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Cable Length Calculator

Calculate maximum cable runs for SDI, HDMI, fiber with signal loss estimates

Cable Specifications

Results

Maximum Cable Length Reference (Belden)

Cable Type Belden 7731A Belden 1794A Belden 1694A Belden 1505A
HD-SDI (1.5 Gbps) 580 ft 469 ft 371 ft 304 ft
3G-SDI (3.0 Gbps) 393 ft 320 ft 256 ft 210 ft
6G-SDI (6 Gbps) 280 ft 220 ft 175 ft 145 ft
12G-SDI (12 Gbps) 196 ft 155 ft 123 ft 102 ft

Note: Distances based on official Belden transmission chart data. Assumes 30 dB loss at 1/2 clock frequency for HD-SDI, and 20 dB loss at 1/2 clock frequency for 12G-SDI. Actual performance may vary based on connectors, installation quality, and environmental factors.

HDMI Cable Length Reference

HDMI Version Premium Certified Standard Certified Budget/Generic
HDMI 1.4 (1080p) 50 ft 35 ft 25 ft
HDMI 2.0 (4K 60Hz) 25 ft 15 ft 10 ft
HDMI 2.1 (4K 120Hz / 8K) 15 ft 10 ft 6 ft
Active HDMI Cable 100+ ft
Fiber HDMI 300+ ft

Note: HDMI passive copper cable distances decrease significantly with higher bandwidths. For runs over 50ft, use active cables or fiber HDMI extenders.

Fiber & Ethernet Reference

Cable Type Maximum Distance Notes
Fiber Single-Mode (OS2) 25+ miles (40+ km) Long-haul, low loss
Fiber Multi-Mode (OM3) 1,000 ft (300 m) 10G, aqua jacket
Fiber Multi-Mode (OM4) 1,300 ft (400 m) 10G, aqua jacket
Fiber Multi-Mode (OM5) 1,600 ft (500 m) 40/100G, lime green
Cat5e (1 Gbps) 328 ft (100 m) TIA/EIA spec
Cat6 (10 Gbps) 180 ft (55 m) 328 ft @ 1Gbps
Cat6a (10 Gbps) 328 ft (100 m) TIA/EIA spec