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

Your face can be a ticket.

Cubic Transportation Systems, American company centered on contactless smart card technology, is working on a new ticketing system. To reduce queues in front of gates, the system will use facial recognition and palm vein scanning for identification of customers.
According to strategy manager at Cubic, the growing number of customers would significantly increase the queues to ticket gates. Cubic suggests removing the traditional gates completely and using object tracking system instead.

The company presented a prototype "gateless" system at its innovation center in London. How does it work? The next-generation validating point not only accepts traditional forms of verification (Oyster cards, non-contact cards) but also works with some alternative payment methods: Bluetooth LE (able to identify passengers by their phones as they pass through, without the need to hold the phones on the scanner), palm vein scan and facial recognition.
The vein scanner uses an infrared sensor to capture the pattern of blood vessels in the palm. According to Cubic, the future rider should go to a station to register their palm print and link it to their payment account. Then, when he/she places their hand on the scanner before a journey, the scanner will recognize their palm and charge their account.

The facial recognition system will work in the same way as the palm vein scanner: the user must first register and associate their face with individual account, and the cameras triggered by infrared sensors at the new validating point will capture, detect and recognize his/her face. Such a modern gate is the first part of the system. The other is a camera system with appropriate software, responsible for capturing fare-evaders. This will be possible by using the tracking feature for each passenger that has been correctly identified. Other persons that appear in the corridor/tunnel ("gateless gateline") leading to the platform will automatically be recognized as unauthorized.

Visualization of a modern transport corridor and traditional verification gates
(source: www.wired.co.uk)

Cubic wants to implement the tracking system at a subway station in London within a year. Initially, it will not be a fully functional system. Apart from technical complexity, formal problems related to the collection and safe storage of biometric data should also be addressed.

Implementation of TERRA dSCR/Unicable multiswitch system.

New series of TERRA dSCR multiswitches employs single-cable technology (Unicable) that allows for distribution of DVB-S/S2, DVB-T, DAB and FM signals via single coaxial cable. The dSCR acronym means digital Satellite Cable Router, sometimes called channel stacking switch, which converts the received satellite signals to so-called user bands (UBs) that can be received by the connected receivers compliant with the technology. The converted transponders are combined and sent via the single coaxial cable to all the receivers. The communication between the dSCR multiswitch and the receivers uses special protocol defined in the EN50494 (Unicable I) and/or EN50607 (Unicable II) standard, with DiSEqC commands.

OPTIMA company from Krosno, Poland, has installed SMATV system based on single-cable TERRA SRM-521 R80521 multiswitch. The system distributes terrestrial DVB-T broadcasts and DVB-S/S2 satellite channels from HotBird 13E.

Comparison of Hikvision cameras from EasyIP Lite and EasyIP 3.0 series.

The table below compares features and parameters of new series of Hikvision IP cameras, EasyIP Lite (a basic, budget series) and EasyIP 3.0 (more advanced series). In the case of 2 MP and 3 MP cameras, the EasyIP 3.0 series guarantees much higher sensitivity (they employ Dark-Fighter technology). It also offers models with resolution up to 8 MP, support for H.265+ and H.265 video compression, video analytics. The cheaper Easy IP Lite series does not have video analytic functions, but is sufficient for building low-budget IP CCTV systems with satisfactory performance.

The best-selling Hikvision Easy IP 3.0 camera - K17294
3 MP, 2.8 mm, 0,005 lx, IR up to 30 m, WDR, IK10, Audio IN/OUT, H.265/H.264

Control of roller blinds with EXTA FREE modules.

EXTA FREE systems allows users to control electrical appliances with a range of local and remote switches/transmitters. In addition, at any time it is possible to program and use another transmitter or receiver/actuator of the EXTA FREE system to modify or extend the set. This functionality expands the capabilities of the platform.

The SRP-02 F5432 roller blinds controller is used to control roller blind drives with 230 VAC motors and limit switches. The user can control the blinds locally with a suitable switch connected to the dedicated inputs and/or remotely, with the use of any wireless remote control (transmitter) of EXTA FREE system. It is possible to save two comfort settings - upper and bottom roller blind height levels.

The RNK-02 F5101 2-channel wireless remote control sends commands to the SRP-02 F5432 roller blinds controllers (lowering/raising). The remote control can be registered to any number of other receivers/controllers.

Alarm notifications on smartphones.

The preview of images from Hikvision CCTV systems on smartphones is possible using dedicated, free application iVMS-4500. The app supports alarm notifications generated by the monitoring equipment. If the devices and smartphones are configured properly and have access to the Internet, the notifications will be displayed on the screens of the phones. Supported alarm notifications:

After pressing a notification, the new window of the app allows for live preview of the image from the camera or playback of the video connected with the alarm.

Optical power meter - the basic equipment of any fiber optic technician/installer.

The measuring device is one of the basic tools of every installer. While low-current systems, based on copper cables (distribution of television, CCTV) may sometimes forgive the installer an unprofessional approach to measurement issues (quality estimation based only on the observation of the effects on the end devices), there is no place for such simplification in the case of optical networks. Optical systems are often deployed long before the actual use and at the initial stage they include only cable infrastructure. To verify the performance of the job done, it is necessary to have appropriate measuring devices. Even the smallest mistake or inaccuracy in connecting the components of an optical system may result in attenuation increased by a few dB, which may lead to the failure of the entire system.

GRANDWAY FHP1B02 L5821 is an affordable optical power meter used for measurements of optical power loss in fiber networks based on multimode and single-mode fibers. The meter is calibrated to measure optical power at six wavelengths (nm): 850, 1300, 1310, 1490, 1550, and 1625. A wide measuring range (-40...+23 dBm) and high accuracy (not worse than 0.35 dB / 10 nW) allow for precise control of any optical network. It is also possible to set 0 dB reference level. The meter is equipped with a tip that allows measurements of optical power in optical paths terminated with connectors with 2.5 mm ferrules. The kit includes FC/PC and SC/PC adapters. The features make it an ideal tool for measurements in point-to-point links and FTTH systems.

The tool necessary for precise measurements is the dedicated optical laser source GRANDWAY FHS1D02 L5825. The source generates laser beams of predetermined wavelengths and power. The device generates laser bream of the wavelength 1310 nm or 1550 nm at the power level of -5 dBm. A short-term stability of the light source is better than 0.1 dB. The two devices (the GRANDWAY meter and laser source) allow for professional testing of nearly any fiber-optic network.

The usefulness of the optical power meter has been confirmed by many installers. For example one of our customers used it for diagnostics of fiber optic installation with Ultimode L2040 video converters. With the meter, he verified that the power generated by the transmitters was in the correct range, and then he examined the optical link step by step. The problem was generated by defective patchcords of the terminal devices. After replacement, the problem of interference in the image disappeared.

Control of several electronic devices placed in a cabinet. Placing electronic devices in cabinets or drawers is an elegant solution, but also brings some usability issues - it is difficult or impossible to control the devices with remote controls. The problem can be solved by the application of the Signal IRB-620U R94130 IR bender... >>>more

An application of the Signal IRB-620U R94130 IR bender with three IR transmitters

New requirements for cables in buildings