Build your own fiber optic sync cable???

[Aqua-Andy]

I have looked and couldn't find any such cable, maybe my Google fu is off. If you could provide a link that would be great. I have various ends that I have purchased over the years that I can reuse.

For Sea and Sea strobes, sometimes getting good results is tough with single core fibers. You can get the same 617 core fibers that S&S and Inon and most others use from Industrial Fiber Optics. $7/meter, you will need two meters for good cables. You will need two of these (INON Double Hole Rubber Bush for Fiber Optics) at $2 each, a 1/4 inch wooden dowel about 7 inches long. Drill a 1 mm hole at each end of the dowel. Push 2 inches of fiber through the dowel. Wind tightly then push the other end through the other hole. Place the whole thing in cold water in a pot. Heat to boil, turn off the heat and let cool back to room temp (the important bit). Push the straight bits back through the holes and slide the whole piece off the dowel. Put on the end caps, done for less than $20.

Cheers
Bill

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Ok so I looked at industrial fiber optic and found some 613 strand cable but it comes in a 500 meter roll for the bargain price of $1785.81

 

[bvanant]

You didn't look far enough down the page. Single meter pricing is now $7.50 per meter (was $7 per meter last time I bought it.

 

[bvanant]

The 1300 core stuff is cheaper but I haven't tried it. They both have 1 mm bend radius so coiling should be similar. I will order some and see how it goes.
BVA

 

[Aqua-Andy]

You didn't look far enough down the page. Single meter pricing is now $7.50 per meter (was $7 per meter last time I bought it.

Thanks, I'm going to order some also. The price the manufacturers charge for a cable is ridiculous, I have been searching for an alternative for a few years. Hopefully this is it.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I was thinking that that price was by the foot, Now I'm really excited!

 

[cerich]

useful post

 

[Litos]

I had no problem using cheap 1 mm audio cable (about 1 EUR). Just cut the adaptors and build your own with plastic or rubber. Honestly, audio cable specifications seem more challenging than a flash trigger.

 

[davehicks]

Some strobes such as S&S are very picky and may need more light transmitted than a single 1mm fiber can carry. So 2-3mm may work better some some devices.

 

[bvanant]

Audio transmission is from digital data, and for optical is pretty low resolution compared to HDMI. For Inon strobes you don't need much light to trigger, but for S&S you need a lot more light and if you are doing TTL you need more fidelity.
The Asahi 1300 core fiber works well, i.e. I can trigger my YSD-1 from the Nauticam LED trigger with no issues. Sadly the IFO guys now have raised the price a bit to $7.70 per meter. Still cheap compared to buying one from Inon/S&S.
Bill