Cable Management & Interference (1 Viewer)

[Michael Kizer]

I've finished re-wiring my rack of equipment in an attempt to tame the wire jungle and I've ran into a bit of interference that I never encountered before (with a semi-neatly wired system... i.e., "controlled" spaghetti).

Here's the basic setup:
A rack with every component on it, approx. 2.5 feet from the TV. All power cables are routed down one side of the rack and bundled together in split loom tubing.

Component interconnects run down the middle of the rack, in a couple of bundles, also in split loom tubing.

I then have video cables (two component, 1 s-video and one composite) running from their respective devices directly to the TV, again in split loom tubing.

The problem:
I have a fairly high quality component cable running from the DVD player to the TV, and a moderately good (A/R) s-video cable running from a TiVo to the TV. Both of these cables are running next to each other in the tubing. I notice the picture "jumping" a bit while watching a DVD. Since the s-video feed from TiVo is always sending a signal to the TV (even when watching something else), I figure this is the culprit. A quick disconnect of the s-video cable at the TiVo proved this to be true.

Questions:
So here go the questions...
Which types of cables should NOT be bundled together? Obviously, it appears that video cables that could have active signals simultaneously, should not. Perhaps a better shielded s-video cable is in order?

Say you have video in and out (composite in my case) from a vcr to a receiver, should these cables be separated as well?

Since I have to run a few cables from the rack to the TV, and will try to minimize the floor mess... is there any shielded tubing that could be used to house individual video cables? Or how much space between video cables running parallel to each other is required on average?

Thanks,

 

[Ted Lee]

i've never heard of separating out video cabling from eachother. it's odd that you're seeing video cabling interference...but certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

you definitely should not combine audio/video with electrical - but based on how you wired up the rack you already know that.

i have mostly composite cabling all bundled together in a similar fashion to yours and have not noticed any video degredation. some of my wires are right next to eachother with no problems.

i wonder if it's just a bad s-video cable? have you tried separating out the s-video (from the tivo) to just a different point behind the rack to see if that works? also, i'm not a big fan of esoteric cabling, but i guess it wouldn't hurt to try.

i'll be interested to hear how this turns out...keep us posted.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

To create a magnetic field, you have to have current. Most interconnects dont have power/very little current so it's usually safe to bundle them together. (Mine are bundled in loose bunches with velcro straps.)

My only guess is that the Tivo is using the outer shield of the SVideo cable as a power-ground.

Remove the SVideo cable and run it separate.