News

VDC launches Van Damme Marine range of cables for marine audio visual and data installations (20/8/2010)

Van Damme Marine is designed specifically for super yachts, cruise liners and the rigors of a marine environment – and reduces cable pulling costs by up to 85%

VDC Trading Ltd today launches a range of cables that represents a quantum leap forward for marine A/V, data and communications connectivity. The Van Damme Marine Range delivers technical specifications usually associated with live sound, music studios and beyond, now adapted for the rigors of a marine environment and the challenges associated with ship installations.

Niall Holden, managing director, VDC Trading, said: “In the world of super yachts, on-board systems have entered the domain of HD television and audiophile sound systems, so pro-audio and broadcast levels of installation have now become the entry level. This means there has never been a greater need and demand for a range of A/V cables that are capable of handling the legal and technical requirements of these systems without compromising the infrastructure and quality of the ship itself.”

“Until now, A/V cabling requirements have been largely ignored, failing to keep up with technological developments and failing to comply with international insurance standards related to burn rates and toxic emissions - the number one killer in marine fires. We have worked closely with Van Damme to specify and develop an entirely new category of marine cabling that addresses these issues whilst delivering unrivalled performance.”

Key features of the range include:

* Unrivalled sound quality: Van Damme Marine cable uses ultra pure oxygen free copper, advanced foamed and gas injected dielectrics and the latest plastics technologies to ensure the best possible signal transmissions. For instance Van Damme Marine SeaSat Video cables meet the electrical requirements of the UK Confederation of Aerial Industries for type 100 satellite coaxial cable
* Simplified installation: The cable is very tough, but copes easily with tight bend radii and is easy to handle, install and terminate. The composite format means that all connectivity requirements are incorporated in a single, perfectly round, easy to handle cable profile instead of an awkward bundle of individual cables. This means that the cable passes through bulkheads more easily, whilst its outer jacket is designed to mate seamlessly with fire-proof bulkheads to deliver a perfect seal
* Reduced installation costs: Because Van Damme Marine hybrid multicore replaces multiple single cables, the cost of pulling cables is reduced by up to 85%
* Safety: The cable is designed to exacting marine safety standards originally specified for electrical cables. They use Low Smoke Zero Halogen cable jackets using the thermoplastic polymer SHF1 - which is compliant with IEC 60092 Electrical Installations in ships pt. 359. This means that in the case of fire, the cable burns at the prescribed rate and produces minimal toxic fumes. The cable is fully tested and compliant with the following IEC standards:
IEC 60332.1 – Flame retardency of a single cable
IEC 60754.1 - Amount of Halogen Emissions
IEC 60754.2 - Degree of acidicy of released gases
IEC 60134.2 - Measurement of Smoke Density
IEC 60332-3-24 - Flame retardency of bunched cables
* Reliability: The cable and connectors are designed to deal with the demanding marine environment. For instance, where non-locking HDMI connectors are normally used, Van Damme Marine specifies locking versions, to ensure that cable connections are not affected by rough seas.
* Fibre future proofing: Given the huge expense of cabling large yachts and cruise liners, the cable is designed to support emerging needs, for instance including OM3 fibre elements to support 10G Ethernet, data and control solutions. This is also a huge advantage for anyone buying a yacht and undertaking a full refit. The cables will not need to be renewed, which removes significant time and cost from the refit process.

The Van Damme Marine Range, supplied exclusively by VDC Trading Ltd, has been successfully trialled in a range of large scale installations and is specified by leading shipyards, including:

* Yachts: The 416ft ‘Octopus’, the sister ships Tatoosh and Méduse, Ronin, Katana, Katrion, Gu and Aviva (now Atlessa III)
* Cruise ships: Thompson's huge Mediterranean cruise liners ‘Destiny’ and ‘Celebration’, the Disney Cruise ships
* Yards: Amels, Royal Huisman, Lurssens, de Vries and Royal Van Lent

The Van Damme Marine range includes the following cable types:

Van Damme Marine Grade SeaSat Coaxial Multicore*
3-way RG6 type multicore cable for satellite television and HD-SDI high definition video signal distribution.
Applications • Installed distribution of satellite television signals • Installed distribution of HD-SDI high definition video and SDI serial digital video • Suitable for analogue video signals • Meets the electrical requirements of CAI (UK Confederation of Aerial Industries) for type 100 satellite coaxial cable

Van Damme Marine Grade SeaCat Data Multicore*
The Sea Cat range comprises two cables for networking installations – a 4 way Cat 5E screened solid conductor multicore and an 8 way version which also contains a 4 way OM3 multimode fibre for potential 10G Ethernet applications.
Applications • Installed distribution of 100Mbs and Gigabit Ethernet • Local Network and Comms distribution

Van Damme Marine Grade Super Marine Data Multicore*
Van Damme Super Marine is an extension to the Van Damme SeaCat range; the data cable element is a Category 6 S/FTP type – individually foil screened pairs with an additional overall screen. As with the SeaCat range 4 x OM3 multimode fibres are included in the multicore cables for 10G Ethernet use.
Applications • Installed distribution of 100Mbs and Gigabit Ethernet • Local Network and Comms distribution • Integral 4 way OM3 fibre for 10G Ethernet fibre based networking • Cat 6 cables are solid conductor individually and overall screened type; fibre is OM3 50/125μm multimode

Van Damme Digilog Ecoflex Cable AES/Analogue Audio Multicore
An audio multicore specifically for marine installation use available in 1,4 or 8-pair configuration. The cable is designed to carry AES/EBU and/or analogue balanced audio as well as paired data signals such as RS485, RS422 and DMX512. In addition a one pair super AES cable is available for long distance transmission of 96 KHz AES/EBU digital audio, analogue audio and other balanced data applications.
Applications • Installed AES/EBU digital or analogue audio cable infrastructure • Any 100 to 110 Ohm balanced data application such as RS422, RS485, DMX512 and timecode • Equipment rack wiring where LSZH materials have been specified

Van Damme Ecoflex Marine Grade Speaker Cable*
From 2 x 0.75mm for 100V line to 8 x 2.5mm for low impedance systems most speaker applications are well covered.
Applications • Marine installations • Suitable for single / multiple speaker systems and amp rack applications • Ultra pure oxygen free copper for outstanding signal transmission

Van Damme Ecoflex Individual HD Video Cable
75 Ohm precision coaxial comprising a single coax jacketed cable. Toleranced to ensure trouble free performance with SMPTE 259M SDI signals as well as SDI analogue video. This cable can also be used for shorter distance transmission of 1.485 Gb/s HD-SDI.
Applications • Transmission of SDI and analogue video signals • Short runs of 1.485 Gb/s HD-SDI • Use of precision 75 Ohm components throughout any signal chain is imperative

Van Damme Ecoflex Multicore SDI Video Cable
75 Ohm precision coaxial cable comprising a 6-way jacketed multicore version of the individual Ecoflex SDI video cable. Toleranced to ensure trouble free performance with SMPTE 259M SDI signals as well as analogue video. These cables can also be used for shorter distance transmission of 1.485 Gb/s HD-SDI.
Applications • Transmission of SDI and analogue video signals • Short runs of 1.485 Gb/s HD-SDI • Ideal for multiple SDI runs and/or RGBHV + composite analogue video • Use of precision 75 Ohm components throughout any signal chain is imperative

Van Damme Ecoflex Red Series Plasma Grade Miniature Video Multicore
This range features a miniature 2 and 5-way video multicore.
Applications • Multicore video signal transmissions – SVHS (YC), YUV, RGBS and RGBHV (VGA) in an installation environment • 30 metre recommended maximum length for analogue video • Longer run lengths achievable using appropriate distribution amplifiers (DAs) • Multicores are industry standard colour coded • All cables use RG179 type connectors and small BNC boots

Van Damme AVI Series Audio/Video Composite Multicore
The AVI Series is a composite multicore cable capable of transmitting RGBHV and composite video combined with 4 AES/EBU digital/analogue pairs and 3 tracers for extended distance TX/RX RS232 data. The multiple signal possibilities within this one cable make it ideal for a general tie line cable within installations – one cable pull will support a host of potential applications.
Applications • Multiple signal Audio Visual tie lines • AES/EBU digital audio pairs also suitable for analogue audio, RS422, DMX and midi transmission • 6 colour coded miniature coaxials for composite, SVHS, YUV, RGB and RGBHV (VGA) video formats • 3 AWG20 tracer wires for RS232 or DC control voltages

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