About Cable Testers
Cable testers find a bad cable fast. Plug both ends in, read the lights, and see whether a pin is open, shorted or miswired, instead of swapping gear until the show works. Hollywood DJ stocks testers from Hosa, Mackie and Blizzard Lighting for XLR, TRS, RCA, BNC, HDMI, powerCON and RJ45 lines. Pick a single-unit checker for loose cables at the bench, or a multi-format unit like the Blizzard Cable Guy for audio, lighting and network runs.
Not sure which tester you need? Read our cable tester guide ↓
Related categories: Cable Management | Audio Cables and Adapters | DMX Lighting Cables | XLR Microphone Cables
Cable Tester FAQ
What does a cable tester do?
It checks continuity on every conductor in a cable and shows which pin is open, shorted or miswired. That turns "something in this signal chain is broken" into "this one cable is bad" in about five seconds.
Can I test DMX cables with an audio cable tester?
Yes, if it handles 3-pin and 5-pin XLR, because DMX runs on the same connectors. The Blizzard Cable Guy covers both; most audio-only testers handle 3-pin only.
What is the difference between a cable tester and a line tester?
A cable tester checks the cable on a bench with nothing connected. A line tester also sends and listens for signal, so it can check a live line from one end of a venue.
Do I need separate sender and receiver units?
Only if you test cables already installed in walls, conduit or long venue runs. For loose cables at a bench or in a road case, a single-unit tester is faster and cheaper.
Can one tester handle XLR, TRS and RJ45?
Yes - multi-format testers cover audio, video, network and power connectors in one box. The Blizzard Cable Guy handles ten formats including RJ45 for EtherCON and Dante.