When considering the expense of using fiber compared
to coax or copper for AV distribution, look at the
cost of all the elements of installation, including
the cost of cable, installation labor, conduit, cable
routing, setup, and support time. When you factor
in all these hidden but real costs, you'll see that
the economic and technical benefits of fiber go beyond
long distance signal transmission.
In determining the maximum distance that can be communicated
over fiber cable, the optical loss budget, which the
hardware manufacturer specifies in dB, must not be
exceeded. In almost all AV installations, most of
the optical loss comes from connectors, splices, patch
cords, and panels, rather than from the actual fiber.
Keep this in mind when designing your system.
A unique characteristic of fiber optic cable transmission
is its complete immunity to picking up stray signals.
Because there is no metallic content in fiber cable,
it doesn't act like an antenna. Therefore, signals
from radio transmitters, electric motors, walkie-talkies,
and other similar devices won't interfere with video,
audio, and data being transmitted through the fiber.
ave you ever wished that you could simply connect
two boxes in the field and have an instant connection?
With digital fiber optic transmission systems, you'll
get your wish. No adjustments are required to compensate
for signal levels or varying transmission distances.
Regardless of fiber length, digital systems deliver
crystal clear video and audio.
One of the greatest enemies of fiber optic communications
is something that often can't be seen. Minute particles
of dirt and dust located on fiber connectors can act
like a window shade blocking light. Before performing
a termination, always clean the tip of a fiber connector
with alcohol and a lint-free wipe.
If you're installing fiber cable in a permanent installation,
it pays to install single-mode fiber instead of multimode
fiber. Why? The higher bandwidth and signal-carrying
capacity of single-mode fiber is something you'll
certainly want to use in the future. Multimode fiber
may be adequate for today's needs, but single-mode
fiber will make the cost worthwhile over time.
Did you know that fiber optic cable is the lowest
cost cable type for AV applications? It's less expensive
than CAT-5, 5e, 6 and even the new no-skew UTP, and
is significantly less expensive than coax. A single
fiber strand can carry as much information as a multiple
high-resolution coax bundle, and now fiber is as easy
to terminate as coax.
Are you considering fiber for a future installation
but nervous about performing terminations in the field?
Today's fiber is as easy to terminate as BNCs on COAX.
New field termination kits completely eliminate the
need for grinding, polishing and the use of epoxy.
And an easy-to-use jig guarantees precision alignment
every time. The 2003 Fiber-Ed.com World Tour may be
coming your way soon! To learn all about digital fiber
optics for the pro AV market, including a lesson on
how to terminate fiber, click here.
One of the great advantages of fiber, compared to
copper transmission, is the ability to communicate
video, audio and data bi-directionally over one fiber.
One technique called Wave Division Multiplexing (WDM)
uses one wavelength of light to send the signal in
one direction and a different wavelength for the reverse
path. No, the lights don't interfere with each other
inside the fiber and they are easily combined and
separated at each end.
Exploiting the capacity of fiber is done using a
technique called Digital Multiplexing. Here, we digitize
many video, audio and/or data signals and combine
them into one high-speed data stream. This multiplexed
stream is then sent on one wavelength over the fiber
cable.
At the optical receiver, the process is reversed and
the original signals are recovered for the user. Enormous
capacity is achieved compared to alternate copper-based
technologies.
The link budget is the one parameter in fiber optic
system design that is the most important, but often
overlooked. Measured in dB, it's the maximum amount
of optical signal loss that can be tolerated between
the transmitter and the receiver and is specified
by the equipment manufacturer. In AV systems, it's
not the fiber cable that is the biggest contributor
to this loss. Rather, it's all the mechanical connections
and the unseen enemy: dirt and dust. Keep your connections
clean!
What's the difference between single-mode and multimode
fiber? Single-mode fiber now costs no more than multimode
fiber and offers many advantages, including much greater
signal capacity and longer transmission distance.
Fiber optic products designed for use with single-mode
fiber cost more due to the optics required to pass
light through the thinner fiber core. However, the
use of single-mode fiber provides for more utilization
over time in permanent installations.
Digital fiber optics provide great flexibility when
designing signal distribution topologies for point-to-multipoint
pro AV systems. Daisy-chaining and use of digital
optical distribution amplifiers eliminate the need
for costly home-runs to each endpoint. Plus, all digital
signaling guarantees that uniform quality will be
provided to each display, regardless of its distance
from the source.
Lightweight, easy to handle, flexible and thin, the
unobtrusive nature of fiber makes it ideal for staging
applications. It can be tucked almost anywhere, making
it practically invisible to audiences. However, fiber
isn't delicate. Whether bent, pulled or crushed, fiber
can stand up to the most rugged wear and tear any
staging environment can offer.
Lower cost of Plenum-rated fiber compared to plenum-rated
copper: Fire regulations require the use of plenum-rated
cable. That's usually a 100 percent premium cost over
standard coax and CAT-5 cables. Not so with fiber.
Plenum-rated fiber cable only carries a 10% premium
or less over standard PVC cable. That's a real savings!
Did you know that one of the key benefits of using
digital fiber optics for signal distribution is guaranteed
signal consistency over the entire transmission path?
Over short or long distances, video, audio and data
signals arrive at their destination in the same pristine
quality as they originated. Digital fiber optic technology
eliminates noise, crosstalk and non-linear distortions,
and best of all; it does so for the same price or
less than analog systems of yesterday.
Are you considering fiber for a future installation
but nervous about performing terminations in the field?
Today's fiber is as easy to terminate as BNCs on COAX.
New field termination kits completely eliminate the
need for grinding, polishing and the use of epoxy.
And an easy-to-use jig guarantees precision alignment
every time. The 2003 Fiber-Ed.com World Tour may be
coming your way soon! To learn all about digital fiber
optics for the pro AV market, including a lesson on
how to terminate fiber, click here.
One of the unique properties of fiber optic transmission
is its security. Fiber does not radiate any of the
signals it communicates the way copper based transmissions
do. It cannot be proximity monitored nor cause interference
to any adjacent electronic equipment. Sensitive
military and corporate applications are now widely
deploying fiber for even the shortest transmission
distances.