FiberPlex's New Converter "Unifies Communications"

With unified communications bringing about a convergence of big data in a variety of formats, FiberPlex Technologies introduces a new tool for the AV production toolbox capable of adapting between media and transport formats, including optical fiber.

FiberPlex's new TD-6010 adapter, to debut at InfoComm 2014, takes a variety of SFP/SFP+ modules for any format conversion scenario imaginable--even those that haven't been invented yet. "The AV professional today is dealing with a growing number of different formats for audio, video, and transport. He's also dealing with huge media files that require fiber optic transport. So we designed a one-box solution that can take care of all those conversion issues and is portable and durable enough to be a staple in his arsenal of solutions," says Buddy Oliver, president of FiberPlex Technologies.

The TD-6010 frame includes two bidirectional ports for interchanging SFP/SFP+ modules capable of converting between analog video, SD/HD & 3G-SDI or HDMI media formats as well as full duplex and BiDi optical, 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet and MADI. The TD-6010 can convert between Dante, CobraNet and EtherSound, or between single-mode and multi-mode fiber, as well as between MADI and Ethernet, and any combination of the above, the company says.

FiberPlex is targeting its new adapter for television, live production, conferencing, corporate data and other applications requiring universal use and conversion between media and transport formats. For live sound production, for example, technicians can plug a single-mode optical SFP into the TD-6010 for the transport feed from the venue back to the remote van, and then plug another MADI SFP into the TD-6010 for 64x64 MADI compatibility with gear used on location. That same TD-6010 frame can be used for a video sportscast the next night with just an SFP module change to run 3G-SDI from a camera in the stands to the video switcher.

The TD-6010 also can be used to slowly migrate equipment from standard definition to high definition video, or to interoperate multi-mode fiber optic with single-mode fiber optic networking.

The TD-6010 is based on FiberPlex's popular industrial grade FOI-6010, but is designed for commercial work environments. It is housed in a sleek and attractive, yet durable "Throw Down" chassis and includes a non-polarized AC adapter, the company says.

FiberPlex's FOI-6010 and newer TD-6010 can work in conjunction with FiberPlex's popular WDM-8 and WDM-16 multiplexers, which take the same SFP modules to multiplex a number of media feeds over optical fiber. Optical fiber communication is being widely adopted for live production, training, conferencing, telemedicine and other media-intense applications because of its high data rate (around ten times that of copper at the high end) and its clean transference over long distances compared to other communication links. Fiber optics can transmit 1Gb of data 40Km or more and can easily migrate to 40GbE or even 100GbE and higher network backbones, the headroom now needed to support existing as well as anticipated media applications. The WDM-16 active wave division multiplexer is capable of multiplexing 16 channels at up to 3Gbps each down an existing fiber pair, yielding an aggregated payload of 48Gbps.

Complementing FiberPlex's multiplexers, the TD-6010 supports up to 12.5Gbps per slot for high-bandwidth applications. A uFAC micro-USB interface provides full control and reporting of any SFP/SFP+ registers including settings for video interface and link statistics, SFP status, etc., through a FiberPlex software application available for PCs and Macs.

FiberPlex will show its new TD-6010 adapter with SFP/SFP+ modules at the upcoming InfoComm conference, booth C11205, along with its multiplexers and LightViper audio transport systems.