# Binary, cam and a half, etc? What are differences?



## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Can somebody educate me on the differences in the various types of cam arrangements out there? I have owned a number of one cams. But what is the difference in a binary, cam and a half, or two cam? I would like to learn.

Thanks


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## ElkJunky1208 (May 18, 2009)

it all has to do with the cable configurations...A single cam has one string and one y cable going from limb to cam. A hybrid is basically a glorified solocam, it has a string connecting cam to cam, a y cable (buss cable) that goes from limb to cam, and a control cable that goes from cam to cam; this control cable basically takes over the second half of the single string you have on a solocam. A binary cam has a string conecting cams, and two control cables that hook the top cam to the bottom cam so that they are slaved together; this ensures the cams are traveling the same exact speed and workin together. A 2 cam bow has one string connecting cams and two buss cables (y cables) that connect the top limb with the bottom cam, and the other connects the bottom limb to the top cam, this loads max energy in the limbs for more speed.


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

That helps a lot. I cannot say I understand it completely, but it is at least a beginning.

Is there any reading resource or DVD that you know of that would help me visualize the differences without owning the bows and a draw board?

By the way, thanks a bunch for the response. I was not so sure anybody would take the time. I appreciate the education.


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## ElkJunky1208 (May 18, 2009)

not sure of much reading but i can tell ya what companies do which bows. Hoyt is mostly hybrid cams, Bowtech is mostly Binary cams, and mathews does mostly solocams, and PSE had a few Dual cams last year.


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## Roskoes (Jun 17, 2007)

I have never thought of the hybrid cam as a "glorified solo cam" - it strikes me more as a somewhat complex attempt to engineer the binary cam concept to allow for the fact that the nocking point is not at the midpoint of the axle to axle distance.


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## FS560 (May 22, 2002)

The hybrid is just a one cam bow with the long string split into a bowstring and a control cable and with a two track control unit at the top that looks like a cam but is simply a device to more precisely control the nock path.


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## doughboy181 (Oct 2, 2010)

Good to know. I was curious myself!


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