Custom DB15 cable
- Two-row 15-position DA-shell connector, distinct from three-row VGA
- Male-to-male, male-to-female and female-to-female combinations
- Molded cable, bare-wire, flat-ribbon and panel-mount formats
- Straight-through, partial-population or customer-defined wiring
- Shield and shell-bonding choices matched to the installation
- Custom length, label, hardware and packaging options
- Pin-map inspection against the approved production drawing
Custom DB15 Cable Assemblies for Industrial and OEM Equipment
A DB15 cable is useful only when its connector layout and wiring agree with the equipment at both ends. This page covers the two-row 15-position D-sub commonly called DB15 and more precisely designated DA-15. It does not cover the three-row high-density connector normally used for VGA. BespokeCable builds the assembly around your port drawing, gender, source-to-destination pin map, and installation constraints, rather than assuming every 15-pin cable is interchangeable.
The current product range includes three jacketed DB15-to-DB15 cables, two bare-wire breakouts, three flat-ribbon assemblies, and three panel-mount tails. These formats support finished equipment, cabinet wiring, internal chassis routing, and enclosure service ports. For other contact counts, see the broader D-Sub cable collection. If your device actually uses VGA, select a purpose-built VGA cable rather than a two-row DB15 assembly.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Available Specification |
| Connector family | Two-row 15-position D-sub; DA-15, commonly called DB15 |
| Contact layout | Two rows, 8 + 7 positions |
| Gender | Male or female at either end |
| Product formats | DB15-to-DB15, bare-wire, flat-ribbon and panel-mount tail |
| Wiring | 1:1, partial population, crossed signals or approved proprietary map |
| Backshell | Molded assembly, specified hood or panel-mount construction |
| Shielding | Unshielded, foil, braid or combined shielding as specified |
| Retention | Mating screws, jack screws or panel hardware to drawing |
| Length | Standard or custom, measured between agreed reference points |
| Identification | Printed label, heat-shrink ID, customer part number and OEM packing |
| Inspection | Visual, continuity, shorts, and pin-map checks to the released drawing |
Conductor size, insulation, jacket material, dimensions, plating, electrical limits, and compliance documents are confirmed for the quoted construction rather than assumed from the connector name.
Click here to find more information about: What is a DB15 Cable?
1# Standard DB15 Cables
Choose the DB15 build style that matches your equipment layout, then confirm its wiring and mechanical details through the inquiry form.
P/N: BC-CBD002-MM-R
Jacketed DB15 assembly with male connectors at both ends; approve the pin map before production.
P/N: BC-CBD002-MF-R
Male-to-female two-row DB15 assembly for a defined extension or equipment link.
P/N: BC-CBD002-FF-R
Female-to-female cable with wiring and shell treatment built to the approved drawing.
2# DB15 Bare-Wire Extension Cables
P/N: BC-CBD002-MT-R
Male DB15 to flying leads for cabinet or equipment termination; define every pin, color, and wire-end finish.
P/N: BC-CBD002-FT-R
Female DB15 to flying leads with project-specific color mapping and breakout dimensions.
3# DB15 Ribbon Cable
P/N: BC-CBD002-MM-F
Color-coded flat-ribbon assembly with male DB15 connectors at both ends.
P/N: BC-CBD002-MF-F
Male-to-female flat-ribbon cable for protected internal routing.
P/N: BC-CBD002-FF-F
Female-to-female flat-ribbon assembly with pin-1 orientation defined on the drawing.
4# Panel Mount DB15 Cable
P/N: BC-CBD002-ID-MG
Male panel-mount DB15 tail for bringing an internal interface to an enclosure wall.
P/N: BC-CBD002-ID-FG
Female panel-mount DB15 tail; confirm flange side, panel thickness and internal termination.
P/N: BC-CBD002-ID-FG-BF
Bracketed panel-mount DB15 assembly for a mechanically controlled enclosure installation.
Identify the Two Row DB15 Before Ordering
This family uses the two-row 15-position D-sub, commonly called DB15 and, more precisely, DA-15. Its 8-plus-7 contact pattern is different from the three-row connector normally associated with VGA. A request for “15-pin cable” therefore leaves a basic mating question unanswered.
A straight-on photo of the equipment port is helpful, especially when the original drawing is missing. Include the shell and mounting hardware rather than cropping to the contacts. If the port has three rows of five, the VGA cable family is a more relevant starting point, subject to the device function.
Choose Between a Jacketed Cable and an Internal Tail
The DB15 range includes finished cable assemblies, bare-wire leads, ribbon cables, and panel-mount versions. A jacketed assembly gives a handled equipment connection a defined outer envelope. A bare-wire tail supports terminal wiring, while ribbon and panel tails address protected internal routes and enclosure interfaces.
The drawings need different dimensions for each format. A breakout requires individual tail and stripping lengths; a panel tail needs the mounting face and header orientation. Choosing the format early avoids quoting a finished external cable when the real need is an internal harness.
Define Connections Without Assuming a Universal DB15 Pinout
A two-row DB15 connector does not establish the signal assignment. Proprietary controls, instruments, and older peripherals may allocate the same contact to entirely different functions. A one-to-one extension is appropriate only when the two endpoint definitions call for it.
Provide signal names alongside contact numbers and show the viewing direction used on the drawing. Mark reserved contacts explicitly. For internal header transitions, the header numbering and D-sub numbering need their own correspondence; physical position in the ribbon is not a substitute for a verified connection table.
Build Around the Actual Installation Conditions
The conductor, shield, and jacket should suit the circuit and route, not follow one specification across every DB15 variant. A shielded round cable and an unshielded internal ribbon are not equivalent constructions. Likewise, repeated handling at a service port differs from a cable secured inside an enclosure.
Explain where the assembly will be installed and whether the surrounding equipment moves, generates electrical noise, or exposes the cable to fluids. We can review those requirements with the proposed construction. Agree on any temperature, flex-life, or compliance requirements for the supplied build; do not infer them from the product family name.
State the destination market and the exact declaration or report your project needs. Documentation is supplied only when it is confirmed for the quoted materials and construction.
Project-specific labels can be evaluated. Provide the data format, label position, scan requirement, and whether each cable needs unique or batch-level identification.
Send the manufacturer’s part number and any restrictions on alternatives. Review availability and suitability before incorporating the brand into the quotation.
Related Products
Approving a DB15 Harness for an Enclosure Build
Review the assembly in its installed position
A DB15 harness can fit on the bench yet interfere with a neighboring connector once the panel is assembled. Use the first mechanical review to check flange position, hood clearance, and access for the fastening tool. Include the mating connector in this review; an empty panel cutout cannot show the full occupied space.
For a header-to-panel version, fit the internal end before judging the cable length. The route should allow the enclosure to close without twisting the header or folding the cable sharply at the termination.
Make inspection possible before the enclosure closes
Decide which features you can check during incoming inspection and which require the assembled equipment. A contact map and dimensional check can verify the supplied harness. The system test must establish that its approved design operates correctly in your application.
If the internal end becomes inaccessible after assembly, perform and record its connection checks beforehand. A small inspection step at this stage is easier than reopening a completed unit to trace an unidentified wire.
Use pilot findings to finish the specification
Document any change to mounting hardware, length, or routing after the pilot. Do not leave those corrections only in an email or on the sample. Incorporate them into the released drawing so later quantities reproduce the accepted installation.
Send the final quantity breakdown and delivery requirements with the drawing revision when requesting a production quotation. Where several equipment versions use similar harnesses, give each version a distinct order-line identity rather than relying on its photograph.
Information for Your Quotation
Please include:
- A straight-on connector photo or dimensioned port drawing showing the two-row layout
- Gender and retention hardware at both ends
- Source-to-destination pin map, signal names, and numbering view
- Required cable length, quantity, and length reference points
- Molded, bare-wire, ribbon or panel-mount construction
- Shielding, shell termination and grounding requirements
- Panel thickness, cutout and mounting direction where applicable
- Wire-end treatment and breakout dimensions for flying leads
- Labels, packing, documentation and revision-control requirements
- Environmental constraints such as movement, abrasion, temperature or chemicals
