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Impact Acoustics USB Superbooster Cat5e Extenders Review

Name: USB Superbooster Cat5e Extender
Brand: Impact Acoustics
SKU: not available
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

by Clint DeBoer — July 10, 2008

USB over Cat5e or Cat6

Product Name: USB Superbooster Cat5e Extender
Manufacturer: Impact Acoustics
Performance Rating:
Value Rating:
Review Date: July 10, 2008 15:35
MSRP: $ 99 - $129

Specifications

Extends the distance of a USB device from a USB-enabled computer up to 150ft
Ideal for use with USB cameras, printers, web cams, keyboard/mouse extensions, and any other USB device
Bus-powered so no external power source is required
Uses standard Cat5/Cat5E/Cat6 patch cord (not included) for ease of use and flexibility
Compliant with USB Specification 1.1
Connectors:

Base Connectors: USB Type A Male; RJ45 Female (USB Type B for wall plate model)
Remote Connectors: 2 x USB Type A Female; RJ45 Female (1 x USB Type A for wall plate model)

Includes tool-less IDC RJ45 connectors (wall plate model)

Pros

Easy to use
Flexible, wall plate version or dongles
Works as advertised

Cons

Transmitter/receiver nomenclature a tad confusing
Not USB 2.0-compliant

Impact Acoustics USB Superbooster Introduction

You may not spend hours and hours thinking of new ways to run long lengths of USB cable, but if you need it to occur, then it suddenly becomes the focus of your thoughts. USB has a practical maximum length of just 5 meters. If you're running an equipment room, remotely-located home theater PC, or even just a really long Guitar Hero III cable (more on this below), then a USB Superbooster is probably something you should investigate.

The way a USB Superbooster works is that it actively takes the USB data and transmits it over Cat5e cable. This effectively breaks the 5 meter distance limitation and nets you the ability to take it up to 150 meters. Not bad, considering the inexpensive price of bulk Cat5e cable. The other nice thing is that since USB includes power, these active solutions are powered by the cable and don't require external power. The exceptions are those products which have an extra USB port, effectively acting as a port doubler.

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