Audio Video Keystone Jacks
Frequently Asked Questions About Audio/Video Keystone Jacks - FAQ’s
Why should I consider using an audio/video keystone jack?
Using an audio/video keystone jack is the best practice for creating permanent wall outlets to support audio video cables. Most commonly audio/video keystone jacks are used to connect in-wall audio video cables on one end, so you can use a shorter easier to manage audio/video cables from the wall out to the audio video devices and components they are delivering signals to.
What cable types can I use audio/video keystone jacks for?
It is not uncommon for a home or business to have numerous audio video cables installed in and outside the walls. Today, audio video cables are a huge part of the cabling infrastructure of any home or business network. As a result using audio/video keystone jacks have become a necessity for managing and organizing various cable and connector types. There are now audio/video keystone jacks available to support any and all audio video cable connector types. Some of the most popular audio/video keystone jacks now available support RCA, BNC, HDMI, USB, VGA, TOSLINK, speaker, F type, and 3.5mm cable connections. There are even audio/video keystone jacks available for applications where network cables are used to transmit audio/video signals.
Why not just run audio video cables right out of the wall and into my devices?
You can but it is not recommended. One of the main reasons you use audio/video keystone jacks is to protect your expensive in-wall cables from being damaged. Imagine if you bought a real expensive long HDMI cable and then paid to have it installed in your walls by a professional installer. But one day by accident your children pull on it a little too hard and break the connector off of it (which is very common). Now you have to not only buy a new HDMI cable, but you also have to pay to have it installed again. This could be an expensive problem. But, if you would have left your expensive HDMI cable in the wall and used an HDMI keystone jack to plate it, and then used a shorter cheaper HDMI cable to come from the wall out to your components, this whole issue could have been avoided.
Do I need tools to install audio/video keystone jacks?
Many of the audio/video keystone jacks that support pre-terminated cables like HDMI and USB cables are just pass through type jacks, so essentially you are just plugging in cables in the front and back. Also, for speaker binding posts that are keystone jack style you will not need any tools because you are just attaching the raw wire conductors into the binding posts. But for the majority of audio/video keystone jacks you will have to at least terminate the cable ends unless you buy all your cables pre-terminated of course. An example would be if you are using F connector keystone jacks. You will have to ensure that both your in-wall coaxial cable and the coaxial cable coming off the wall plate to your equipment have F connectors terminated on them.
Once you have attached your cable to the audio/video keystone jack you can then easily snap-it into a standard wall plate or Decora type insert. So if your cables are pre-terminated the only tool you will really need is a screwdriver to screw the wall plate back onto the wall after you have inserted your connected jack into it.
What brand of audio/video keystone jacks does Cabling Plus offer?
All of our audio/video keystone jacks are manufactured by ICC Cabling Products. As a world leader in manufacturing professional grade cabling products, ICC designs their audio/video keystone jacks to ensure performance, durability, and quality. You will never see us offer the no-name no-brand audio video products you see all over the internet.
