In This Issue: HDMI to DVI-D Cable w/ Latched Gold Plated Connectors, 3 ft. | Deals of the Week | What are Shielded Ethernet Cables? | News to Start Your Day
Happy National Rescue Dog Day! Today we recognize all the benefits of allowing a four-legged friend to adopt you into their immeasurably lovable life! Do you have a rescue pup? We’d love for you to share a photo with us!
The CK Daily – Be Anxious for Nothing
“Be anxious for nothing”…That is a lot of times easier to say or read than it is to do. We all have things that we get anxious about. It could be tests, finances, flying, public speaking, weather, etc. For me…it is health stuff. I haven’t talked about this a lot in a LONG time and generally don’t discuss it. It took me a long time to come to grips with the fact that I deal with hypochondria. By the way, did y’all know they changed this to Illness Anxiety Disorder?? I guess that sounds more official. (???)
It has been a very long time since I have dealt with a major episode of IAD, but I think my body and mind figured now was the perfect time with the new house, moving, work, and other family things going on. Why not, throw that into the mix as well. The past week has been a rough one dealing with the mental and emotional side of it but as a result of the body’s reaction to anxiety, I have had a lot of physical issues pop up. If you deal with IAD, you understand the pains and muscle soreness I am talking about. They can be just as debilitating as dealing with full-blown symptoms of an illness.
Overall, the biggest part of the battle with this is in the mind. I have to work at getting my thoughts right (and to stay in the right direction), get around people that will encourage and help me walk through it, and constantly keep encouraging scriptures, quotes, and stuff in front of me. This doesn’t immediately take the pain, soreness, and anxiety away, but over time it helps to get me out of the mental hole and get my feet back on solid ground. Two of my favorite scriptures and quotes that I cling to during these times are:
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
If you are dealing with anxiety of any type today, just know you are not alone and it will get better and you will be ok. I know it is hard to accept that or let that sink in (Trust me…I am going through this right now myself), but you (we) will get through it. If you deal with IAD or any type of anxiety, let me know. I will be praying for you.
Have a great day!
Jason
Product Spotlights & Updates:
They may be small, but they sure are mighty! Today, we’re spotlighting the 3ft, HDMI to DVI-D Cable with Latched Gold Plated Connectors, CBDVIHDMI-03. This cable connects DVI devices to HDMI devices going both ways. Used for DVD, satellite receivers, LCD, projectors, plasma, and HDTVs.
There’s not much to say about these things, but they have some stellar reviews! Below are a few we’d love to share!
Phillip K. wrote, “My old laptop used a VGA cable to connect to my Dell monitor and my new one did not have a VGA port. The Dell monitor did have DVI-D and HDMI ports so I ordered a new cable to allow me to use the existing monitor and now the digital input.
Worked perfectly, shipping was fast and the price was a third of the local Best Buy.”
Steven T. said, “These are very good cables. They come in handy if you have mismatched monitor/PC video ports.”
Mittlbar noted, “I received my cable very quickly. The quality of the cable is very good and the price is excellent.”
What are Shielded Ethernet Cables? – CK Learning Center
Currently, the use of high bandwidth applications has been on the rise, and network systems have started venturing into factory environments which have called for the use of shielded cables. In this new installation sector, the cable is used in areas with high electromagnetic interference (EMI). Even with improved ability to reject noise and handle gigabit Ethernet, these cables will not function properly in areas where there is high EMI if not properly shielded. A shielded cable will help in these high EMI installations ensuring safe and efficient data transfer.
STP and S/STP
These are the two basic types of shielded ethernet cables. STP cables with an overall generic shield whereas S/STP cables have a shield for each pair and an overall outer shield. The Shield of STP cables can either be a foil or a braid, but for additional strength, some cables can comprise of a foil shield and an outer braid shield.
STP and FTP
Cables that have an overall foil are known as FTP, whereas those with a braid are known as STP. STP is the generic name given to all shielded cables. At times, there arises confusion where FTP cables are assumed to be unshielded or that they are significantly different in terms of performance. In practice, the STP and FTP cables can be used interchangeably, and there is no apparent difference in their performance.
S/STP
The second type of cable is one that has each of the individual pair shielded and then there is an overall outer shield. This type of cable is referred to as S/STP. The purpose of having an inner shield is to ensure that there is no internal cross-talk between the pairs. This will help in ensuring that the cables meet the specifications of the Alien Cross Talk parameter which is significantly difficult to achieve with CAT6a and CAT7 systems. However, Alien Cross Talk is not a requirement when it comes to CAT6, CAT5e, and CATS systems. Additionally, it does not significantly contribute to the overall resilience of the cable when it comes to resisting external RF noise such as the one made at the mains-induced spikes. The physical construction comprises of a foil on both the inner and overall outer shield. Additionally, there can be a braid that will improve the cable’s strength and also simplify the connection to the metal shields which are around the connectors.
Proper Ground Connection
It is worth noting that all the shielded Ethernet cables should have a ground connection for their shields. In case your cable has an incorrect ground connection, then chances are there will be ground loop currents and also the associated interference to the Ethernet signal. In the worst-case scenario, where the grounding is poor, the shield can end up acting like antennas; broadcasting high-frequency signals from the cable to the outer environment. This will interfere with the delicate co-located electronic equipment and also allow external detection of the Ethernet data.
What is the Drain Wire in Shielded Cables?
Every shielded Ethernet cable should have a wire that stretches from the insulated wires to the shield. This is commonly known as the drain wire. Normally, the shield is connected to a specific pin in one end, which can even be the chassis. The connector shells are not connected anywhere and consequently, connecting the drain wire to pin 1 puts the entire cable at the potential of that pin. No current will be flowing, but the cable screening will be effective.
Bottom line on Shielded Patch Cables
Ethernet cables should be shielded which helps increase the cables’ resilience and also makes them stronger. As such, when going for Ethernet cables, consider going for ones that are shielded to ensure safety and longevity.
Check out CablesAndKits’ wide selection of Shielded Ethernet Patch Cables to find the length and color in Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a that is right for your network.
Today’s News to Start Your Day:
- As of this morning, in the US, active COVID cases are reported to be 5,901,405.
- After pausing the launch because of the coronavirus pandemic, IHOP plans to open its first Flip’d by IHOP location this summer. Flip’d is a fast-casual spinoff of the pancake chain, with a menu formulated to appeal to on-the-go consumers.
- Panera Bread unveiled its latest restaurant design, featuring double drive-thru lanes, added technology, and a renewed focus on the dine-in experience. Panera’s new design puts the bakery ovens out in the open, so customers can smell and see the bread and pastries bake. Check out an image of the exterior here!
- Microsoft announced that it’s starting to roll out the latest update to its Windows 10 operating system. This update focuses on quality improvements rather than offering a bunch of new features for users to learn.
- TuSimple, a driverless tech company, tested its trucks by hauling fresh watermelons along a 951-mile route from Nogales, Arizona, to Oklahoma City. The job, which normally takes over 24 hours, took only 14 hours and six minutes, the company said. A human driver worked on the pick-up and delivery of the produce. But during the long middle segment of the drive — from Tucson, Arizona, to Dallas, Texas — TuSimple’s vehicle drove itself with a human safety driver on board.
