Cables - Twinaxial Cable

Twinaxial cable (also known as Twinax cable) is similar to the coaxial cable, with the only difference being that the former has two inner conductors. These cables were not popular until after 2013, when their applications in differential signaling showed a significant increase. Twinaxial cables are used for high-speed data transfer over short distances, usually not more than 10 meters.

Twinax Cable Length and Performance

Most of these cable types are 10-gigabit Ethernet cables and are classified as either passive or active. Active Twinax cables, as the name suggests, have active electronic components that that are encased at the connector terminal to improve signal quality. This is necessary for applications that are data sensitive. A passive twinaxial cable, on the other hand, has no components and only consists of the conductor and insulation casing. Generally, longer cables are made active because of the long distance the signal has to travel, and shorter cables are passive. But that depends on the manufacturer and brand.

Twinax cables are commonly used for connecting devices through the SFP+ interface ports. They are desired for this because of the high data throughput of up to 10GBps and low latency. A Twinax cable is many times better than other cabling standards such as CAT7 and CAT6. They also draw minimal power to operate, even for active Twinax cables.

What Materials are Used in Twinax Cable?

These cables were constructed mainly from copper wires. That was before the commercial use of fiber optic cables. Currently, you can choose between Twinax copper cable or Twinax optical cable. By comparison, optical cables are better performers and are also more expensive. So, your choice will be limited to what you have on your budget.

Twinax and Coaxial, How Do They Compare?

It is possible to get confused between these two commonly used types of cables. They are very similar in many ways, but the notable difference that sets the twinaxial cable apart is the two conductors instead of one. This construction makes these cables have better signal integrity in short-range applications. When shopping, you will have to know this difference and consider other factors as well.

If you are unsure about the cable type to buy, contact the ALLHDD sales manager for support. We have technical experts ready to help you choose the best cable type and length for your applications. You can trust us for quality and excellent customer service.