The SHV connector is a type of RF connector used for terminating a coaxial cable. The connector uses a bayonet mount similar to those of the BNC and MHV connectors, but is easily distinguished due to its very thick and protruding insulator. This insulation geometry makes SHV connectors safer for handling high voltage than MHV connectors, by preventing accidental contact with the live conductor in an unmated connector or plug. The connector is also designed such that when it is being disconnected from a plug, the high voltage contact is broken before the ground contact, to prevent accidental shocks. The connector is also designed to prevent users from forcing a high voltage connector into a low voltage plug or vice versa, as can happen with MHV and BNC connectors.

Coaxial cable conducts electrical signal using an inner conductor (usually a flexible solid or stranded copper wire) surrounded by an insulating layer and all enclosed by a shield layer, typically a woven metallic braid; the cable is often protected by an outer insulating jacket. Normally, the shield is kept at ground potential and a voltage is applied to the center conductor to carry electrical signals. The advantage of coaxial design is that the electric and magnetic fields are confined to the dielectric with little leakage outside the shield. On the converse, electric and magnetic fields outside the cable are largely kept from causing interference to signals inside the cable. This property makes coaxial cable a good choice for carrying weak signals that cannot tolerate interference from the environment or for higher electrical signals that must not be allowed to radiate or couple into adjacent structures or circuits

SHV connectors are used in laboratory settings for voltages and currents beyond the capacity of BNC and MHV connectors. Standard SHV connectors are rated for 5000 volts DC and 5 amperes, although higher-voltage versions (to 20 kV) are also available. SHV connectors are not as common as the older MHV type.