Kramer Electronics FC-50 - Manual (Page 5)

Overview
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3 Overview
The high-quality Kramer MultiTOOLS FC-50 RS-232 Range Extender can
connect either to a PC or to a device (for example, a switcher). By
connecting two units (purchased separately) via a CAT 5 cable, the PC can
control the switcher over a range of up to 1000 meters (3300 feet).
In particular, the FC-50 features:
• Bidirectional RS-232 operation
• The Power Connect feature
• A CONNECTION switch to select between a crossed and a straight
connection
• A PC/DEVICE pushbutton that is pressed or released if a device or a
PC, respectively, are connected to the RS-232 port
• 12V DC power
3.1 About the Power Connect Feature
The Power Connect feature applies as long as the cable can carry power.
This feature is available when using STP cable and the distance does not
exceed 50m (164ft) on standard CAT 5 cable. For longer distances, heavier
gauge cable should be used (TP cable is still suitable for the video/audio
transmission, but not for feeding the power at these distances). For units
which are connected via RJ-45 connectors, make sure that the shield of the
STP cable is connected to the metal casing of the connectors on both ends
of the cable. For units which are connected via terminal block connectors,
the shield of the STP cable must be connected to a ground terminal on the
units at both ends (use the ground terminal of the power supply connection
if necessary).
For a TP cable exceeding a distance of 50m, separate power supplies should
be connected to the transmitter and to the receiver simultaneously.
3.2 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) / Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
We recommend that you use Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable, and stress
that the compliance to electromagnetic interference was tested using STP
cable. There are different levels of STP cable available, and we advise you
to use the best quality STP cable that you can afford. Our non-skew-free
cable, Kramer BC-STP is intended for analog signals where skewing is not
an issue.
In cases where there is skewing, our Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) skew-
free cable, Kramer BC-XTP, may be advantageous, and UTP cable might