Van Damme Smart Control DMX Cable — 268610000
The Van Damme 268610000 is a Smart Control DMX cable built for the reliable transmission of the DMX512 lighting control protocol in professional touring, installation, and broadcast environments. A precision foil-screened 1-pair cable with 22 AWG tinned oxygen-free copper conductors and foamed polyethylene insulation, the 268610000 is the correct cable choice for DMX512 runs where signal integrity over distance, physical durability in tactical use, and accurate characteristic impedance are non-negotiable requirements.
DMX512 is a serial digital communication protocol with a characteristic impedance requirement of 110 ohms. Generic microphone cable or audio cable is not appropriate for DMX512 — the impedance mismatch introduces reflections on the line that cause signal corruption, erratic fixture behaviour, and data dropouts that are difficult to diagnose. The 268610000 is engineered specifically for DMX512 with a characteristic impedance of 85 ohms at 1 MHz, precision conductor geometry, and foil screening that keeps the signal clean across the cable run lengths encountered in live production, architectural lighting, and fixed installation environments.
DMX512 Cable Specification: Why It Matters
The DMX512 standard specifies 110 ohm characteristic impedance for compliant cable. In practice, cables in the 85–110 ohm range perform reliably on DMX512 networks when the total run length is within the protocol’s 300-metre maximum and the network is correctly terminated. The 268610000 at 85 ohms falls within the working range for professional DMX512 use and has been widely specified across touring and installation applications globally.
What matters more than the exact impedance figure in most practical DMX512 installations is consistent impedance along the cable length — variations and discontinuities are what generate reflections and signal degradation. The precision construction of the 268610000 delivers consistent electrical characteristics along the full reel length, which is the foundation of reliable DMX512 data transmission over extended distances.
The 22 AWG conductor size at 16 × 0.20 mm tinned OFC per conductor provides two significant advantages: accurate data transfer over longer cable runs due to the lower resistance of the larger conductor, and the ability to carry DC power up to 3 amps through the pair. This secondary DC capability makes the 268610000 useful for powering remote lighting control panels, touch screens, and other low-current devices alongside the DMX512 data signal on the same cable run — a practical advantage in architectural and installation environments where running separate power cables is not always feasible.
Precision Foil Screening for Clean DMX512 Transmission
The 268610000 uses an aluminium and polyester foil screen at greater than 125% coverage as its shielding system. Foil screening provides complete coverage along the cable length — unlike a braided screen, which can have small gaps in the braid weave — making it the correct screening format for a data protocol cable where even small interference pickup can corrupt the digital signal. In environments with high levels of electrical noise — stage lighting infrastructure, dimmer packs, motor drivers, LED switching power supplies — the foil screen keeps the DMX512 data signal isolated from the surrounding electrical environment.
The combination of foil screening and the precision-controlled electrical characteristics of the cable — 50 pF/m core to core capacitance, 105 pF/m core to screen — results in stable data communication across the extended distances common in large venue installations and touring rigs with complex lighting networks.
Physical Construction for Touring and Installation Use
The flexible PVC/Neoprene composite jacket at 6.00 mm overall diameter gives the 268610000 the physical durability it needs for tactical touring use without adding unnecessary bulk. The bend radius is specified at 10 times the overall cable diameter, appropriate for repeated coiling and deployment on tour or in temporary installations. The minimum operating temperature of -20°C ensures the cable remains flexible and functional in outdoor environments and cold-weather productions.
The jet black jacket colour is the standard for on-stage and touring use. A grey jacket variant is available in the Smart Control range for architectural and installation environments where the cable is rigged to aluminium trussing or runs against stone or concrete surfaces — the grey blends with the background rather than reading as a visible black line against a pale structure.
The conductor pair colours — red and blue — provide clear identification at termination. The two-colour pair coding simplifies correct wiring at 3-pin or 5-pin XLR connectors and helps prevent miswiring errors when making up leads under production conditions.
268610000 Applications: More Than Just DMX512
The 268610000’s 110 ohm-class construction and precision foil screening also make it suitable for AES/EBU digital audio transmission, which shares the same 110 ohm impedance specification as DMX512. In AV and broadcast installations where both DMX lighting control and AES/EBU digital audio are present, a single cable type can serve both signal types — simplifying procurement, stock management, and installation.
The DC power capability of the cable — up to 3 amps through the conductor pair — extends its usefulness into home automation and commercial building control applications, where it can carry both the control data and the low-voltage power for remote panels and control devices on the same cable.
Sourcing the Van Damme 268610000 Through Surgesound
Surgesound supplies the Van Damme Smart Control 268610000 DMX cable to AV integrators, lighting contractors, systems contractors, and project managers across Southern Africa. As an authorised Van Damme distributor, Surgesound stocks this cable for direct supply to trade accounts — available per metre for custom run lengths or on 100 m reels for project requirements, with a maximum reel length of 500 m.
Contact Surgesound to discuss pricing, stock availability, and project quantities for the Van Damme Smart Control DMX cable range.
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Precision Engineering since 1987
The Van Damme range has been designed, engineered and refined for over three decades as a result of technological advances and customer driven requirements.
This comprehensive and intelligent yet practical range of specialist audio and video cables has achieved premier status simply by being the finest cable range of its type on the open market.
Listening closely to customers and keeping our finger ‘on the pulse’ has afforded us the enviable position of offering our clients what they truly need without compromise.
The highly evolved products in this site are a result of years of keeping ‘in tune’ with our customers coupled with our own refinements and exhaustive research and development into cabling technology.
We have incorporated into the Van Damme range many new and innovative ideas never seen before. These are designed to cater for anything from eco-friendly to user friendly, this largely depending on whether it is an architectural specification or the rigours of touring.
What we believe we have created are truly elegant cabling solutions for a vast array of applications.
This is why Van Damme is employed so confidently on the stages, studios and screens across the world.
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