If you need a component video cable to connect an HD15 (also frequently referred to as a "VGA") plug to three RCA or BNC plugs--to run component video into a projector, for example--we have a couple of options for you. Because HD15 plugs are so small, and the pins are so closely spaced, they will fit only small-sized cables; there are two possible answers to this problem. Either (1) one can use a very small cable which fits the 15-pin plug, but which unavoidably will lead to greater signal loss per foot than a full-sized cable, or (2) one can use full-sized cable right up to the device which takes the 15-pin plug, and then use a VGA "breakout" adapter to run the last foot of the distance in small cable, hooking the full-sized coax to the mini-coax with 75 ohm BNC connectors. Which of these is the better option will depend on run length; for a very short run, it's obviously better to have fewer connections, and go with the mini-coax. For a very long run, it's obviously better to use low-loss cable together with a breakout. In the middle--well, it's hard to say where the breakpoint occurs. Our somewhat arbitrary rule of thumb is that we suggest using a breakout for anything five metres or longer.

The One-Cable Solution: Belden 1522A

Our single-cable HD15 to component video cables are made with Belden 1522A, a bundle of miniature coaxial cables. This extraordinary cable is a sort of junior version of Belden's superb full-sized precision video cables; each of the tiny coaxes in a 1522A bundle is fully shielded both in two-layered foil and with a dense tinned copper braid, and then the whole bundle is wrapped in an outer foil shield with drain wire. For component video, we connect three of these coaxes to the red, green and blue pins in the HD15 connector, and the shield braids to the grounding pins. At the other end we use solder-type RCA plugs from Calrad designed to fit small coax, or, if you need BNCs, crimp-type 75 ohm BNC plugs from RF. View the technical specs for Belden 1522A.

The Two-Part Solution: Breakout Adapter with Component Cable

Over long runs, the difference in signal attenuation between mini-coax like Belden 1522A and full-sized coax like Belden 1694A or 7710A can become substantial; but since full-sized coax won't fit into an HD15 plug, one can obtain the benefits of a full-sized cable run only through a breakout adapter, which takes an HD15 plug at one end and sends the component video signal out to three female BNC connectors; with this breakout, you can then use any of our component video cables to complete the run (yes, we do offer all of our component cables with BNCs at one end or both). This breakout adapter, built for us by AVLink, has five BNC outputs, but when using it for component video, you need only connect the red, green and blue; the others can be left hanging or can be snipped off if you prefer.

Belden 1522A Breakout Adapter:

As an alternative to the offshore-made breakout, we offer our own breakout, made with the Belden 1522A cable described above and with RF female BNCs. This breakout adapter is more costly than the AVLink breakout, and although it technically is the better adapter, we've had great results with the AVLink. In most applications there will be no observable difference between the adapters, so as a general rule we recommend the AVLink. Our five-way breakout is pictured to the right; this adapter is available both in five-way and three-way versions.

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