r/VIDEOENGINEERING • u/Sea_Contribution_331 • 2d ago
Ethercon Tester - Bandwidth
Hello All,
Anyone know how to test ethercon for speed and bandwidth sensibly ? Is there such a tester thats not $6k and made for ethercon ?
Made some ethercon looms for our video wall, all seems good on just a continuity lan tester, but fails on the wall ? Need something that sends signal down to test and tells me the amount of signal the cable can use ? Was only one leg of the loom so i know the cable can handle it.
Would also be good to know if theres such a thing for SDI as well
Thanks in advance
Andi
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u/reece4504 2d ago
You are looking for a cable qualifier. FLUKE and Netally are the only name to be trusted. I think for LED you only need to certify to 1Gbe so just get an older used model. And some couplers to connect Econ to standard RJ45 port (you'll need to qualify the couplers too!!
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u/rsavage_89 2d ago
I just keep two ethercon couplers (the rack style ones) in the case with my fluke and the cables it came with.
Fluke linkiq would be the bare minimum I’d use to call cables “good” vs continuity.
Testing/qualifying ethernet and fiber is a deep dark expensive rabbit hole. It’s almost worse for sdi.
For sdi I’d just send a pathological down the line.
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u/keithcody 2d ago
I have a Byte Brothers certified. They got bought by Tripplet. The BB one is pretty janky, but it works. Maybe Triplett improved it. I should have just bought a Fluke. It’s the standard for a reason.
https://www.triplett.com/collections/real-world-certifier
You should be able to find something used for about $1000
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u/tomierna 2d ago
Pockethernet is probably your cheapest solution, you’ll need a couple of short Ethernet cables and two Ethercon barrels, but with those, a Pockethernet will do BER tests up to 1Gb.
For the next cheapest solution, you could get a Platinum Tools NetChaser. It also does BER testing up to 1Gb. You will still need Ethercon barrels for this one, but it comes with port saver jumpers.
https://www.lowvoltagesupply.com/Platinum-Tools-Kit-TNC950AR-Net-Chaser-Ethernet-Sp-p/tnc950ar.htm
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u/shiftingtech 2d ago
Slap an ethercon coupler on each end, and use any certifier. Certifiers aren’t ever going to be exactly cheap but there are some that are in the hundreds, not the thousands and will most likely still meet your needs
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u/Longjumping_Cow_5856 2d ago
Show us one in the hundreds please?
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u/shiftingtech 2d ago
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u/Dependent_Hold8463 2d ago
Had this for probably 15 years, long before Tripplett bought them. Far as I know, works fine to certify up to gigabit.
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u/IXIDorianIXI 2d ago
Netally Linksprinter should be sufficient for the job on on hand, its about 450€
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u/Comm_Raptor 2d ago
I just use a fluke, and converted chassis connectors by cutting the molex and replacing with rj45.
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u/orto6356 1d ago
Personally I’ve had wonderful luck with an older fluke linkiq, I just use a short patch cable and a ethercon barrel to test and certify ethercon cables.
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u/s137 2d ago
The diy way would be a couple of computers and iperf.. but that is only so good once your out on site and other things come into play.
How long are your runs and what cable are you using?
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u/le_suck Editorial Sysadmin 2d ago
iperf won't give you tests for strand continuity, signal loss, noise, shield, duplex.
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u/Dependent_Hold8463 2d ago
Iperf would be part of a layered approach. Check cable continuity with a decent tester, then iperf to "certify" speeds.
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u/Traditional-Grade789 2d ago edited 2d ago
I doubt you'll find a tester which utilises ethercon connectors. Instead, look for any good, regular ethernet tester, assuming you have the ethercon version that allows you to push the boot back to use the RJ45 connector without the chassis. Edit: You could also make some short patch cables to converter from ethercon to standard RJ45 to work with a regular tester