In Broadcast - May/June 2011 - 36

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MultiDyne’s Lightbox

New developments in fibre Cont.
developed for the US military but equally applicable to any mission critical application such as broadcast signals, that gives secure locking of duplex or quad fibres into standard LC connectors. With matching panel connectors it also means that cables can only be inserted into the right sockets: there are eight colours available, each with a different keying on the plug and socket, so the system engineer can set as many as eight circuit types, safe in the knowledge that cables cannot be accidentally inserted into the wrong circuit. There are colour coded tools which will only remove plugs of the matching colour (an administrator’s tool is also available which will unplug any colour). As an added discipline, once a plug has been removed from the socket you cannot take the tool off until you put the dustcap on the end of the cable. Colour coded blanking caps are available for sockets. Neutrik also has its own take on the LC connector, in its OpticalCon system. This uses the standard form factor, but in a construction which provides a very rugged and secure connection, making it ideal for remote applications. This makes it very popular in equipment to be used on the road, such as the Riedel Mediornet. “We set out to create a standard, which used the regular LC connector but is rugged for use on the road,” said Christian Ganahl of Neutrik. The connector automatically shutters both the cable and receiver when unplugged, protecting the light path. As part of the OpticalCon family Neutrik offers a measurement and monitoring system for broadcast applications. The PowerMonitor provides continuous live monitoring of up to four fibres, checking signal strength and integrity. According to Ganahl, in practice the device is used in case of unexpected problems: “you set the threshold for the lowest acceptable signal, then wait for the alarm”. Protection against the elements is also a key design feature in the Lemo connector range, with secure locking and very broad environmental conditions: -50˚ to +200˚, for example. Lemo is now adding system products to its range of connectors, with the HDZLink. This takes a professional camcorder and turns it into a system camera, with fibre transmission to a switcher of HD video, multi-channel audio and ethernet, as well as HDMI return video. The video channel is

capable of 3Gb/s data, so can be used for stereoscopic 3D if required. Telecast Fiber Systems has been part of the Belden family since the end of 2009. Support for 3Gb/s signals is central to its latest products. The new Python 3G system uses CWDM (coarse wavelength division

multiplexing) to carry 16 HD channels on a single fibre and up to four fibres in a single 1U frame. “CWDM has become the preferred approach to optical multiplexing in digital video and audio communications because of its reliability and cost advantages,” said Steve DeFrancesco of Telecast Fiber. “With each strand capable of moving up to 48Gb/s of data, fewer fibres are used resulting in less expensive cable and connector costs and lower overall lifecycle costs for broadcasters”. Lowering lifecycle costs was one of the key messages from this year’s NAB exhibition, where most exhibitors were focussing on the pragmatic view: broadcasters and production companies have to continue to deliver excellence, but within tightening budgets. The latest developments in fibre, from advanced multiplexing to simplification of installation, play their part in achieving that goal.
Bluebell’s Dual 3G-SDI Optical Tranmitter

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In Broadcast - May/June 2011

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