAT CONNECTIONS
SECTION 3. TROUBLESHOOTING
3.1 NO VIDEO SIGNAL AT r-CAT OUTPUT
3.2 POOR VIDEO QUALITY
3.3 POOR AUDIO QUALITY
3.4 GREEN SHIFT/GREEN WASHOUT
3.5 DELAY SKEW IN UTP CABLES
SECTION 4. MAINTENANCE
4.1 INTRODUCTION

SECTION 1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The KNOX CAT VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM is a pair of devices, which accepts audio
and video signals and aggregates them into an arrangement capable of being extended over
ordinary unshielded twisted-pair Category 5, 5e or 6 cables. For improved distances nano-skew
cable may also be used. Featuring field configurable engineering, the Knox CAT Video
Distribution System can be quickly and easily re-configured for several modes of operation. The
system supports resolution and refresh rates up to QXGA (2048x1536 @ 60 Hz) and HDTV of
720p, 1080i and 1080p60.
CAT5/5e/6/nano-skew cabling must be pinned to the TIA-EIA T568B wiring specification. This
equipment is not intended for, nor does it support, connection through an Ethernet network. Do
not connect these outputs to any sort of networking or telecommunications equipment.
1.2 TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
The CAT Video Distribution System uses an advanced instigated circuit with triple differential
twisted-pair drivers and receivers with common-mode sync encoding. The high bandwidth
enables differential signaling onto standard twisted-pair with very low harmonic distortion, while
internal feedback ensures balanced gain and phase at the outputs reducing radiated EMI and
harmonics.
The CAT Video Distribution System must be deployed as pairs of units. The customer will
always need to use at least one t-CAT (transmitter) unit and one r-CAT (receiver) unit. The t-
CAT unit will be connected to the source of the video (and possibly to the source of some audio
as well). A length of cable will connect the t-CAT unit to the r-CAT unit. The cable can be
CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, or nano-skew cable. Whichever cable is used, the cable is a “straight”
EIA 568B cable wiring and is terminated with RJ-45 connectors. The r-CAT unit will be
connected to the video display device (and audio, if delivered, will be connected to an amplifying
device). The system will transport video supplied in several formats. Despite accepting multiple
formats, the system will not convert from one format to another format.
The user has a choice of digital (known as S/PDIF), or analog. For analog, the user also has a
choice of unbalanced, or balanced stereo, or mono. See below for details. Both units will handle
the same audio options.
1.2.1 VIDEO FORMATS
Composite (CVBS) on a BNC connector, or
Y/C (S-Video) on 2 BNC connectors, or
Component (Y,Pb,Pr/RGsB/YUV) on 3 BNC connectors, or
RGBVH on 5 BNC connectors.
1.2.2 AUDIO FORMATS
Analog Monaural (mono) audio,
Analog Stereo audio, or
Digital audio (S/PDIF).
1.2.3 AUDIO ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION
Unbalanced on RCA connectors or
Balanced on 3 screw WECO terminal connectors,
S/PDIF (digital audio) on RCA connector.

1.2.4 LENGTH FROM t-CAT TO r-CAT
The CAT Video Distribution System was designed to operate in 1 of 4 ranges when correctly set
to the actual length range of the cable interconnecting the t-CAT and r-CAT units (double the
distances for nano-skew).
Short 1 to 75 feet
Medium short 76 to 150 feet
Medium long 151 to 300 feet
Long 301 to 450 feet
1.3 DETAIL SPECIFICATIONS
Video Channels:
Levels: 1V p-p
Frequency Response: DC to 350MHz @ 1v <3dB down at 300MHz
Input Impedance: 75 Ohms
Output Impedance: 75 Ohms
Crosstalk: less than -70dB@5MHz
Connectors:
75Ohm female BNC
Optional RJ-45 female (CAT 5/6/nano-skew cable)
Maximum DC Input: +/-0.5V
Audio Channels
Audio General Analog
Nominal level:
Analog unbalanced 0 dbu (775 mV)
Analog balanced 0 dbu (775 mV)
Digital (only unbalanced) 0.5 V
Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
THD + Noise: 0.05% @ 1 kHz at nominal level
S/N: >80 dB, balanced, at maximum output, unweighted
Crosstalk: <-70 dB @ 1 kHz
Stereo channel separation: >70 dB @ 1 kHz
CMRR for balanced: >65 dB @ 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Max Input Level: +24 dbu
Max Output Level: +24 dbu
Gain: 0db (unity)
Input Impedance:
Balanced 600 Ohms
Unbalanced 4.7K Ohms
Digital switchable 75 Ohms or Hi-Z
Output Impedance:
Balanced 600 Ohms
Unbalanced 100 Ohms
Digital 75 Ohms
Connectors:
Balanced WECO 931-HSL/930-HFL
Unbalanced RCA
Digital RCA
S/PDIF Throughput: 44.1 & 48 ksps stereo (~6Mbaud)

General
Temperature:
Operating: 32F to 113F (0C to 45C)
Storage: -4F to +140F (-20C to +60C)
Humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing
MTBF: 20,000 hours
Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
Compliance: FCC Class A, CE Emissions, Health and Safety and RoHS
Power:
Input: 100 VAC to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, Non-Grounded, wall
transformers
TCAT 12 VDC, 0.120 Amp
RCAT 12 VDC, 0.175 Amp
Power Supply Input Plug 2.1mm, Center Positive
Dimensions: 5.75” wide by 1.5” high by 2.25” deep
SECTION 2. INSTALLATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION
This section provides the information required for installation of the CAT Video Distribution
System into its operating environment.
2.2 UNPACKING AND INSPECTION
Unpack the CAT Video Distribution System carefully and verify that the serial number matches
the number quoted on the packing list. Before installing it into a system, check the outside of the
unit carefully for signs of damage and check that none of the fasteners has come loose.
2.3 INSTALLATION
The CAT Video Distribution System has two mounting configurations available. There is a multi
unit rack mounting bracket and a single unit wall bracket. Which one you use will depend on the
location. Choose a space, which is convenient for all the cables to converge. Then make all
Audio and Video connections prior to connecting the DC power plug.

Typical usage of 1 T-CAT unit and 1 R-CAT unit
Knox Product
CAT5
t-CAT
Knox Product
CAT5
r-CAT
User’s Device
Video &
Audio
Source
User’s Device
Video
Display
& Audio
Amp
Length of User’s CAT5 cable
Video
Audio
Video
Audio

Connect the AC power transformer to a power mains outlet of the correct voltage and frequency
then plug the DC power connector into the t-CAT or r-CAT. There is no power switch on the
CAT Video Distribution System; it is intended to be on at all times.
2.4 VIDEO CONNECTIONS
There are five BNC connectors for the video signal to accommodate the various video formats.
Be sure that all devices are terminated in 75 ohms. It is not necessary to terminate unused inputs
or outputs. If the incoming signal is already terminated be sure the 75-Ohm DIP Switch is set to
off to prevent double termination. The first of the five connectors is for the Red signal in a
RGBHV and RGB systems, Pr in a YPbPr system or C in a Y/C system. The second connector is
for the Green, Gs or Y signal. The third connector is for the Blue or Pb signal. While the
Horizontal and Vertical signals are applied to the fourth and fifth BNC connectors.
r-Cat and t-CAT Rear Panel Diagram.
2.5 AUDIO CONNECTIONS
The CAT Video Distribution System can transport balanced, unbalanced or digital S/PDIF audio
sources but not simultaneously. Use the Audio DIP switch to select the desired format. The
balanced audio connections are made via a pair of WECO three terminal screw connectors When
using balanced audio, the common is at the center, the + is on top and – is on the bottom as
shown on the figure. The unbalance audio and S/PDIF use RCA Connectors.

2.6 CAT CONNECTIONS
Signal losses increase with transmission line length. The CAT Video Distribution System
contains additional support to equalize video signals along longer twisted pair transmission lines.
A full solution to accomplish this is built into the r-CAT. A combination of four DIP Switches in
two banks supplies the necessary compensation to nullify the detritus effects of the cable. The r-
CAT can be adjusted in four steps to handle cable lengths up to 450 feet,

CAUTION: CAT5/5e/6/nano-skew cabling must be pinned to the TIA-EIA T568B wiring
specification. This equipment is not intended for, nor does it support, connection through
an Ethernet network. Do not connect these inputs or outputs to any sort of networking or
telecommunications equipment.
SECTION 3. TROUBLESHOOTING
In most cases, issues with the Knox CAT Video Distribution System can be resolved by checking
the CAT5/5e/6 cable termination and ensuring it is pinned to the EIA T568B specification.
3.1 NO VIDEO SIGNAL AT THE r-CAT OUTPUT
Check that both units are powered.
Check the source and destination devices are powered and functioning.
Ensure the cable termination is pinned to the EIA T568B specification.
Check that the DIP switches are set properly.
3.2 POOR VIDEO QUALITY
Ensure the compensation DIP switches on the r-CAT is in the correct position
Check cable connections
Refresh rate of the signal may be set too high.

3.3 POOR AUDIO QUALITY
Amplified speakers are required. Ensure an amplifier drives the speakers.
Check input source levels from source device. Make sure the audio source is not over or under
driven.
3.4 GREEN SHIFT/GREEN WASHOUT
The standard Knox product is designed to function with DC coupled signals with the black level
referenced to 0 Volts. Nearly all VGA cards function this way. However, some media servers or
digital camera devices provide AC coupled signals and can cause a green color shift in the video.
3.5 DELAY SKEW IN UTP CABLES
Knox has long recognized the skew issue of Unshielded Twisted Pair, UTP, cable. Skew
describes timing differences where multiple cables deliver multiple signals that must arrive at the
same time. Category 5/5e/6 cables are intentionally designed such that each one of the four
twisted pairs of cable has a different twist. However, this difference in twist causes a variation in
length of the conductors. This variance of twist is intentionally done to minimize crosstalk
between the pairs. Because all four pairs work simultaneously, and each delivers a part of the
signal, the timing or ‘skew’ of the pairs is also critical to system operation. Nano-skew cable
maintains a consistent twist in between the inner pairs; this cable allows a minimal amount of
skew delay keeping the timing consistent. The electrical lengths of the conductors are
sufficiently equal to allow use for analog video networks without undue equalization. The CAT
Video Distribution System was design to be used with standard Category 5/5e/6 cables of lengths
of less than 500 feet. By using nano-skew cable that length can be doubled.

SECTION 4. MAINTENANCE
CAUTION! There are no user serviceable parts in the CAT Video Distribution System. Do
not operate unit with top cover removed.
4.1 INTRODUCTION
The CAT Video Distribution System uses passive air flow (convection) to keep its power supply
within a safe operating temperature range. No maintenance of the cooling system is required. No
other routine maintenance is required in the CAT Video Distribution System.
CAT Video Distribution Manual
P/N 020002
October 2008