SP2500 POD Cable Extention...

I did some searches and can't find anything on this. Seems like something many would like to do ...so:

Does anyone know if the control pod cable can be extended? Has anyone done that? Any links? Any known problems with doing that?

On my old Logitechs you could *not* do that since it reportedly would affect proper functioning of the unit but I'm wondering if it is doable on the SP2500. Hope so.

Anyhow, appreciate any insight

Thanks, RAMguy.

I was hoping to be able to move the Pod across the room -- probably no more than 18-20' all together.

Do you know if I were to extend the Pod interface with proper connectors and straight-through high-quality wiring whether the additional resistance would be a problem? I guess I woul dneed to know what's in the Pod cable since there may be shielded/coaxial paths, etc.

Anyhow, would much appreciate if you come across any information on this -- and thanks for your quick response above.

Dan

Yes it may be, but I will have to check with the Audio Eng. tomorrow and see what he suggests.

That would be awesome!! ..thanks.

Our Audio team got back to me and suggest using an Ultra VGA cable to extend the remote. However they advised it can add some noise in the Audio control when changing settings was the only item they mentioned.

Excellent -- that's very encouraging ...thanks, RAMGUY! ...much appreciated.

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I probably won't be able to try this until over the holidays, so if anyone else tries it beforehand, please post up what you think.

Our Audio team got back to me and suggest using an Ultra VGA cable to extend the remote. However they advised it can add some noise in the Audio control when changing settings was the only item they mentioned.

Are all of the 15 Pins present in the cable?

RAM GUY,

I found an "Ultra" brand VGA cable (a premium, balanced, tripple-shielded, low-O2-copper, gold-plated cable that suports 1920x1080p @ 85Hz) at TigerDirect and CircuitCity, but I can't find any cable with an "ultra-VGA" spec, if that's what engineering meant.

Would it be possible for them to clarify if "Ultra VGA" is the brand or the cable spec? ...much appreciated.

-Dan

Are all of the 15 Pins present in the cable?

Yes they are, I also tested the cable with a meter and it checks ok. With the cable I am able to power up the system, but get NO sound.

Yes they are, I also tested the cable with a meter and it checks ok. With the cable I am able to power up the system, but get NO sound.

I'm wondering if this might be a resistance or capacitance issue. Possibly this is why engineering said Ultra VGA cable. There's an *enormous* range in quality of VGA cables including wire gauge, quality of the wire itself, levels of shielding, ferrite baluns, contact plating, etc.

Curious, was your VGA cable a 'recycled' VGA computer display cable or one designed for high signal fiedlty. Did it have ferrite cores at each end? ...gold plated pins (usually indicates a hig quality cable but there are many cheap 'flashed' VGA cables out there. Also, what ws the length of the cable you used.

I'm asking this because it's not unusual, for example, for a lower quality cable to not work well in an application at 10' but a super 'fidelity' cable to work fine at 30' so I'm very interested in understanding more about the cable that wasn't working (no sound tho tests fine pin-to-pin) since the protocols between the controller and subwhoofer logic are seemingly being affected by the characteristics of the cable itself.

Fwiw, in addition to the Ultra (brand) VGA cables at Tiger and Circuitcity, Monoprice also has some higher-quality VGAs but not as good as the Ultras: 24 vs 28ga, low-O copper vs copper, 23kt gold contacts vs gold contacts, tripple shielded vs [double] shielded, etc ...tho both (tiger and monoprice) are ferrite-balun'd.

I'm betting this is all about the 'right' cable characteristics for this application -- if engineering can help us with some specs maybe we can make this work.

Have you read the FAQ for audio on corsair.com ?

"Our remote on the SP2500 uses an SVGA connection which is found on some monitors. You can use a standard SVGA extension cable to extend the length of the remote, as long as it has both male and female connectors. Make sure you get the SVGA cable, because a standard VGA cable will not allow the speakers to transmit the audio signal."

Source: http://www.corsair.com/support/faq/audio/

Have you read the FAQ for audio on corsair.com ?

 

"Our remote on the SP2500 uses an SVGA connection which is found on some monitors. You can use a standard SVGA extension cable to extend the length of the remote, as long as it has both male and female connectors. Make sure you get the SVGA cable, because a standard VGA cable will not allow the speakers to transmit the audio signal."

 

Source: http://www.corsair.com/support/faq/audio/

Great insight -- thanks!

How long is the SVGA cable you're using? Is it a standard or high-quality cable? Does everything work with it just as if unextended?

-Dan

[edit:] ok, I see you were quoting the FAQs page. Had you actually tried it? I'm wondering since I'd need to extend about 25' and there has to be some realistic limits on distance, I'm thinking, for it to still work right.

Thanks...

I think I'll buy a high-quality SVGA (28ga, low O2 copper, gold plated cotacts) and hope for the best since I need to add 25'. Planning to do it over the holidays ...we shall see.

I just got back from ER for a hand injury so this could delay the plan a bit ....hope not.

I wonder if these would work, they say SVGA on them?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10201&cs_id=1020104&p_id=88&seq=1&format=4#feedback

The Statement "Ultra VGA" means the Specification Ultra VGA not the make or model. The cables sold at Tiger Direct are Branded Ultra as that is the in house brand it is still just a regular VGA cable and may not work.

Problem I'm having, RAM GUY, is finding such a cable.

There's VGA, SVGA and UXGA. Is UXGA what engineering is referring to? There's no Ultra VGA spec cable that I can find.

Possibly they have a source?

Yes I would have to say that would be the correct assumption.

:sunglasse But the FAQs already say: "Our remote on the SP2500 uses an SVGA connection which is found on some monitors. You can use a standard SVGA extension cable to extend the length of the remote, as long as it has both male and female connectors. Make sure you get the SVGA cable, because a standard VGA cable will not allow the speakers to transmit the audio signal". So it seems sort of coy to say that and then be reluctant to identify a surce.

I understand Corsair's reluctance to *recommend* a source/vendor however, given the FAQs, Corsair could certainly, as manufactuers often do, identify commercial source(s) they're aware of with the caveat that "Corasir neither recommends nor warrants aftermarket sources nor thier products".

Anyhow, I also checked Amphenol (large high-quality commercial cable supplier) and they do not list any Ultra S/VGA spec'd cables, it seems ...so... :dunno:

Maybe engineering and just needs Corsair General Counsel to validate that it's ok to share a source and the mystery would go away? :sunglasse

You have made a Good point and I will pass it along but officially extending the cable is not suggested. But it can be done as stated; the issue with adding an extension cable is the capacitance will change and may cause anomalies to occur. So I can only pass one what our Engineering has given to me.

Thanks, RAM GUY ...I do much appreciate you following up on that.

I will contact Amphenol and solicit their recommendation for an appropriate high-quality low-capacitance Ultra-VGA (SVGA allpins wired) 25' M/F extention cable and we'll go from there.

-Dan