Consult this page for up-to-date information on cable types and cable lengths that can be used in a SoundGrid audio networking and processing system.
Maximum cable lengths (Cat 5e STP/Cat 6 STP/Cat 7)
| Node | Cable Length | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| I/O to switch | Up to 100 m (328 ft) | DiGiGrid I/Os - up to 50 m (164 ft). |
| SoundGrid server to switch | Up to 10 m (32.8 ft) | |
| SoundGrid host to switch | Up to 20 m (65.5 ft) Up to 100 m (328 ft) | With 100MB NIC With 1GB NIC |
| SoundGrid driver to switch | Up to 100 m (328 ft) | With 1GB NIC |
Important note: Cat7 is designed and wired for high – up to 10GB – bandwidth traffic. In a SoundGrid network, using Cat7 might accentuate the risk of impedance matching problems anywhere in the signal chain. In comparison, Cat5e/6/6a are designed for 1GB traffic and filter out overshoot/ringing occurring at connection points from appearing at the receiving ends. As such, we recommend using Cat5e/6 whenever possible. Still, if your system works, don’t change cabling. If you are experiencing network/dropout issues using Cat7, consider switching to Cat5e/6.
Please note that UTP cables are not supported.
Please note that Cat 5 cables are not supported.
Make sure to use only SoundGrid-qualified network switches.
For distances greater than 100 meters (328 feet):
Use the following switches with SFP modules supporting fiber optic cables:
Optical cable requirements:
SoundGrid is a ‘private’ network: in order to have a clean network stream, the SoundGrid network should not be used to run any non-SoundGrid applications. Using non-SoundGrid protocols on the same network that carries SoundGrid audio might result in audio drops, application freezes, and other unexpected results.