USB - the standard cable interface between PCs and laptops - and a whole multitude of
peripherals and portable devices is fantastic for fast, easy transfer of both data and power.
But great as it is, USB is significantly limited is its transmission distance.
Join the HowToAV team as we see how USB measures up and how to stretch signal transmission
distances a whole lot further.
USB or Universal Serial Bus - the cable and connectivity standard which we rely on so frequently
for both data and power transmission just keeps getting better and better as we step into the realms of the latest
version 3.1 with its huge new bandwidth and the new USB Type C connector - universal, super small
and reversible. However, what isn't improving and is the main
limitation of USB is the transmission distance. Did you know that USB version 2 is limited
to just 5 metres of cable transmission distance and USB versions 3 and 3.1 to an even more
disappointing 3 to 4 metres?... So when you're looking to connect USB devices
over longer distances - usually when either one or both of the devices are fixed position
rather than mobile (such as printers or interactive devices) - then we need to consider the options
available to extend the transmission distance of a USB cable.
The first and most simple recommendation is to ensure you're using high grade USB cables
as this is going to ensure you're getting the greatest distance and performance from
your connection. One of the most common mistakes made when
attempting to extend USB transmission distances is to connect two-or-more passive USB cables
together to go beyond the recommended 3 or 5 metre limits - that's simply not going to work!
However, there are active USB extender cables
available (sometimes also referred to as 'repeater' cables) which will regenerate the USB signal
- allowing for a passive and active USB cable to be connected together. Remember though,
that most active repeater USB cables are 'bus' powered (i.e. they take their power from the
host device's USB interface). Therefore, this option should only really be applied for data
transmission as opposed to peripheral device charging.
The next option to increase your USB signal transmission distance is to use a USB hub.
Similar to an active repeater cable, a Hub regenerates the signal at the end of the USB
cable which can then be sent again to another USB cable - so, for instance, a USB 2.0 signal
could connected to a 5 metre cable, connected to a Hub which itself is then connected to
another 5 metre USB cable to increase your signal distance to 10 metres. And, in fact,
using self-powered hubs, you can daisy-chain a number of these together to a maximum of
5 hubs, so by connecting your host device at one end and your peripheral device at the
other, up to six, 5 metre USB 2.0 cables can be connected using 5 powered hubs to achieve
a maximum of 30 meters. Remember, however, that repeater hubs need
power and so the idea of running a signal via 5 hubs all connected to their own power
source isn't really a truly viable option! Active hubs can also be used to increase USB
versions 3 and 3.1 of course, though the limit of using 3 metre cables in between still applies.
So there are some options for increasing USB transmission by a few metres beyond the limitations
of a standard cable, but what if you need to transmit even further?
Do we have any suggestions? Well how about a solution to send USB over 100 metres?!
There are a number of extender kits available on the market which will allow USB signals
to be transmitted over Ethernet cable to distances of up to 100 metres. This extender kit example
we have here comprises a transmitter unit (which is connected to the host device - such
as a PC) and a receiver unit which, in this case, can be connected to up to 4 peripheral
USB devices. The USB extender transmitter and receiver
are connected to one another via standard Category 5e, 6 or 7 Ethernet cable to provide
a greatly increased 2-way transmission of USB 2.0 signals.
And I'm sure it won't be long until USB 3.1 extender kits also land on the market!
So there are a number of options available to break out of the limits of USB cable distances.
Click on the screen now to find out more, and leave us your thoughts and further questions
in the comments section below. There's plenty more advice from the AV world
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Thanks for watching - and I hope you'll join us again soon here at HowToAV.tv
Bye for now.