Outdoor events, productions and broadcasting can be very challenging and require highly resilient and reliable solutions. There is no time to even worry about things like weather influences and temperatures getting in the way. The weather can, however, negatively impact materials and the quality of the work.
The new product range TRUE OUTDOOR PROTECTION (TOP) from NEUTRIK ensures that work can go on.

“It is now possible to find products on the market that provide protection only against moisture and precipitation. The sun and ultraviolet rays are, in our view, also an important factor because they too influence the material and product quality over time”, says Dario Winter, Product Manager at Neutrik AG. The new series includes the well-known powerCON TRUE1, etherCON and XLR products, which are approved for outdoor use - UV resistant and IP65 rated.

etherCON TOP

etherCON TOP receptacles

The new etherCON receptacle TOP range replaces the current SE versions. The TOP etherCON receptacles feature an enhanced IP65 rating as well as outdoor protection per UL50E (certification pending). This qualifies the TOP etherCON products for outdoor applications under harshest environmental conditions.

Currently, NE8FDP, NE8FDV and NE8FDH-C5E are available in TOP configurations. For converting additional etherCON types into TOP versions, please use the assembly kit SE8FD-TOP. All TOP etherCON chassis connectors are packaged with stainless steel mounting screws. This new screw, E-SCREW-1-12SS, will also be available for purchase on its own.

etherCON NE8MX* cable connector carriers

The current NE8MC* product range (NE8MC, NE8MC-B, NE8MC-1, NE8MC-B-1) will be completely replaced by three new products: NE8MX-TOP, NE8MX-B, and NE8MX-B-1. These three products include improved, simplified, more efficient assembly of the RJ45 into the cable carrier.
NE8MX-TOP, with a chromium housing, offers enhanced outdoor protection according to UL50E and an IP65 rating.
NE8MX-B, with a black housing, can be assembled to cables onto which RJ45 connectors are already terminated.
NE8MX-B-1, with a black housing, is for cables that do not yet have RJ45 connectors terminated to them.

It is important to note that: (a) the new NE8MX-B and NE8MX-B-1 are only available in black, and (b) NE8MX-B and NE8MX-B-1 are not IP rated. For all applications requiring an IP rating, the new NE8MX-TOP must be used.

powerCON TRUE1 TOP

The powerCON TRUE1 range is well established in many AV applications and, with the IP 65 rating, is used in various weather resistant applications. To ensure true outdoor protection, Neutrik has enhanced this range with appropriate materials to fulfil NEMA 250 and UL50E requirements.

With this improvement the new powerCON TRUE1 TOP series features maximal outdoor protection according to UL50E/enclosure type 4 and IP65 IEC standard. With the introduction of powerCON TRUE1 TOP, the existing TRUE1 cable connectors and chassis connectors will be discontinued.

Cable connectors NAC3FX-W-TOP / NAC3MX-W-TOP

These rugged power-in and power-out cable connectors are the successors to NAC3FX-W and NAC3MX-W. In addition to the new materials, the latch design has been upgraded for a more ergonomic grip and operation as well improved fixation on the housing. The new TOP series is easy to distinguish by the all-black design and the silver-colored finish of the latch lever.

Applicance connectors NAC3MPX*, FPX*, PX-TOP

Like the cable connectors, the rugged power appliance connectors of the TOP Series are now completely black in color. Like the predecessor versions, the new range covers all applications in the field (in and out connectors, in/out combination, connectors without insulation dividers for the OEM business, connectors with screw terminations). It is important to note that the chassis connectors must be equipped with the rubber sealing covers SCNAC-PX / SCNAC-FPX / SCNAC-MPX to achieve the TOP outdoor protection level. For solely indoor applications, the sealing covers are not required.

Rubber sealing covers SCNAC-PX / SCNAC-MPX / SCNAC-FPX

The well-known rubber sealing covers SCNAC-PX / SCNAC-MPX and SCNAC-FPX are not changing from the current designs which have already been available for years. These products already correspond with UL50E requirements; they must be applied to the powerCON TRUE1 TOP chassis connectors in order to achieve the UL50E / NEMA 250 enclosure type 4 rating. The chassis connectors of the TOP series must not be exposed to harsh environments in the unmated condition without attached rubber sealing covers.

XLR TOP

After several enquiries over the past years for a complete range of weather-proof XLR connectors, we are now glad to introduce the XLR TOP connector range. This series consists of male and female D-sized chassis connectors with solder termination as well enhanced male and female cable connectors. The chassis connectors are brand new products. The cable connectors are replacements for the current X-HD versions.

These series feature the same outdoor protection and IP65 rating as the etherCON and powerCON TRUE1 TOP products. UL50E certification is pending.

Chassis connectors: 3 and 5 pin FDX-TOP and MDX-TOP

Until now, Neutrik’s only solution for sealed and IP rated chassis connectors were the male-only MPR-HD series. With the introduction of the new TOP series, Neutrik now offers heavy-duty, sealed XLR chassis connectors in both male and female versions. These new TOP XLR chassis connectors are made of high-impact UV resistant materials per UL. Water tightness to IP 65 is maintained not only in mated conditions but also when the chassis connectors are disconnected and not in use.

To protect the connectors from dust and dirt when disconnected, optional dust covers are available. To ensure the sealing function and outdoor capability, the chassis connectors must be fastened using four stainless steel countersunk screws. These screws are easily available through third parties; thus, we will not offer them. Note that the current MPR-HD series will remain available.

Chassis connector accessories: protection covers

Although the outdoor protection of the chassis connectors is achieved without the need for any additional covers, some customers may prefer to protect the contact area against dust and dirt. Therefore, optional covers are offered.

Cable connectors: 3 and 5 pin X-TOP series

The new X-TOP XLR cable connectors feature the same outstanding bushing design as the etherCON TOP cable connectors. Upon the release of the X-TOP series, the existing X-HD series will be discontinued. (XX-HD cable connectors will remain available and unchanged.) The male connector adopts the stainless steel housing previously used on NC*MX-HD*; the diecast housing of the female connector is completely covered by UV resistant rubber when it is connected to either the male cable connector or the male chassis connector.