Break-away Cable

[Ed Baatz]

I have been considering purchasing a quick-connect/breakaway cable for use with my Shure FP33 mixer.

Any info on different brands of cables or where to buy them?

What about extensions to increase the lengths?

Perhaps home-made?

Thanks, Ed

[Mike Rehmus]

You mean XLR isn't quick enough or you want true break-away to save the equipment when the director trips over the cables?

If you have the mixer in a bag, some short XLR cables are probably the best bet. Just color code or label them so you know which connector is which.

[Ed Baatz]

Mostly to avoid tripping directors. ;o)

I am interested in getting a break-away cable that allows me to quickly connect and disconnect the Shure FP33 outputs (two XLR connectors and the monitor cable) from the camcorder's inputs.

Color coded cables. Why? I didn't realize that it even mattered which mixer channel went to each camcorder channel.

I guess I could just use two XLR mic cables and a headphone (monitor) and wrap all three together with duct tape?

[Mike Rehmus]

You will always come to some point where you need to quickly identify which channel and cable is connected to which input. Usually when something goes wrong right in the middle of Swan Lake.

You might consider one of the multi-pin Canon-style plugs (Military surplus is a good source). What you want is an audio snake with a quick-coupler I guess.

I'd not use something like duct tape which will ultimately make the cables a guey mess. Avoid plastic cable ties which will make the cables hard to manage and usually have sharp edges where the excess material has been cut off.

There are plastic zip-up covers, mesh covers (work like the old Chinese finger-trap) and the hard plastic spiral wrap that can be used. Or some of those cable tunnels that are designed to protect the cable and the walking public. You can even get a tape-like duct material that has sticky stuff down both sides of the tape and just clean plastic in the center.

Markertek is a great source for this stuff.

An alternative is to purchase some multi-conductor, twisted-pair cable and make up your own snake.

P.S. I haven't found a director yet that could avoid stepping and snagging cables. I always fasten my cables rigidly to the tripod and to the sound cart so the cable takes all of the strain. Velcro cable wraps work very well for this.