Long USB cable run??

[Nolasooner56]

Due to room configuration connecting my desktop computer to my DAC will require a USB cable run of about 25 ft.  From what I've read, a cable with a signal booster will be required.  What other things do I need to know about a long cable run such as this?  Cable recommendations would be appreciated too. 

[Daudio]

17 minutes ago, Nolasooner56 said:

From what I've read, a cable with a signal booster will be required.

 

Actually, all you really need is a powered hub in between two 15' USB cables, but get a good one. And I think I would want to plug the hub (w/ extension cord) into the same power strip, or whatever, as the rest of your front end gear.

I don't think you want to pay for real long, boutique USB cables, so a good brand, like Blue Jeans cable should be fine.

 

IMO, naturally...

 

[4est]

Although Daudio is correct, Supra states theirs can work up to 45'.

 

http://www.jenving.com/products/view/usb-2.0-a-b-blue-8m-1001907656

[Kal Rubinson]

I've used the Corning 10m optical USB successfully.

[Daudio]

1 hour ago, 4est said:

Supra states theirs can work up to 45'

 

Wow ! Kinda makes all the other (regular) USB cables look like crap 

 

From Supra's ad copy:

 

"The trick is as always, the shielding, separate for each pair of leads, correctly twisted leads and the exact impedance alignment of 90ohm, which is absolutely vital for USB applications for jitter-free transmissions"

 

What do you think they mean by "correctly twisted" ?

 

Some people think I'm twisted, but not "correctly" (little do they know...) 

 

Their warning about ferrite beads is interesting, and enough to put me even further off them. I have a big box of various sizes of the snap on ferrites, that I removed from a retired audio guys experimental speaker and interconnect cables (!!). Want to buy some ? 

 

"Be careful in the use of ferrites. Not all ferrites are tuned correctly to be used with this high frequency data transfer cable without changing the electrical proporties of the cable to the point where the data transfer is corrupted and/or slowed down. This is a general notification for all digital interconnects. We have encountered HDMI cables not coming even close to the original excellent performance, thanks to later added ferrites with the benign intention of reducing RFI."

 

[pkane2001]

There are quite a few inexpensive USB to ethernet converters that make it easy to run 100m+ using CAT5e or CAT6 cable. Corning optical gets expensive at longer lengths but has the benefit of true optical isolation of the data path. It's a bit fragile, from what I've read. Probably because the 5v power is supplied over very thin copper wires running along the fiberoptic cable that can be easily damaged when the cable is pulled or bent hard.

[4est]

29 minutes ago, Daudio said:

 

Wow ! Kinda makes all the other (regular) USB cables look like crap 

 

From Supra's ad copy:

 

"The trick is as always, the shielding, separate for each pair of leads, correctly twisted leads and the exact impedance alignment of 90ohm, which is absolutely vital for USB applications for jitter-free transmissions"

 

What do you think they mean by "correctly twisted" ?

 

Some people think I'm twisted, but not "correctly" (little do they know...) 

 

Their warning about ferrite beads is interesting, and enough to put me even further off them. I have a big box of various sizes of the snap on ferrites, that I removed from a retired audio guys experimental speaker and interconnect cables (!!). Want to buy some ? 

 

"Be careful in the use of ferrites. Not all ferrites are tuned correctly to be used with this high frequency data transfer cable without changing the electrical proporties of the cable to the point where the data transfer is corrupted and/or slowed down. This is a general notification for all digital interconnects. We have encountered HDMI cables not coming even close to the original excellent performance, thanks to later added ferrites with the benign intention of reducing RFI."

 

 

They mostly are sorta crappy.

 

I imagine they mean twisted ccw.