Every video patchbay order asks you the same three questions: normalled or non-normalled? Terminated or non-terminated? And which jack format? Get them right and the patchbay disappears into your plant for a decade. Get them wrong and you'll be re-terminating coax on a ladder. Here's the working engineer's guide to each decision.
Normalled vs non-normalled
Normalling is the internal connection between a vertical pair of jacks. In a normalled pair, the signal on the top (source) jack flows automatically to the bottom (destination) jack whenever nothing is plugged in. Insert a patch cord and the normal breaks — you've manually re-routed the feed. Pull the cord and the default path returns.
- Normalled — the default for plant wiring. Your router output feeds its destination through the patchbay invisibly, and the bay only becomes a manual router when you need it: failure recovery, special events, temporary feeds. If you're unsure, this is almost certainly what you want.
- Non-normalled — no internal connection; every path must be patched with a cord. Choose this for patch-everything positions like QC benches, transmission racks where accidental normals are a risk, or anywhere the "default route" concept doesn't apply.
(Audio engineers will know half-normalling, where inserting in the top jack taps the signal without breaking it. Video patchbays generally use full normals instead and solve monitoring properly — see the monitoring row below.)
Terminated vs non-terminated
Video is a 75-ohm transmission line, and an unterminated path reflects. Terminated jacks present a 75-ohm load so that unused sources see a proper termination — the clean choice for return loss, especially at 3G/12G rates. Non-terminated versions exist for looping arrangements and cases where the downstream device provides termination. Plant practice: terminated unless you have a specific reason otherwise.
Monitoring row: the third row that pays for itself
A monitoring row adds a third row of jacks bridged onto the signal path, letting you probe any feed with a scope or monitor without interrupting the program. In master control, QC, and transmission areas it turns troubleshooting from a risky patch into a zero-downtime glance. AVP builds monitoring-row versions of the E-Series and MidSize mini-WECO lines.
Pick your jack format (density vs handling)
| Format | Typical density | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard WECO | 2x24 per 1RU | Maximum ruggedness, legacy plants, heavy daily patching |
| MidSize (mini-WECO) | 2x32–2x36 per 1RU | The modern default — WECO handling, more ports per RU |
| MicroSize (micro/HD-BNC) | Highest ports per RU | OB trucks, flypacks, space-critical racks |
| E-Series (20 GHz) | 2x24–2x32 per 1RU | UHD-first plants wanting maximum bandwidth headroom |
New to these formats? Start with What is a WECO connector? And whatever the format, match the bandwidth rating to your plant's SDI generation — a 3G-era bay will pass 12G-SDI badly. Full explanation: 3G vs 6G vs 12G-SDI: choosing a patch panel for 4K and 8K.
The 60-second spec checklist
- Bandwidth: 12G-rated for any UHD plant; 3G Super HD+ where 1080p is the ceiling.
- Format: MidSize mini-WECO unless you have a density (micro) or legacy (standard WECO) reason.
- Normalling: normalled for plant wiring; non-normalled for patch-everything positions.
- Termination: terminated, unless your design loops through.
- Monitoring row: yes in MCR/QC/transmission; optional elsewhere.
- Jack count & height: count today's feeds, add 20–30% spare, then round up to the panel size.
AVP MFG & Supply has manufactured broadcast video patchbays since 1985 — every configuration above (including normalled/non-normalled and terminated variants of most models) is built in-house and sold factory-direct. Not sure which spec fits your plant? Ask us — we'll spec it with you.