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Triaxial cable is a type of cable that is often used in communications, particularly in the television industry. It is called “triaxial” because it consists of three separate conductive elements, usually arranged in alternating concentric rings of conductor and shielded insulation. Shielding and isolation prevent signals from individual conductors from interfering with each other. The connectors on these cables are specially designed to prevent accidental use with other types of connectors and cables.
The design of a triaxial cable, seen in cross section, resembles a target. The center of the cable, or core, consists of a conductor, which is usually a single solid wire, but can be a stranded wire. The core is enclosed in an insulating shield. Surrounding it is another layer of conductor, which can also be solid or stranded, followed by another layer of shielded insulation. A third conductive layer, which can also be solid or stranded, is wrapped around the two inner layers and the cable is terminated with a final outer layer of shielding.
Several different types of triaxial cable are available today. Common triaxial cable sizes include 14mm, 11mm and 8mm, measurements refer to their thickness. Resistance can also vary, including 50 ohm, 75 ohm, and 90 ohm leads, but the most common types have a 75 ohm resistance.
The main difference between triaxial cable and typical coaxial cable is that triaxial cable can act as both a power conductor and a signal conductor, and for this reason, triaxial cable is often used by the television industry to connect television cameras. to their control units. With this type of cable, the control unit is capable of supplying power to the camera, as well as transmitting and receiving signals, all at the same time. Many venues that host regularly televised events have their own triax cable system, allowing television crews to quickly prepare for an on-site broadcast.
Triaxial cable is not generally used in home applications, but at least one company markets a home signal distribution system that can distribute the signal to multiple home units. This type of system can combine multiple signal sources and then distribute them to several separate locations in the house. These units are designed for use with satellite systems and can combine and provide closed circuit television, regular television signals, satellite signals and even standard FM signals. However, these systems are relatively unknown outside of Europe as of 2011.