What is Shielded Cable and What are the Uses

Shielded Cable

By Anne Ahira

A shielded cable is a type of electrical cable that is encased in a conductive layer. The shield can be of several different materials, such as, braided or non braided copper, aluminum, copper tape, or a layer of a polymer that has a conductive property.

The shield is normally covered by a jacket. This provides insulation and, allows the shield to become a cage that reduces the electrical noise from interfering with signals and reducing the amount of electromagnetic radiation that could interfere with other electronics.

Power cables that are high voltage with solid insulation, must be shielded to not only protect the insulation of the cable, but also to protect people and equipment. The best way to visualize this is to think of an apple.

If you were to cut an apple in half around the center you would notice the core, then the meat of the fruit then finally the outer skin layer. When you cut shielded cable you will see that in the very center is the wire covering that is the conductive shielding, over that will be the “skin” otherwise known as the jacket.

One of the uses for shielded cable is for security systems. This is because two conductors of a balanced line circuit are twisted into a twisted pair, providing a shielded cable that cancels out noise.

However, it is the metallic shield cover used in coaxial cables that use a greater frequency that provides the better quality for video feeds. Using the proper shielded cables in security systems will guarantee that there will not be interference from power and radio frequencies that would otherwise cause false alarms in your security system.

Another common use for shielded cable is for the microphone cable that is used to set up a PA system and in the top recording studios. This is because the shielded cables provide a boost in audio balance making the audio clear and with little to no interference.

The shielded cables that are with multiple music equipment often have the multicore cable that allows it to hold several pairs of conductors. Microphones are another audio device that uses shielded cable.

So, as you can see, shielded cable is very important to everything from power cables to audio cables. Without them, you would not be able to have a high-end audio sound on your next mix, or security for your home and business.

You might think that these are all very expensive, but you would be incorrect. You can actually purchase these at a very reasonable price at a hardware and electronic store, as well as online at an internet market, such as Amazon.

So, the next time you are wanting to set up security for your home or business or want to set up your new audio system, remember, a shielded cable will provide the best quality for your needs.

Here's Shielded Cable Selections:

6FT Shielded External Esata Cable M/m...	Customer Review: I got this along with a Esata card and I didn't use either one because I brought a new computer.... Read More	(27)
Mediabridge Ultra Series - Dual Shielded Subwoofer...	Customer Review: This is just a cable after all, but this is an excellent deal for a very high quality product.The RCA connectors have a heavy, professional feel to them and are gold plated. I also like the design of the connector ends as they fit very tightly and I ... Read More	$24.98 (2)
GSI GNA17 RCA 2 Channel Spiral Shielded Audio Cabl...	Customer Review: It works very good with my truck sound system. Clear sound and the quality is good. Probably not the best rca cable like those expensive of $100 but it does the job for me. I am very happy with my purchase... Read More	$5.99 (1)
Coupling to Shielded Cables...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info
For cable size to 1/8, Bore (A)=3/16 dia., Overall...	Customer Review: Click Here for More Info	$5.45