SDI and HD-SDI Cable selection guide

                          SDI & HD-SDI Cable selector guide

A guide to help you select the correct Belden precision video cable for your SDI or HD-SDI application.

What is SDI?

Serial Digital Interface. A family of digital video interfaces first standardised by SMPTE (The Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers). SMPTE ST 259 defines digital video interfaces used in broadcast grade video with data rates up to 360Mb/s.

What is HD-SDI?

High Definition Serial Digital Interface. A related standard to SDI. HD-SDI is covered by SMPTE Standards SMPTE ST 292 (1.485Gb/s) and SMPTE ST 424 (2.970Gb/s)

How far can a HD-SDI signal travel?

We take our guidance on the maximum recommended transmission distance from the cable manufacturer (BELDEN). The lengths quoted should only be applied to the SMPTE interconnection standards listed in the table below.

Which Connectors should I use for SDI and HD-SDI video applications?

To ensure the maximum transmission distances can be achieved without loss of signal, we only use coaxial connectors specifically designed and tested for use with the Belden range of precision video cables. See the Coax Solutions range of True 75 Ohm Precision 3G SDI BNC Plugs & Jacks which have been tested to 12Gb/s.

Will my SDI or HD-SDI cables work for 4K UHD?

Belden 179DT, 1855A, 1505A, 1694A and 7731A are all tested to 6Gb/s and are suitable for some 4K UHD applications. Belden 4855R, 4505R and 4694R are all tested to 12Gb/s and are suitable for 4K UHD applications. The Coax Solutions range of precision BNC connectors are tested to 12GHz and are suitable for 4K UHD applications.

NOTE: The 4K UHD SMPTE standards SMPTE ST 425, 2081-1, 2082-1 and 2083-1 calculate the maximum transmission distance using different parameters to the SDI and HD-SDI standards.