Liberty AV 24-4P-P-L6SH 1000 ft Reel of Cat6 23 AWG 4-Pair Shielded Cable

Product Overview

The Liberty AV 24-4P-P-L6SH is a 1000ft reel of Cat6 F/UTP EN Series shielded plenum cable — combining CMP plenum fire rating with foil shielding for commercial AV deployments in air-handling spaces where both code compliance and EMI rejection are required. Rated NEC CMP and CEC CMP FT6, this 23 AWG 4-pair plenum shielded Cat6 cable is third-party certified by UL and ETL to ANSI/TIA-568-C Category 6 performance. It is the specified solution for AV-over-IP, HDBaseT, and PoE infrastructure runs in plenum ceilings near lighting circuits, HVAC drives, or other EMI sources in commercial AV environments.

Product Description

The 24-4P-P-L6SH is Liberty AV's premium Cat6 cable option, addressing commercial AV installations that require the combination of plenum fire rating and shielded EMI performance — two requirements that, individually, would each justify a cable upgrade. The 23 AWG solid annealed bare copper conductors are insulated with FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene / Teflon™), which provides both the low smoke and flame propagation characteristics for CMP certification and the stable dielectric properties that maintain Cat6 signal integrity at elevated frequencies.

The 100% aluminum/polyester foil shield with drain wire facing in provides continuous shielding coverage across the cable's full length, rejecting externally induced noise from sources common in commercial ceiling environments: LED driver switching noise, DALI or DMX lighting control cables, HVAC variable frequency drives, and power conduit runs. This makes the 24-4P-P-L6SH the preferred choice for AV-over-IP signal runs (Dante, AVB, NDI, proprietary AV-over-IP protocols) where packet loss from EMI can manifest as visible audio/video artifacts, and for HDBaseT extender runs in electrically noisy commercial AV environments. Pairs are cabled with varying lay lengths on a common axis with color-striped conductors on white insulation, and the plenum-rated PVC alloy jacket includes a ripcord for clean field termination. The shielded construction requires grounded Cat6 STP connectors at both ends to realize the EMI rejection benefits. This 1000ft reel delivers the per-foot economics needed for large commercial infrastructure pulls where individual home-run cables are run from each endpoint to the IDF/MDF.

Key Features

• CMP Plenum + Foil Shield Combined — The only configuration suitable for shielded AV network infrastructure in air-handling plenum spaces — satisfies NFPA 90A without conduit while providing EMI rejection for AV-over-IP environments.
• F/UTP Foil Shield with Drain Wire — 100% aluminum/polyester foil shield with drain wire provides continuous EMI rejection along the full cable length, critical for AV-over-IP signal integrity near lighting control, HVAC, and power infrastructure.
• FEP (Teflon™) Insulation — Fluorinated ethylene propylene insulation on each conductor provides the low-smoke, low-flame characteristics required for CMP plenum certification alongside stable dielectric performance at Cat6 signal frequencies.
• 23 AWG Solid Bare Copper Conductors — Lower DC resistance versus 24 AWG supports longer PoE runs and reduces signal attenuation for 1GbE and HDBaseT applications over full 90m horizontal channel runs.
• NEC CMP / CEC CMP FT6 Rated — Highest NEC plenum rating, qualifying this cable for installation in air-handling spaces without conduit under NFPA 90A and NEC Article 800.
• UL and ETL Third-Party Certified — Independently certified to ANSI/TIA-568-C Category 6, providing documented performance accountability for commercial network infrastructure.
• PoE and HDBaseT Compatible — 23 AWG conductor size supports PoE (802.3af), PoE+ (802.3at), and HDBaseT Class B/C extender deployments to 100m for commercial AV extension infrastructure.
• Ripcord Under Jacket — Integrated ripcord simplifies clean jacket removal during field termination without risk of conductor or foil shield damage.
• Plenum-Rated PVC Alloy Jacket — Low-smoke, flame-retardant jacket specifically formulated to meet NFPA 90A plenum air space requirements.
• 1000ft Reel, RoHS Compliant — Full 305m reel for commercial horizontal cabling pulls; EU RoHS-2 2011/65/EU compliant for environmentally regulated project requirements.

Typical Applications

• Boardroom
• Conference Room
• Government Space
• Commercial Meeting Space
• Training Room
• Broadcast Studio
• Auditorium
• House of Worship
• Multi-Purpose Room

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose a shielded Cat6 cable over unshielded (U/UTP) for commercial AV installations?

In commercial AV environments, horizontal cable runs frequently pass near or through ceiling spaces shared with high-voltage lighting circuits, DALI/DMX lighting control cabling, HVAC variable frequency drive wiring, and power conduit. These sources generate electromagnetic interference that can induce noise on unshielded Cat6 pairs, potentially causing packet errors in AV-over-IP streams (Dante, NDI, HDBaseT), reduced PoE power reliability, or degraded 1GbE link performance. The F/UTP foil shield on the 24-4P-P-L6SH rejects this externally coupled noise, making it the preferred specification for electrically noisy plenum environments and AV-over-IP infrastructure.

Does the foil shield require special connectors?

Yes. To realize the EMI rejection benefit, the foil shield must be continuously grounded through shielded (STP) RJ-45 connectors, shielded keystone jacks, and shielded patch panels at both ends of the channel. The drain wire must be bonded to the connector's metallic shell, which in turn grounds through the equipment chassis to the building electrical ground. Terminating into unshielded Cat6 connectors leaves the shield floating, which can actually worsen interference by acting as an antenna. Verify shield grounding continuity with a cable tester that includes shield continuity verification.

Can this cable be installed in plenum air-handling spaces without conduit?

Yes. The NEC CMP and CEC CMP FT6 ratings qualify this cable for direct installation in plenum air-handling spaces as defined by NFPA 90A and the National Electrical Code, without conduit. CMP is the highest cable jacket fire rating category and can substitute for CMR, CMG, or CM cable anywhere in the building.

Is this cable suitable for AV-over-IP protocols such as Dante, NDI, or HDBaseT?

Yes. The 24-4P-P-L6SH meets ANSI/TIA-568-C Cat6 channel requirements for 1000BASE-T Ethernet, which supports all major AV-over-IP protocols including Dante (Audinate), NDI (NewTek/Vizrt), AVB/Milan, and SVSI/Q-SYS AV-over-IP at standard channel lengths up to 100m. For HDBaseT Class B extenders (1080p, 4K/30), the 100m Cat6 channel is the rated maximum. For HDBaseT Class C (4K/60 18Gbps), verify with the specific extender manufacturer whether Cat6 is supported or Cat6A is required.

What is the maximum channel length for this cable?

Per ANSI/TIA-568-C, the maximum Cat6 horizontal channel is 100m total: up to 90m permanent link cable plus 10m for patch cords and equipment cords at each end. This applies to 1000BASE-T (1GbE) and all AV-over-IP protocols using standard Ethernet PHY. For HDBaseT, the 100m limit applies to the total channel including extender patch cords.

How does this differ from Liberty AV's unshielded plenum Cat6 cable (24-4P-P-L6-EN-WHT)?

Both cables are 23 AWG, CMP-rated, UL/ETL-certified Cat6 plenum cables. The 24-4P-P-L6SH adds a 100% foil shield with drain wire for EMI rejection, making it the appropriate choice when cable runs pass near EMI sources. The unshielded 24-4P-P-L6-EN-WHT is a lower-cost option for clean electrical environments where EMI is not a concern. The shielded variant requires grounded STP connectors and proper shield bonding; the unshielded variant terminates with standard Cat6 UTP connectors. Specify the shielded version for AV-over-IP, data center patch runs, and any installation near power infrastructure.

Does this cable support PoE and PoE+?

Yes. The 23 AWG solid copper conductors support PoE (IEEE 802.3af, 15.4W) and PoE+ (IEEE 802.3at, 30W) applications. The foil shield provides an additional benefit for PoE installations by reducing common-mode interference that can affect PoE power delivery reliability in electrically noisy environments. For IEEE 802.3bt PoE++ (60W/100W), consult the TIA-568.2-D Annex G bundle derating guidelines for multi-pair PoE operation.