StarTech MXT101MMHQ3 3-Foot Male-to-Male VGA Monitor Cable

Overview

The StarTech MXT101MMHQ3 is a 3-foot (0.9m) male-to-male VGA cable built around a shielded 28 AWG construction and a CMG fire rating — the kind of cable that belongs in a rack room or behind a permanent console installation rather than a junk drawer. At 75-ohm impedance and with an aluminum-mylar foil plus braid shield, it is engineered to keep the analog signal clean over its short run without the ghosting or interference that cheaper, unshielded cables introduce at the monitor end.

This is a point-to-point analog video cable connecting any standard VGA monitor or display to a PC, workstation, or matrix switcher output using the 15-pin High Density D-Sub connector on both ends. If you are building out a security operations console, connecting a spot monitor to a local DVR output, or cabling a workstation where VGA is the only available output, the MXT101MMHQ3 covers that short-run requirement with a cable rated for in-wall and commercial-space installation.

Key Features

• Aluminum-Mylar Foil + Braid Shield: Dual-layer shielding — foil for broadband EMI rejection, braid for structural integrity and low-impedance ground continuity. In practice, this means cleaner analog signal with less noise pickup from nearby power lines or switching supplies, which matters in rack rooms where cables run close to power infrastructure.
• 75-Ohm Impedance: Matched to standard VGA signal transmission requirements. Impedance mismatch is a common cause of ghosting and edge ringing on analog video — this cable eliminates that variable at the cable level.
• CMG Fire Rating: CMG (Commercial Multipurpose General) rating means it is acceptable for in-wall and plenum-adjacent runs in commercial spaces where local electrical codes require rated cable. If your installation requires cable behind drywall or inside conduit in a commercial building, CMG is the minimum rating that will satisfy most inspectors.
• 28 AWG Wire Gauge: Appropriate gauge for a 3-foot run — carries sufficient current for DDC/EDID signaling (the protocol monitors use to report their capabilities to the source) without added bulk or stiffness. Thinner gauge would introduce resistance issues at longer runs, but at 0.9m this is the right call for flexibility during installation.
• Single Ferrite Choke: A ferrite bead at the cable end suppresses high-frequency noise and RF emissions, which helps the cable comply with FCC/CE emission limits and reduces interference radiated to nearby equipment — useful in dense rack environments.
• Nickel-Plated Connectors: Nickel plating resists corrosion and oxidation better than bare brass, maintaining low-resistance contact over repeated connect/disconnect cycles. In a permanent installation this matters less, but in a shared monitor environment or any setup with seasonal swap-outs, connector quality affects long-term signal reliability.
• 0.4-inch (9mm) Cable OD, PVC Jacket: The slim outer diameter routes cleanly through cable managers and doesn't add unnecessary bulk behind monitors. PVC is flexible enough for tight bend radii behind wall-mount displays and workstations where space is limited.
• Operating Temperature 0–60°C: Rated for standard indoor commercial environments. Not designed for outdoor or extreme-temperature use — keep it inside conditioned spaces.

Integration and Compatibility

The MXT101MMHQ3 connects any device with a standard VGA (15-pin HD D-Sub) output to any VGA-input display. Compatible sources include PCs, workstations, DVRs and NVRs with VGA monitor outputs, KVM switches, matrix switchers, and AV distribution equipment. The 3-foot length is purpose-built for desktop workstation setups and short rack-to-monitor runs where the display sits on or immediately adjacent to the source equipment. For longer runs — anything beyond 10–15 feet — consider an active VGA extender or plan for a signal booster; passive VGA cable runs longer than about 5–6 meters typically show visible signal degradation at higher resolutions.

If your environment is transitioning away from VGA toward DisplayPort or HDMI, this cable supports the legacy analog output side of that transition — pairing with a VGA-to-HDMI adapter where displays have already moved to digital inputs while sources still output analog. The cable's 1.3-inch max connector dimension clears most standard bezel clearances on monitors and PCs without tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the cable length of the MXT101MMHQ3?

A: The MXT101MMHQ3 is 3.0 feet (0.9 meters / 91.4 cm) in total product length.

Q: Is the MXT101MMHQ3 suitable for in-wall installation in a commercial building?

A: Yes. The MXT101MMHQ3 carries a CMG (Commercial Multipurpose General) fire rating, which satisfies in-wall installation requirements in most commercial spaces. Always verify with your local electrical code authority for specific project requirements.

Q: What type of shielding does the MXT101MMHQ3 use?

A: It uses a dual-layer shield — aluminum-mylar foil plus a braid — which provides both broadband EMI rejection and a low-impedance ground path. This combination reduces noise pickup and helps maintain signal integrity in electrically noisy environments.

Q: What connectors does the MXT101MMHQ3 have on each end?

A: Both ends are male 15-pin High Density D-Sub (VGA) connectors with nickel plating, making this a standard male-to-male VGA cable for monitor connections.

Q: What operating temperature range is the MXT101MMHQ3 rated for?

A: The operating temperature range is 0°C to 60°C (32°F to 140°F), suitable for standard conditioned indoor commercial environments. Storage temperature range extends from -20°C to 80°C.

Q: What is the wire gauge and impedance of the MXT101MMHQ3?

A: The cable uses 28 AWG conductors and is rated at 75-ohm impedance, matched to standard VGA signal transmission requirements to minimize ghosting and reflections.

James Everett

The MXT101MMHQ3 is a cable I reach for when the installation requires a rated, shielded short run and there is no room for a cable that introduces noise artifacts or fails a commercial inspection. The CMG fire rating is the differentiator here — most commodity VGA cables skip it entirely, which creates problems the moment a commercial building inspector looks at what is behind the wall.

Technical Highlights:

• Dual-Layer Shield (Foil + Braid): The aluminum-mylar foil handles broadband EMI rejection while the braid provides structural integrity and a low-impedance ground return — meaningfully better than foil-only shields used in lower-cost alternatives, especially in rack rooms running near power distribution.
• 75-Ohm Impedance Matching: At 28 AWG over a 0.9m run, the 75-ohm spec eliminates the impedance mismatch that causes ghosting and reflection artifacts on analog video. You will not get clean VGA from a cable that ignores this spec.
• CMG Fire Rating: Rated for in-wall commercial installation — not just plenum-adjacent but code-compliant for the majority of commercial project types. Most off-the-shelf VGA cables carry no fire rating at all.

Deployment Considerations:

• At 3.0 feet (0.9m), this cable is sized for desktop-adjacent monitor connections or direct DVR/NVR-to-spot-monitor runs inside a rack. If your display sits more than a meter from the source, you need a longer run — passive VGA degrades noticeably beyond 5–6 meters at higher resolutions.
• The 0.4-inch (9mm) OD is slim enough for tight cable management, but verify your monitor bezel clearance with the 1.3-inch max connector dimension before ordering for recessed-mount or ultra-slim display installs.

This cable fits squarely in security operations center (SOC) console builds and fixed workstation deployments where a short, rated, interference-resistant VGA run is needed between a source device and a dedicated spot monitor — and where a building inspector may review the cable installation.