Quadrax to twinax conversion apparatus and method

The method of transference of high speed data between Quadrax cable and Twinax cable, comprising:

• forming traces ending in plated through holes on a first dielectric board;
• forming traces ending in plated through holes on a second dielectric board;
• stacking said boards between ground planes;
• connecting conductors to traces on said first board through said through holes so that said conductors do not electrically connect to said traces on said second board;
• connecting conductors to traces on said second board through said through holes so that said conductors do not electrically connect to said traces on said first board;
• attaching the conductors connected to traces on said first dielectric board to a first orthogonal pair of the Quadrax cable;
• attaching the conductors connected to traces on said second dielectric board to a second orthogonal pair of the Quadrax cable;
• connecting said traces on said first dielectric board to a first Twinax cable;
• and
• connecting said traces on said second dielectric board to a second Twinax cable.

A conversion apparatus for connecting from a high speed data cable having two diagonal pairs of conductors comprising:

• physically displaced first and second circuits;
• a ground plane between said circuits;
• and
• conductors from said first and second circuits respectively to said orthogonal pairs of conductors without disturbing the relative positions of said diagonal pairs of conductors.

A connector for efficiently connecting Quadrax and Twinax cables comprising:

• a multi-level stack of boards including first and second trace layers and a ground plane between said first and second trace layers;
• said trace layers including four substantially diagonal through holes with said first trace layer connected to one set of diagonal holes and said second trace layer connected to the other set of diagonal holes;
• said first trace layer adapted to connect to a first Twinax cable;
• said second trace layer adapted to connect to a second Twinax cable;
• one set of diagonal through holes adapted to connect to one set of diagonal wires of said Quadrax cable;
• and
• the other set of diagonal through holes adapted to connect to the remaining set of diagonal wires of said Quadrax cable.