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

No. 20/2014 (May 19, 2014)

Pythia of our times.

The Pythia, each virgin priestess in the temple of Apollo at Delphi in ancient Greece - played the role of the oracle, seeing things not available for others. SCiO is a device of the size of a USB flash drive, enabling "a look" inside various objects. For example, we can find out the water content in fruit, the amount of alcohol in a drink, the chemical composition of a pill, or calorific value of food. Everything quickly, easily and for everyone!
The device owes its success to the Kickstarter portal - a crowdfunding platform that brings creative projects to life by the collection of finance from backers. The project has become so popular that the required amount of funds (200 000 USD) necessary for further work aimed at putting the device on the market, was acquired within... 24 hours. At the time of this writing, the account of the project exceeds 1 400 000 USD, and there is about a month to the end of the collection.
SCiO has been developed by researchers from leading universities in the world: MiT and Harvard. In addition to its small size, its strength is very high accuracy and low price of the basic model: 149 USD. The technology used is known since decades in the quality control of oil, sewage and chemicals, but this device can have much wider use in everyday life.
This innovation is a miniature version of a near-IR spectroscope capable of identification of compounds, their mixtures, and object structure. "SCiO includes a light source that illuminates the sample and an optical sensor called a spectrometer that collects the light reflected from the sample. The spectrometer breaks down the light to its spectrum, which includes all the information required to detect the result of this interaction between the illuminated light and the molecules in the sample." (www.kickstarter.com) The acquired data is transmitted via Bluetooth to the smartphone of the user and then forwarded to the cloud, where is analyzed. The results are immediately sent back to the phone and shown on the screen.
There can be countless applications of SCiO, but the most interesting field seems to be the analysis of the chemical composition of food. To do this, it is enough to direct the device e.g. towards a plate of soup, and after a short while the user will get information such as the calorific value, the content of fat and carbohydrates. Such information is useful for dieters avoiding some food components and for anyone wanting effective and unambiguous assessment of the quality of food served in restaurants etc. SCIO can also help users to choose the best quality fruit or vegetables by analyzing them in terms of water and sugar content.
SCiO will be popularized by providing developers with so called MAKERS KITs. They can use the technology to their own purposes and create new applications.
As it turns out, SCIO is not the only device of this kind. TellSpec company from Canada is to release a similar analyzer by the end of this year.

DIPOL at Mobile-IT 2014 trade fair.

On May 27-28, 2014, the first edition of Trade Fair of Mobile Solutions and Technologies Mobile-IT will be held in Krakow, Poland. The event is aimed at presenting the effective use of mobile IT technology, both in the public and private sectors. High level of the program will be maintained by professional institutions, science and research groups together with industry specialists. The main event of the fair will be Mobile Trends for Business conference addressed for businesses, marketers and developers.
Trade Mobile-IT is an excellent choice for all who are interested in mobile technologies. During the event they will be able to learn about new products presented by, among others, ASPEKT, AirWatch Aerohive Networks, baramundi software AG, BioTrustis, Cisco Webex, ComVision (SMSAPI.pl), BlueJeans Network, CLICO, DIPOL, Eddie Consulting Groups, Elproma Elektronika, Greeneris, i-Systems, i-sklep.pl, KiM Group, KISS DIGITAL, MobileExperts, Motorola Solutions, Splashtop, Vaultive, Zebra Technologies, Zoom.

High professional level of the event will be guaranteed the speakers at the Mobile Trends for Business conference. DIPOL will be represented by Mr. Lukasz Kopciuch, the engineer and product manager responsible for cellular repeaters/amplifiers. The previous editions of the conference were attended by hundreds of professionals in mobile technologies.
Some products presented by DIPOL will be the programmable Signal GSM amplifier/repeater with remote monitoring of operating parameters and Trans-Data BTS antennas dedicated for use at base stations by cellular operators.

There are free tickets available - details. More on the DIPOL's offer for the Mobile IT trade fair can be found here.

Precision in every way.

The key to a good quality splice (mechanical or thermal) is an adequate preparation of the fiber. Of all the operations carried out prior to the splicing, the most significant is the proper cleaving so that the cleaved plane is smooth and perpendicular to the axis of the fiber core.
High Precision Fiber Cleaver ODW-001
High precision fiber cleaver ODW-001 L5802
The choice of high quality tools is important for the comfort and results of the installation work. The fiber cleaver ODW-001 L5802 is ideal both for installers who start working with optical fibers, as well as for those who already make a lot of connections. The tool is manufactured with the highest standards, its laser-sharpened blade has 12 cutting positions, each capable of cleaving the fiber several thousand times. The excellent value for money will allow each installer to buy the tool and work easily and professionally, with the highest precision.

Images from CCTV cameras as DVB-T channels in MATV system.

TERRA channel amplifiers are the most versatile devices for receiving and processing television signals in shared antenna systems. With the use of DVB-T modulator TERRA mdx420 R82518, it is possible to inject into such system two video channels from analog CCTV cameras, which can be received by any standard DVB-T television (COFDM). The diagram below shows such a system installed in a multifamily building.
FM Antenna: Dipol 1RUZ PM B (omnidirectional H+V)Multiband Amplifier Terra ma400 (FM/VHF/UHF)DVB-T Modulator TERRA mdx420 (2xAV/COFDM encoder & RF modulator)DIN Rail Power Supply DR-60-12 (12VDC/4.5A, for Terra at/mt/ma modules)Four-channel Amplifier: Terra at440 (UHF, DVB-T, AGC) 2-Way TV/FM Splitter R-2 Signal2-Way TV/FM Splitter R-2 Signal2-Way TV/FM Splitter R-2 Signal4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-16dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-14dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-20dB (5-1000MHz) 4-way Tap: Signal O-4-20dB (5-1000MHz) 4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-20dB (5-1000MHz) 4-way Tap: Signal O-4-20dB (5-1000MHz) 4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-18dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-16dB (5-1000MHz)4-way Tap: Signal O-4-14dB (5-1000MHz)UHF TV Antenna: DIPOL 44/21-60 Tri DigitSubscriber Terminal Outlet: Signal RTVCompact Camera: Sunell IRC13/40ZMDN (day/night, D-WDR, 900TVL, Sony Exmor, ICR, 0.01 lx, 2.8-12mm, OSD, IR up to 30m)Compact Camera: Sunell IRC13/40ZMDN (day/night, D-WDR, 900TVL, Sony Exmor, ICR, 0.01 lx, 2.8-12mm, OSD, IR up to 30m)
An example of MATV system distributing video from CCTV cameras as DVB-T channels
The DVB-T broadcasts from the A2670 antenna are provided to a four-channel highly selective tunable RF amplifier TERRA at440 R82511 capable of filtering, amplifying and equalizing four digital multiplexes broadcast in the UHF band. Additional multiband (FM/VHF/UHF) amplifier TERRA ma400 further amplifies the UHF signals and allows for adding FM and (if needed) VHF signals. The images from two security cameras are fed to DVB-T modulator TERRA mdx420 R82518. The device has two audio/video channels (two independent sets of A/V inputs for connecting two A/V sources). The output DVB-T RF channel (multiplex carrying the both A/V signals) is distributed throughout the antenna system. This way, the high quality video provided by the two Sunell M11271 cameras with horizontal resolution of 900 TVL can be watched without any loss of quality on any television in the building.
This kind of antenna system guarantees trouble-free operation for years. It is easy to increase the number of "security channels" just by adding next cameras and Terra mdx420 R82518 DVB-T modulators.

PoE compatibility issues.

The 802.3af standard defines two types of PoE implementation:
  • option A - power is sent together with the data on pairs 1/2 and 3/6
  • option B - power is sent on pairs 4/5 and 7/8 (unused in Fast Ethernet networks, in the case of Gigabit Ethernet the pairs are used both for data and power transmission).
The power supply unit may implement both or just one of the PoE types, while remaining compliant with the standard. So, the powered device must therefore support both modes, however, as it turns out in practice, not all end devices are fully compliant with the standard. This may be the reason for the lack of compatibility with some PoE power supplies.
Before providing the supplying voltage, the PoE power supply unit tests the connection. The current is limited to milliamperes and is applied to determine the actual type of the PoE implemented in the powered device (with the help of characteristic resistance of about 25 kΩ used for this purpose in the device). In addition, this procedure allows for checking the continuity of the line. After selection of the suitable PoE type and switching on the supplying voltage, the power supply unit constantly monitors the load.
Connections in a switch with PoE (endspan) and in the powered device (802.3af); type A - violet, type B - yellow
DIPOL offers high quality ULTIPOWER PoE switches. The switches compliant with 802.3af standard provide power supply for PoE devices with type B PoE system.

How to use alarm connectors in Sunell cameras?

Sunell IP cameras K1634, K1637, K1666, K1680, K1691, K1695 have alarm inputs/outputs that can be used for additional protection of the monitored facilities. All configuration procedures are contained in the menus of the cameras.
The pinout of alarm connectors in Sunell IP cameras
The alarm input is activated by applying DC voltage (+5...12 V, "high" state) at the pin marked IN, with respect to the ground (COM). There is also the option to activate the input by "low" state (when the +5...12 VDC voltage is disconnected from the IN pin).
The alarm input of a camera can cooperate with various sensors:
  • PIR sensor - intrusion detection is performed by detecting differences in infrared radiation (increased temperature) occurring between an intruder/object and the environment
  • glass break sensor - reacts to the sound of breaking glass
  • door/window sensor - the alarm signal is generated after opening door/window
  • smoke or gas sensor (hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, butane etc.) - reacts to reduced transparency of the air or an increased amount of the chemicals in the air
2MP IP Camera: Sunell SN-IPC54/14EDN (box, ONVIF, CMOS, 1080p)
Alarm input/output in the K1634 camera
Activation of the alarm input can trigger the alarm relay output of the camera (close/open the pair of the relay contacts). Such a switch can control any actuator (e.g. a siren) powered from an external 12 VDC source, with current consumption up to 300 mA.

Types and markings of twisted pair cables.

Acronyms for balanced cables are standardized by ISO/IEC 11801:2002 (Annex E). The information contained in the cable description should have the following syntax: xx/yyTP, where the letters yy characterize individual wires/pairs and the letters xx describe the overall construction of the cable. The xx and yy markings can be as follows:
  • U – unshielded
  • F – foiled (screened with foil)
  • S – shielded (screened with braid)
  • SF – shielded and foiled
Typical balanced cables:
Typical balanced cables
  • U/UTP – unscreened cable
  • F/UTP – foil screened cable with unscreened balanced elements
  • U/FTP – unscreened cable with foil screened balanced elements
  • F/FTP – foil screened cable with foil screened balanced elements
  • SF/UTP – overall braid and foil screened cable with unscreened balanced elements
  • S/FTP – overall braid screened cable with foil screened balanced elements
  • SF/FTP – overall braid and foil screened cable with foil screened balanced elements
We offer the following types of twisted pair cables:
  • U/UTP - unscreened:
    • E1408 - NETSET U/UTP 5e cable [305 m] - for indoor use
    • E1410 - NETSET U/UTP 5e cable [305 m] - gel-filled, black, for outdoor use
    • E1412 - NETSET BOX U/UTP PE 5e cable [305 m] - black, for outdoor use
  • F/FTP - foil screened cable with foil screened pairs:
    • E1515 - NETSET BOX F/FTP 5e cable [305 m] - for indoor use
    • E1517 - NETSET BOX F/FTP 5e cable [305 m] - for outdoor use

New products offered by DIPOL

IP NVR Signal 2717 (16 channels)
IP NVR Signal 2716 K2717 is an economical 16-channel IP network video recorder dedicated for small and medium size IP CCTV systems where the priority is low cost. This standalone NVR with VGA and HDMI outputs can be directly connected to a monitor for live monitoring and playing back archives, without a need for an additional computer. Thanks to embedded Linux OS, the Signal 2716 NVR ensures stable operation and resistance to computer viruses.
5/8 Multiswitch: Terra MRS-508 (passive terrestrial path)
5/8 Multiswitch Terra MRS-508 R70308 has 5 inputs and 8 outputs, and can directly be used for distribution of signals from one satellite, terrestrial TV (DVB-T), and terrestrial radio (FM and DAB) to 8 outlets. Due to a passive terrestrial path, the signal provided by the terrestrial TV antenna has to have adequate signal level. The die-cast housing provides high screening efficiency by preventing the penetration of interfering signals to the unit.
Smart TV Dongle: Ferguson FBOX
Smart TV Dongle Ferguson FBOX A99420 is a microcomputer based on a fast dual-core processor and powerful 3D graphics. It is a solution with a wireless gyroscopic remote control, offering Smart TV functionality to any TV with HDMI input. The unit is intended to play both media from storage devices and the content streamed directly from the Internet. It features, unique in its class, hardware-supported high definition 1080p video decoding via XBMC Media Player.

The latest

May 12, 2014 - an interview supported by DIPOL Robot. A short interview (in Polish) with the robot and its constructor - Piotr Wasniowski. The interview was conducted at DIPOL stand during the Elektrotechnika 2014 trade fair in Warsaw.

Worth reading

When to use multimode and when single-mode fibers? It is important to decide whether the future network will be based on multimode or single-mode fibers. For some installers the choice can be not obvious, so we give a few tips on the selection of the cabling.
Multimode fibers can be used only for distances up to 2 km. An individual fiber cannot operate in duplex mode, i.e. at any moment signal can be transmitted only in one direction, so normally two fibers are needed for two-way communication. The maximum transmission speed depends on the length of the link. 1 Gbps data rate can be achieved in the cheaper OM2 fiber. Higher data rates may require the application of the OM3 type... more
The differences in the structure of optical fibers:
MM - multimode
SM - single-mode
Protect - Portable DVR Cameras