I just visited a B&O dealer, to talk with him over the wiring of my flat. He told me that B&O doesnt recommend anymore MasterLink cables, they recommend to use CAD 7 cables instead ? Can anybody confirm this ?  Is it already possible to integrate a BeoMaster 5 and a BeoVison 10 via CAD 7 cables into a new MasterLink system ?

You're correct. Cat7 is the new wiring standard and will carry current ML signals as well as the larger signals of the future. Today you'll still connect your speakers with PowerLink or MasterLink heads, but the cabling will be Cat7. In the future, products will move to RJ45 jacks.

So the cabeling from jack to jack will be Cat 7 and from the jack to the B&O equipment a B&O cable with one ML plug and one Cat 7 plug ?

Olof:

So the cabeling from jack to jack will be Cat 7 and from the jack to the B&O equipment a B&O cable with one ML plug and one Cat 7 plug ?

Yes!

You use an "installation cable" from RJ45 patch-panel to RJ45 jack and a "product-cable", one side RJ 45, other side either ML or PL available in different lengths.

NIC -  Cat 7/Class F - New Installation Concept:
The new infrastructure can be used for current (analog)  ML and PL signals and digital signals like Ethernet for internet, video-streaming and, in all likelihood ;-) - the next generation digital Linksystem and speakers.

BUT - if you want total flexibility and want to patch every component centrally in your technical room, bear in mind, a TV + Vidoclient (e.g. Apple-TV) + Audiosystem + BeoMaster5 + Dolby Speaker setup + some spares for future components means 20 or more Cat7 cables running to the patch-panel located in your technical room.  Adequate dimensioning of cable conduits is mandatory!

If Iam understanding you guys correctly...in near future or even now we can use the generic ethernet cables Cat 5/6/7 - those blue and white cables in any IT infrastrucutre to connect the B&O speakers to the beocenters

For Example:

I could use the Cat 7 / ethernet cable with one head as say ML connecting to the beosound 4000 and then the other head a masterlink connecting to a beolab 2000. Is it correct and possible now?

In a beolink setup then all I need is two ML heads and the Cat 7 cable...has any one tried this with success

Thanks

sodoi18:

If Iam understanding you guys correctly...in near future or even now we can use the generic ethernet cables Cat 5/6/7 - those blue and white cables in any IT infrastrucutre to connect the B&O speakers to the beocenters

 

For Example:

I could use the Cat 7 / ethernet cable with one head as say ML connecting to the beosound 4000 and then the other head a masterlink connecting to a beolab 2000. Is it correct and possible now?

In a beolink setup then all I need is two ML heads and the Cat 7 cable...has any one tried this with success

Thanks

No. Not correct. Cat7 is a unique type of cable. Cat5 & Cat6 will not work. At this point, Cat7 is available from Bang & Olufsen. 

As for it being able to work currently, absolutely. We've used it in installations and in the showroom and it works exactly the same as a Master Link or PowerLink setup does. 

As stated above, though, there are different types of the Cat7 cables for the different applications within an installation so consult your B&O dealer before you go pulling things through walls. They will help you formulate a wiring plan and also clarify the wiring topology for you. 

I am assuming that the CAT 7 is all point-to-point for now.

Not a daisy-chain like the ML is and the MCL was.

Am I right to presume that at some point in the future signals maybe able to co-exist and we will get back to a daisy-chain/ring capability ?

TripEnglish:

No. Not correct. Cat7 is a unique type of cable. Cat5 & Cat6 will not work. At this point, Cat7 is available from Bang & Olufsen. 

As for it being able to work currently, absolutely. We've used it in installations and in the showroom and it works exactly the same as a Master Link or PowerLink setup does. 

As stated above, though, there are different types of the Cat7 cables for the different applications within an installation so consult your B&O dealer before you go pulling things through walls. They will help you formulate a wiring plan and also clarify the wiring topology for you. 

Err sorry, but No. Not correct, right back at ya.

Cat 5 and 6 will work perfectly for distributing masterlink and powerlink as the op requested.  Granted, B&O sugest that you use Cat 7 and I would always run this where possible, but for an existing Cat 5 installation it will work fine.

The suggestion for Cat 7 comes primarily for future proofing, and to give the extra bandwidth required to run video etc in the future.  Cat 5 and 6 are more than adequate for basic powerlink and masterlink distribution.

rednik:

 

Err sorry, but No. Not correct, right back at ya.

 

Cat 5 and 6 will work perfectly for distributing masterlink and powerlink as the op requested.  Granted, B&O sugest that you use Cat 7 and I would always run this where possible, but for an existing Cat 5 installation it will work fine.

 

The suggestion for Cat 7 comes primarily for future proofing, and to give the extra bandwidth required to run video etc in the future.  Cat 5 and 6 are more than adequate for basic powerlink and masterlink distribution.

According to this thread, not all Cat 5 and 6 works "perfectly"... at least if you have a BL3500 in the mix.

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/p/10922/81475.aspx#81475

Short story shorter, you need *shielded* cat 5 or 6.  I believe Cat 7 is shielded by default so this is not an issue.

Stan

The biggest difference w/ CAT7 is that each pair is shielded to eliminate cross talk...

8 wires / 2 per pair = 4 pairs independently shielded.

There is no such thing as future proofing when designing a network.  However it is good for a least five years maybe 10.  Companies large and small are specifying cat 7 for many new networks.  As the recession ends whenever that is, the demand for cat 7 will increase significantly.

burantek:

The biggest difference w/ CAT7 is that each pair is shielded to eliminate cross talk...

8 wires / 2 per pair = 4 pairs independently shielded.

Spot on! This is the B&O GUIDELINE I have read in the CAT7 manual received from my B&O dealer. When you are HiFi use the CAT7 for shielded reasons. And for HD content without frozen mements while viewing HD VIDEO. CAT7 is multi shielded inside like burantek wrote each cable pair inside. ie Video shielded from Audio etc.

Be aware also that CAT7 cables may never be pulled or stretched, they are sensible inside. For maximum quality reasons B&O advises you this in their manual.

Regards, Robert

Stan:

 

According to this thread, not all Cat 5 and 6 works "perfectly"... at least if you have a BL3500 in the mix.

 

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/p/10922/81475.aspx#81475

 

Short story shorter, you need *shielded* cat 5 or 6.  I believe Cat 7 is shielded by default so this is not an issue.

Stan

 

 True.  I should have stipulated I was talking about STP, as opposed to UTP Cat 5 and 6 cable.  This is the type found as standard in nearly all structured cabling systems, and since I have only ever used utp for short lengths of lead straigh into a devioce, I never thought to differentiate in my initial post.

A CAT7 photo, see the multi shielding and wiki link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_7_cable

Are you HiFi to take the effort the follow the B&O guidelines?

Regards, Robert

rednik:

Stan:

 

 

According to this thread, not all Cat 5 and 6 works "perfectly"... at least if you have a BL3500 in the mix.

 

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/p/10922/81475.aspx#81475

 

Short story shorter, you need *shielded* cat 5 or 6.  I believe Cat 7 is shielded by default so this is not an issue.

Stan

 

 

 True.  I should have stipulated I was talking about STP, as opposed to UTP Cat 5 and 6 cable.  This is the type found as standard in nearly all structured cabling systems, and since I have only ever used utp for short lengths of lead straigh into a devioce, I never thought to differentiate in my initial post.

While I'm sure that the OP appreciates your advice not to future proof his setup, I'll reiterate that the Cat7 installation is the standard and, going forward, the next generation of features will not work with Cat5 or Cat6 cabling. They do not have the bandwidth to carry the signals. So if all you want to do is a basic MasterLink setup for current products and never be able to take advantages of the new features rolling out over the next 18-24 months, by all means heed Rednik's advice. Otherwise, the Cat7 cabling premium is hardly worth the fuss and comes out to about $0.31 a foot in the US. The Cat6 I was using prior to this ran just over $0.25. 

Trip:

Would that then be wise to include a run of Cat 7 for the new BV 10 model I saw today iin California  ?

SWISS_2:

Trip:

Would that then be wise to include a run of Cat 7 for the new BV 10 model I saw today iin California  ?

Yes!

At this point we have exhausted our stores of spooled ML & PL and are only using Cat7. It works great for existing systems as the product cables still terminate in familiar ML & PL heads, but future products will not only have RJ45 jacks for the Cat7 cable, but will make use of its tremendous bandwidth for the new features.

The other benefit is the very low cost when compared with ML & PL cabling which averages over $2.50 per foot off the spool. 

Thank you.

We discussed every thing else regarding the BV 10 ( the side-swing mounting plate, cable attachments on the bottom of the screen,  grill cloth colour choices, etc )  but this move to Cat 7, and what is coming sounds significant.

Thank you this is very helpful to know - I now have the interesting task of replacing my cat 5e with cat 7 and so really hope this heralds the advent of HD video distribution throughout the house.  Would also be good if the increased bandwidth allowed two way communication.

So all those people that decided to go wireless for their IT as it was the 'Future' are now a bit stuck!

Also it sounds like (I've not read all the other threads) that I would need several Cat7 cables, 1 for ML, 1 (for each) PL, etc?

Are they then going to make recommendations about which Ethernet switch these all connect to centrally? 10-Gig / Gig / Fast / Eth? all full wire switching speed? etc, etc

Or are they thinking of just daisy chaining the cables for all devices / speakers?

What happens in locations that still use / need RF signals? is that another RF to Ethernet adaptor?

I can see the logic but this will prove very interesting to connect some of the older collectable systems etc............

Large48:

Are they then going to make recommendations about which Ethernet switch these all connect to centrally? 10-Gig / Gig / Fast / Eth? all full wire switching speed? etc, etc

At the moment, you're using the cable in place of ML/PL, so while they're using Ethernet-standard cables, it's not using Ethernet.  You'll run them all to a patch panel and patch them together - no switching.

What happens in locations that still use / need RF signals? is that another RF to Ethernet adaptor?

RF balun's exist, might not work over the same length as normal 75 Ohm Coax.

Even though it is German, check the pictures posted.

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/p/30331/242211.aspx#242211

It worked for me (BS3000, BV3-32, BL3500).

Ralf

PS:Cat 5e Patchpanels (but Cat7 cables). Cat5e is enough for this passive setup (using just the cabling - no acitve devices like switches etc.).

I think the point is that CAT5/6 might work over small distances for ML/PL, but over greater distances and for future HD video usage, CAT5/6 will likely prove inadequate. 

If you had the opportunity to rewire your house, you'd be daft not to use CAT7 if you had any intention of sticking with B&O.

so will cat 7 run replace digital cables for BL5 e.g? sorry for nooby and not really understanding the difference....

Here's a example of how currently you will connect legacy products i.e. analogue masterlink.

In the hopefully near future they will convert to a IP masterlink i.e. digital which will allow for multisource x multizone all over IP.