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

UrtheCast - Big Brother is watching from outer space.

The start of UrtheCast service - video streaming system with cameras placed on the International Space Station - is already planned for this year. The images will be publicly accessible on the "near real-time" basis (with delay below 90 minutes), allowing users to monitor various aspects of large-scale human activities, such as movements of refugees, progress of construction projects, safety procedures at big events etc.

See the UrtheCast vision

The two cameras of the system will be installed at the International Space Station in collaboration with the Russian Space Agency. One of them will take still pictures covering a 45-kilometer wide area with a resolution of 5.5 meters per pixel. The second camera, with higher resolution (0.9 m per pixel), will provide pictures at frame rate 3-5 per second.

The data from the cameras will be transmitted to the receiving station on Earth. From there, via the Internet, it will be made available on home computers and mobile devices. UrtheCast platform will also be equipped with a search engine for the archives.

Unfortunately, the service will not cover the entire planet. The International Space Station is at an altitude of 350 km above the Earth and orbits our planet 16 times a day, moving periodically "only" between 52 degrees north latitude and 52 degree south latitude. Time will tell if the system proves to be a revolution on the scale of Google Maps or Google Earth. In awe of the possibilities offered by today's technology we may also put a question whether in a few years the word "privacy" will still be in our vocabulary...

Hotel of Doom - where is the tower building?

The top of the tower, visible in the pictures, is on the roof of one of the tallest hotels in the world. It is a cellular base station in an Asian country. Due to the nature of the political system in the country, the potential of the tower is used only in a small percentage. The history of the tower, and above all the hotel, is a long story...

In which country and city is the tower located? - The answer you can find at the end of the issue.

Selecting fiber optic cables.

Choosing a fiber optic cable for a particular installation, the technician should take into account several factors that will determine the kind/type of the cable and connectors.

The kind of fibers (single-mode or multimode) has to be compliant with the active devices that are used or intended to be used in a system. The connectors in the devices will determine the terminations of the fibers, e.g. SC, FC, or LC (each of them is available in APC or UPC version). In the case of existing cable links already terminated with connectors and the need for exchanging some active devices in the system, the most convenient solution may be the application of new devices with appropriate interfaces (usually SFP modules).

Another factor deciding on the choice of the cable is the operational environment. The best choice for applications in ducts outside buildings is a universal cable. Point-to-point links are usually based on duplex or distribution cables. The cables ideal for use in risers of multi-story buildings are those of easy access family.

Each customer can order a variety of patch cords and pigtails, as well as any length of any type of optical cable we offer, prefabricated with the required connectors on both ends ( L7370 ). The attenuation of each such patch cord or link is individually measured, which guarantees the highest possible quality. If there is no possibility to lead a cable terminated with connector(s) through the installation ducts, we may provide such a cable terminated on one end only. When the cable is deployed (pulling on the free end), the installer will have to terminate the cable only on that free end, using KeyFiber tools.

Distribution of surveillance video as DVB-T channels in MATV systems.

The integration of CCTV and MATV systems is especially sensible when shared antenna systems are undergoing refurbishment. The injection of the video from security cameras can be performed with the use of DVB-T modulator TERRA mdx420 R82518 equipped with two independent sets of A/V inputs.

The example of such a solution based on Terra equipment is shown in the diagram below.

MATV system distributing DVB-T broadcasts as well as 4 video channels from CCTV system,
converted into two DVB-T multiplexes

The aim of the project was to distribute digital terrestrial television broadcasts and video from 4 CCTV cameras, also converted into DVB-T standard, in an apartment house with four floors and three staircases.

The terrestrial TV broadcasts are received by the A2675 UHF antenna with amplifier. The signals of the four available DVB-T multiplexes are carried by the TRISET-113 PE E1017 gel-filled coaxial cable to the input of the four-channel TV amplifier TERRA R82511. The video from 4 security cameras M11284 is converted into two "internal" DVB-T muxes by the two DVB_T modulators TERRA mdx420 R82518. All the three TERRA modules have been mounted on the universal DIN rail mounting bracket R82538.

The DVB-T signals are split into the three risers in the staircases in the building, using the R60103 TV splitter. On each floor there is the R6024 TV tap with four graded tap outputs to balance the signal levels for different distances between the tap and subscriber outlets ( R694100 ).

Wireless remote management of analog CCTV system.

When an analog CCTV system should be remotely accessible and controlled, even without an Internet connection, a good idea is to create a wireless link between the monitored site and the remote control room. The link can be formed by the pair of TP-LINK TL-WA5210G N2350 access points.

In this example, one of the access points is connected with the network interface of the Trend M72608 DVR. The DVR cooperates with analog cameras n-cam 250 M11249 and M10754. They provide high resolution video (600 TVL) in any lighting conditions (built-in IR illuminators). The remote monitoring of the images from the cameras and configuration/control of the DVR is performed by the operator of the system via a computer running free CMS software and connected with the second AP.

A simple CCTV system with wireless remote management

Smart transition from analog CCTV systems to IP CCTV solutions.

Designers, installers, and users of video surveillance systems increasingly recognize the benefits and advantages of monitoring systems based on IP technology, compared to analog systems. Higher video resolutions and the ability to configure and view images from any location in the world are just some of them. The migration from the old analog systems to the new, IP-based solutions is a very common phenomenon. Contrary to the popular belief, the transition does not force the users to get rid of all the components of the analog systems. For example, Sunell IP cameras K1620, K1630, K1650, K1660, K1665, K1680, K1690, K1691, K1695 with additional analog outputs can be connected to the DVRs previously used in analog systems, in order to backup the IP CCTV data.

The example of a Sunell IP CCTV camera with analog video output (BNC) - SN-IPR54/12DN/V

Many hybrid CCTV cameras (IP devices with additional analog video outputs) available on the market limit the maximum resolution of the IP video stream while providing the analog video at the same time. The problem does not apply to the mentioned Sunell cameras - they can operate at the maximum resolution of 2 megapixels (IP stream) simultaneously offering high quality analog video.

After connecting a Sunell IP camera to the Internet, the user can remotely log on to it and monitor the area in the field of view. Via the network, it is possible to change the camera settings such as brightness, color saturation and white balance (both for the digital and analog outputs). But the most important thing is that the two-megapixel image can be watched even at the maximum frame rate over the IP network, and, simultaneously, a DVR connected to the analog output can locally record quality 4CIF video.

TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 dual-band wireless router as a DLNA server.

Many televisions available on the market are equipped with LAN ports that can be connected to Ethernet networks to cooperate with other DLNA certified devices. DLNA stands for the Digital Living Network Alliance, a non-profit collaborative trade organization gathering hundreds of member companies operating in the fields of consumer electronics, computer equipment, mobile devices. The home network devices compatible with DLNA include PCs and network attached storage (NAS) devices, TVs, stereos, home theaters, audio/video receivers, video displays, game consoles, tablets, PDAs, network printers, smartphones etc.

The best solution is if the DLNA server works on a continuous basis, so that the digital photos, music and videos can be played at any time on the TV(s) or other digital media players. Thus, the application of a home computer as the DLNA server is impractical and uneconomical.

Application of TP-LINK N3260 wireless router as a DLNA server

The TP-LINK TL-WDR4300 N3260 router running OpenWRT software can provide full functionality of a DLNA server. A hard drive connected to a USB port of the router should be used as the storage (NAS server) for video, pictures, music, etc. The transmission of the data between the server and TV or other devices can be performed with the use of wired or wireless connections. The wireless transmission of HD content will go smoothly when all devices in the network use the 802.11n standard.

Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The story of the pyramid-like Ryugyong Hotel dates back to 1987. The construction work on the unfinished structure was halted in 1992 due to lack of funds (the total cost was estimated at 750 million USD). Although the raw state of the building had been completed before the work was discontinued, it was abandoned without windows, installations and fixtures for 16 years. During this time the North Korean government tried to find an investor that would invest about 300 million USD to finish and modernize the hotel. The construction work was resumed in 2008 and included the installation of the base station located on the top of the tower, being a vital part of the only North Korean 3G mobile phone network (Koryolink). Currently, the network has over one million users (at the network launch in December 2008 there were 5,300 subscribers), mainly in the 3 million capital city.

The completion of the construction and finishing work is scheduled for mid-2013. The 330-meter high hotel will be run by a German operator, being the third highest hotel in the world.

Ryugyong Hotel ceases to scare people. Will it attract investors and visitors?

In search for the best DVB-T antenna... In general, digital terrestrial television can be received with the use of identical antennas as analog TV (taking into account the same bands/channels). So, digital multiplexes can usually be received both by broadband "grid" antennas and directional assemblies. However, especially in areas with "duplicate" signals from different transmitters, the safest solution is to use directional antennas directed towards the "main" transmitters. The large half-power beam of broadband antennas (ca 45 degrees) may cause interferences that will decrease the signal quality and reliability of reception... more

Dipol 44/21-69 Tri Digit with LNA-177 A2675 amplifier
- the most universal antenna for reception of DVB-T

How to operate CCTV system with DVR located away from the monitor? There are video surveillance systems where the DVR should be located in some distance from the operator's room. This poses the question: can the system be controlled only over LAN? No, the solution presented below allows for transmission of video and audio from the DVR to the operator's site and control commands in the opposite direction (using both mouse and remote control) without the use of LAN... more

The components for transmitting video, audio and control signals in a CCTV system
with a DVR located up to 50 meters from the operator's site

How to share 3G connection via LAN/WLAN? The popularity of Internet services provided by cellular operators is on the increase. The implementation of a home LAN with Internet access based on a 3G service is very simple and does not differ significantly from other network access solutions. The necessary device is a router cooperating with USB 3G modem. An example of such a device is TP-LINK TL-MR3420 3G/3.75G N2957. It allows wireless transmission speed up to 300 Mbps (802.11n) and LAN connectivity (Ethernet) up to 100 Mbps. Communication with the Internet via a 3G network is done through the USB interface, which has to be connected to the suitable 3G modem (the list of compatible devices is available at the manufacturer's site... more

3G wireless router TP-Link TL-MR3420 N2957