— BROADCAST ENGINEERING TOOL

SDI Cable Length Calculator

Calculate the maximum recommended cable run length for your SDI signal format and cable type. Based on industry-standard attenuation limits for broadcast installations.

Step 1 of 2
What is your SDI signal format?
SD-SDI
270 Mb/s — Standard definition
HD-SDI
1.485 Gb/s — 1080i / 720p
3G-SDI
2.97 Gb/s — 1080p / 1080i HFR
6G-SDI
6 Gb/s — UHD 2160p 30fps
12G-SDI
12 Gb/s — UHD 2160p 60fps
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metres
Maximum recommended cable run
⚠️ Values shown are based on published cable attenuation specifications and industry guidelines. Actual performance depends on connectors, terminations, cable condition and signal equipment characteristics. Always test with production equipment before permanent installation.
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— QUICK REFERENCE

Maximum recommended run lengths — Belden 1694A standard SDI cable

Format Bitrate Max run (Belden 1694A) Max run (RG-6) Use case
SD-SDI 270 Mb/s 300 m 250 m Legacy SD broadcast
HD-SDI 1.485 Gb/s 100 m 80 m 1080i / 720p studio
3G-SDI 2.97 Gb/s 80 m 60 m 1080p / HFR production
6G-SDI 6 Gb/s 50 m 35 m UHD 4K 30fps
12G-SDI 12 Gb/s 20 m 15 m UHD 4K 60fps

Click any row to see detailed results. For runs beyond these distances, consider active cable equalizers, reclocking distribution amplifiers or fibre-based transmission.