DIPOL Weekly Review - TV and SAT TV, CCTV, WLAN

Will the Japanese set the world price level? LTE - a breakthrough in telecommunications.

NTT Docomo, Inc., the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan, is to launch LTE service on December 24, 2010. The service will offer not only impressive transfer rate (75 Mbps download speed - about 10 times greater than the most efficient solutions in existing GSM networks), but a nice surprise is also the cost of the service. The monthly subscription fee will be only $60 for unlimited access to the Internet. In the first phase, the service will be directed to users of modems connected to mobile computers, because LTE-compatible mobile phones will appear in spring 2011. At the beginning, the service will be available in the Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka areas.
Also in December, a commercial LTE service starts in the U.S. Should the price is similar to that in Japan, the first offers may set the global price level for such services.

In that situation, with costs acceptable for many users, this technology can greatly accelerate the development of Google's projects based on the new strategy for the coming years - "Mobile First". Smartphones with broadband access to the Internet and supported by "cloud computing" will, according to Google, change the world in a revolutionary way. Mobile devices connected to the global network and aided by supercomputers will allow access to vast resources of data and the latest software for their processing.

After the desktop and laptop era, with data collected and processed at the desk or on one's lap, the smartphone era brings a personal assistant for any situation. A voice-controlled device translating foreign languages (directly in a conversation), processing data about traffic jams - in order to choose the optimum route, recognizing places and objects, searching for the most attractive commercial offers, supplying high-quality TV channels - will fit everyone's pocket. To carry out those and many other services, each smartphone will be supported by the combined computing power of supercomputers answering all the inquiries.

Fourth generation wireless network (4G) should guarantee mobile data transfer rates of 100 Mbps, and in the case of fixed equipment - 1 Gbps. LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the means for reaching this performance level of cellular networks.
Currently, LTE allows download speed up to 326 Mbps and upload speed up to 86 Mbps (with a channel width of 20 MHz, 64QAM modulation and MIMO 4x4). Due to the fact that the uplink speed does not meet the criterion of 100 Mbps, it is sometiomes called a 3.9G technology.
Further development of this technology will allow to transmit a wide range of multimedia content, just "on the go".

Video surveillance of Roman ruins.

The ruins of the Roman city visible in the pictures below are some of the most interesting, richest and best preserved. The ancient city, Gerasa, was founded probably in the fourth century BC by Alexander the Great or his general Perdiccas. The city is now known as Jerash.
Due to the vastness of the area, the monitoring system uses IP cameras and wireless transmission means. For places of this type it is the most effective way of supervision, much less intrusive for the historical substance than cable technologies.
In which country are the ruins of ancient Gerasa? You can check your answer at the end of this issue.

DVB-T - the cheapest upgrade of a hotel TV system.

Hi, I'm looking for advice. I heard about the upcoming digital TV era. I have a hotel with rooms equipped with CRT TVs. Will they be usable? If so, what should I buy to adapt the old televisions to receive digital TV channels?

Hotel owners whose TV installations include distribution of terrestrial signals are facing the problem of adapting them to the requirements of digital television. Generally, the problem does not apply to antennas, cables and amplifiers, because they usually will function properly with digital signals. The necessary change that needs to be made is adaptation of televisions.

Digital signals are received by analog TVs (they are still prevalent in many hotels) as noise ("snow"). So what should a hotel owner do to avoid loss of reception after analog switch-off?

There are several solutions. Depending on the number of rooms (televisions), the number of channels that are to be distributed in the network, and the available funds, the owner may decide to choose:

Each of these options has its pros and cons. But the hotel owners who take care of their budget should pay special attention to the last of the solutions. It allows to save up to 80% in comparison with a total replacement of the TVs.

DVB-T receiver (MPEG-2/4, PVR Ready)
Signal HD-507 A99250

The ideal solution for hotels is Signal HD-507 A99250. Due to its small size and integration with SCART connector, the digital tuner can be placed behind each TV set in such a way that it is not visible for the users.

How to view images from a CCTV camera on a cell phone with Windows Mobile?

The movie presents the configuration of HTC HD2 for cooperation with the ULTIMAX-204 M72040 DVR. With the appropriate settings, the video from CCTV camera can be viewed on the phone's screen.

CCTV systems - an integrated approach to requirements and quality management.

It often happens that after the installation of a video surveillance system the user is not satisfied with the quality of the video footage. The most common reason for this outcome is the inappropriate selection of the DVR(s). High quality cameras and other components of the system provide perfect video during live monitoring, but the application of the DVR(s) from a lower price range does not allow to preserve the high performance in the case of recordings.

To get the best results, all components of the system should have a similar quality level. For example, cameras with the newest generation of image sensors require to employ first-class DVRs capable of recording high-resolution images with a wealth of detail and full range of subtle colors. It is also important to ensure good quality cables, connectors and power supplies.

An example of video surveillance system with high-quality components

The high performance equipment suitable for cooperation with the CCTV cameras using the latest technologies is Hikvision - Ultimax series of advanced DVRs. A number of available models with superb quality and multiple configurations ensure recording of video streams with the highest resolution in this class of equipment. An additional advantage is free software for computers running Windows OS (iVMS4000) and for mobile phones with popular systems (iVMS4500). The current version of the software for cell phones works with all major operating systems: Symbian, Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and iPhone.
Among the mentioned cameras of the latest generation there is Sunell SN-BXC5930CDN M11209, equipped with Sony ExView HAD CCD II sensor with effective resolution of 976 (H) x 582 (V) and with Sony Effio-E DSP.
Such cameras require to use lenses which also meet the highest standards, e.g. the products of the Japanese company Tokina.

The cabling made of high quality CAMSET 100 M6100 or CAMSET YAR 75 M5995 cable allows to transmit video and power without significant change of parameters for many years after installation.
Using also the ZL-1500 M1814 power supplies and PCT E8293 compression connectors, we may be sure that the funds invested in the video monitoring system will ensure the highest degree of protection which can be obtained using analog CCTV.

Video adjustments in active video baluns of Etrix series.

Etrix 1VADA-T M16742 is an active video-audio-data balun (transmitter) for sending CCTV signals (video, sound, data - e.g. alarm signal) from one camera via 8-wire CAT5e UTP cable, over longer distances (up to 2400 m), preserving the original quality. The device matches the 75 ohm impedance of the unbalanced video source and the impedances audio and data channels to the balanced lines formed by the pairs of the UTP cable. Used in video surveillance systems, such devices allow efficient design of transmission lines without hard wiring.

The combination of active transmitter and receiver
allowing transmission of video, audio, and data

A suitable brightness level of the received video can be set with "Brightness" knob.

WDR cameras can read license plates.

Cameras with conventional image sensors have problems with strong light falling onto them directly from spotlights, e.g. from car headlights, which makes them useless for number plates recognition.
The solution is to use WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) cameras. Each pixel of their image sensor is a kind of independent analog-to-digital converter, so it can individually adapt to local exposure and provide output signal that shows important details .

WDR in action

Outdoor IP camera ACTi TCM-1231 K1021 with day/night and WDR functions is also equipped with IR illuminator, which helps to identify license numbers in low-light conditions.

The presentation of the results provided by WDR function implemented in this camera is also shown in its data sheet ( K1021 ).

Open-source software for TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND N3253.

Routers allow to distribute Internet connections among multiple computers, so they are necessary in all home and office networks. Due to continuous operation (they are connected to power and computer network), the devices can perform additional functions implemented in a dedicated software.

Access Point TP-Link TL-WR1043ND N3253
with router &GbE switch, 802.11n, 300Mbps

Adding new functions is possible by flashing a device's FLASH memory, which means replacing the factory firmware by open-source software. Open-source software for routers is a relatively new field. Replacement of the firmware may result in loss of warranty, but for experienced professionals it can bring a lot of new possibilities for their networks.
On the Internet there is OpenWRT software for TP-LINK TL-WR1043ND N3253, being continuously developed. A very interesting new function provided by OpenWRT is a NAS server. By connecting to the router a typical USB drive, all the users of the network can get access to its resources.

OpenWRT software allows to control the router via smartphones equipped with the Android system. Which, among other things, enables the user to remotely control the Internet radio and MP3 player, also implemented in the new software.

In the case of users who download files from the Internet via torrents, the software allows to save the files on the hard drive and notify the users when the download is complete, via text messages or e-mails.

Jordan.

Jordan is an upland country, the majority of its area are plains at altitude of 700 m - 1000 m above sea level. The highest peak is Jabal Umm ad Dami (1854 m) located in the mountains of Jabal-ash-Shari'ah in the west of the country, while the lowest point is the Dead Sea, 420 meters below sea level.
In the southern part of the country there are semi-deserts, bearing the names of Moab and Idumea, in the east part - Harra desert with black volcanic lava flows. Only the north-western part of the country has natural conditions favorable to the development of settlements, with land capable of cultivation without artificial irrigation.

We have written about:

Power over Ethernet (PoE) adapter. The PoE adapter N9206 allows to power LAN devices through typical transmission cable (FTP/UTP etc.) - diagram 1.
It is very useful solution in the case of Access Points, where the AP can be placed in a hermetic box just by the antenna (to lower the loss in the RF cable) and supplied via transmission cable from power source located inside a building...

Monako LCD/Plasma mounts and DVD shelves

Wireless home IP CCTV monitoring with TP-Link TL-SC3130G camera. The wireless IP camera TP-Link TL-SC3130G K1150 is ideal solution for improving security in an apartment.
54 Mbps transmission speed ensures smooth video streaming from places without wired networks, on the condition that walls and/or ceilings do not block the wireless signal...

Index of published issues