RCA cable.

[Telecolor 3007]

When the RCA cable first apeared? From where the RCA cable name came?

[Whirled One]

I don't know when they first appeared, but RCA had been using that type of interconnect for connecting phonographs to radios since at least the late 1930's. [...Also television audio... the TT-5 audio output was supposed to plug into the "Television" socket found on a number of late-30's RCA radios] Nowadays we just call 'em "RCA plugs" and "RCA jacks," I assume because RCA designed those particular connectors and used them on their equipment, but the connector design just happened to "catch on" as a standard used by other manufacturers. RCA may be gone now, but the design of those interconnects live on... BTW, I've seen some early RCA plugs that had very long center connectors; I don't know if that was typical of early versions of those connectors, or if that was just something RCA did on random pieces of equipment for whatever reason, or what.

Other examples (I think) of single-manufacturer-driven interconnect design include "phone plugs" (specifically, the 1/4" variety), which as far as I know first appeared on Bell Telephone switchboard equipment, but later started finding use in a whole range of audio devices. Also, for you photographers out there, there's the standard "PC socket" for connecting a flash to a camera; the "PC" part of the name stands for "Prontor/Compur", two brand names used by a very large German manufacturer of leaf shutters.

[Sandy G]

RCA stands for Radio Corporation of America. As far as jacks are concerned,there are literally HUNDREDS of them, some are pretty much generic now, like RCA jacks, & PL-259/SO-239 jacks-antenna jacks on lots of radio equipment. Some of 'em are specific to certain types/uses of equipment.-Sandy G.

[Dave S]

Originally Posted by Whirled One

Other examples... ...include "phone plugs" (specifically, the 1/4" variety), which as far as I know first appeared on Bell Telephone switchboard equipment, but later started finding use in a whole range of audio devices..

Interestingly enough, there is a slight difference in size between T-R-S (tip-ring-sleeve) patchbay phone plugs and today's ubiquitous 1/4" phone plug. I learned that the usual way, the hard way!

[Pete Deksnis]

Originally Posted by Whirled One

BTW, I've seen some early RCA plugs that had very long center connectors; I don't know if that was typical of early versions of those connectors, or if that was just something RCA did on random pieces of equipment for whatever reason, or what.

RCA had many irons in the fire, some of which were test equipment, movie theater audio, ocean-hopping HF communication services utilizing antenna farms, mobile communications products that competed with Link and of course Motorola, and who can forget RCA computers with virtual memory.

My point comes from the communication products area. In the 50’s and into the 60’s, RCA manufactured a family 15-watt output, 2-way radios called Carfone. There was for example a 450–470 MHz model, the CMU-15A in 1957. Those RCA’s never seemed to have the clarity to my then young ears as did an equivalent Motorola, but to my surprise, the Carfones used RCA plugs in the 15-watt RF path to the antenna. Those RCA plugs had very short center connectors, perhaps a design consideration for the 50-ohm characteristic impedance of the antenna path.

[bgadow]

Should also mention the Motorola plug, used universally for the antenna connection on car radios. You can buy an adapter that will plug in to either an RCA or Motorola jack. The outer diameter of the RCA jack matches the inside diameter of the Motorola jack.

[Telecolor 3007]

Uau! RCA cable is such an old invention?!!