ILDA to cat5 adapter build

[djeric68]

Guys,

I have wanted to buy the stanwax ILDA/cat5 converters for a long time, but didn't have the extra funds.

The price is very reasonable and the boxes look very high quality, I just didn't have the money or the actual need for them right now.

But I still wanted some, so I built my own. I bought 4 neutrik panel mount XLR style RJ45 jacks to put in project boxes I already had. For the ILDA connection I cut a 1' ILDA cable I already had in half. After drilling some holes and some soldering this is the result.

I tested them with two 100' cat 5E cables and all works well.

For less than $20 and about an hour of construction time I am happy with the outcome. It was an easy build and I saved a few $$$

Originally I planned to mount db-25 connectors to the boxes, but decided to use the cables instead. There are two reasons for this. First it was less connections to solder. Second, I don't need to carry around two more ILDA male/female cables to connect the boxes to the DAC and to the projector.

I already have stanwax boards for my three projectors. Once I install them I will add a momentary push button to the box for the DAC end for remote restart.

Any suggestions to make these better or more useful/functional are appreciated.

[logsquared]

Those ethercon's are sexy!

[djeric68]

Yeah I do like the ethercons. First time I used them on a project. I just ordered the matching ethercon "carrier" today which is the XLR style plug that you put over the RJ45 already terminated on the cable. Pretty cool the way it clamps onto an existing RJ45 cable.

http://www.neutrik.com/en/ethercon/e...arrier/ne8mc-b



First you have to break off the RJ45 "latch" that always breaks off anyway. Then this carrier goes on and gives the LATCHing function of an XLR. COOL!

[LaserCo]

Good job djeric! a few years back I similarly had built some rj45 cabling to route two ports from the router down one rj45 cable to two computers.

I have seen clues that this RJ45 method may not be "acceptable", or "will not pass" here on the forum and have never seen any definition of requirements towards cabling used.
either way, ("pass/fail") you and stanwax have taken the next step and have created this alternative cabling.

I hope not to derail your thread yet am curious again (I brought this up elsewhere here)

[cbabbman]

I'm making a few of these boxes also... not because I can't afford the Stanwax's... but because I like to build things like this...

can I ask what pinout you used?

[djeric68]

Please see the schematic attached. This is what I drew to begin the project. I did not implement the remote start. This may not be the final wiring I used - not sure. The ILDA pinout for the DB25's is very important and must not change. The CAT5 ends - you could pick your own pinout if you wanted as long as you do the same thing for each "A" end and the same for each "B" end. I hope this helps you.



Hope your project goes well. Post some update pictures. Let me know if I can explain any of my wiring that does not make sense.

IF I ever made more of these, I might not mount the RJ45's in project boxes because they are a bit clunky. Or I would find better/different boxes, or make the cable between the DB25 and the RJ45 box about 10' - 12' long. Having the DB25 plugged into the back of my projector with the project box/RJ45's/RJ45 cable hanging puts too much strain on the projector's DB25. With a 10' cable the project box would sit on the floor, while the 10' cable goes up the tripod to the projector. Just a thought.

Thanks,
Eric

[cbabbman]

Thanks for the info, Eric...


I made mine up over the weekend and I think they turned out pretty well..


I used a greenlee to punch out the holes and for some unknown reason, the project boxes I ordered up had a 52mm width recess in the top... the Neutrik connectors have a 26mm faceplate... how perfect was that. I got them in silver and black to make it easier to denote which cable was which.




My ethernet cables have matching connectors on them..




The Neutrik connectors I bought had RJ-45's built into them rather than a punch down block. Since I already had RJ-45 crimping tools and connectors, this seemed to make the most sense at the time.




Basically, I just mapped out the color code on the 25 pin connector side and split it up into the 2 RJ45's ... sorry Eric, my wiring is a tiny bit different... did this before I got your info!
Here's the pinout I used, it came from ringing out the Stanwax boxes I had...:



On the left is the map of the color code of the 25Pin cables I was using. On the right is where each of those pins went on the RJ45's. The standard RJ45 color code is there only for my own reference. It all ended up looking like this inside the box..




The white wire is Pin 25 (ground). Since both RJ45's needed it, I just used a couple loose pieces of wire in the connectors and soldered them to the white ground wire.
Plugged it all in and put the boxes together...



to test it out, I connected up all my boxes and cables and rang out the wiring from ILDA connector to ILDA connector one more time. Plugged them into my lasers and viola, it all worked