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No 22/2025 (June 2, 2025)
Will data be stored in plastic?
A team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has created a breakthrough method for saving and reading digital data using synthetic polymers that eliminates the need for expensive and complex analytical technologies. They encoded an 11-character computer password in specially designed short polymer chains. Although such materials had already been considered as chemical barcodes, reading them required sophisticated and expensive equipment such as mass spectrometers.
A mobile electrochemical system has been developed that could fit on a single PCB in the future. Using electrical pulses, it is possible to read molecular sequences - without the need for complex apparatus. The key ingredient in the technology is ferrocene - an iron compound known to change its properties when exposed to an electrical voltage. The scientists attached different versions of it to short chemical chains and thus created a kind of molecular radio station, each transmitting a signal with a unique frequency. During the reading, fragments of the polymer chain were sequentially separated by means of a chemical reaction. Each fragment removed was responsible for a different electrical signal, recorded by a potentiostat - a relatively cheap and compact piece of laboratory equipment. With specialised software, the team was able to assign unique signals to specific 'letters' of the molecular alphabet. The demonstration encoded the password: 'Dh&@dR%P0W¢', using an alphabet with a potential of as many as 256 unique characters.
To date, work on molecular memory has focused on DNA - a natural carrier of information with enormous density. However, DNA is limited to a four-letter alphabet (A, C, T, G) and requires sophisticated sequencing technologies. Synthetic polymers offer much greater flexibility - both in structure and reading methods. Although it currently takes about 2.5 hours to read a polymer chain, the team has already streamlined the operating protocol. However, speed is not the main goal of this technology. Its strength lies in its long-term data storage, resistant to tampering and environmental damage. What's more, because the reading uses low-voltage electrical signals, there is a real opportunity for integration into electronic systems - for example, as equipment security, product labels or even medical history records.
Schematic installation of a video intercom for a detached house with an additional IP camera.
When building a modern video intercom system, it should be taken into account that it can control the gate and the entrance gate. An app installed on a smartphone can be used for this process. The view from the camera built into the door station focuses on the caller. If the camera has a very wide angle of view, it is possible to observe the area in front of the entrance gate. However, even if the gate station covers such an area, it is usually insufficient.An additional IP camera can be connected to the Hikvision IP video intercom system to cover the area of the entrance gate or the entrance gates. During or after answering the call, you can change the view from the door station to the additional IP camera and view the area in front of the gate. Thanks to remote operation via a smartphone, it is possible to open and verify remotely at any time, whether the entrance gate is open or closed.
Below is a diagram of an IP video door entry system for a single-family building. The installation was based on a single-subscription IP Villa DS-KV8113-WME1(C) G73632 door station with a built-in camera and 2 relays to control the gate and entrance gate. The DS-KH6320-WTE1 G74001 monitor, equipped with a Wi-Fi interface, was installed inside the building. The observation of the area at the entrance gate was realised with the Hikvision IP camera DS-2CD2043G2-LI K03203. An Ultipower N299781 switch equipped with 4 PoE ports in the 802.3af/at standard was used to power the door station, monitor and IP camera. The system was connected to the internet network using a Mercusys AC12G N2933 router. The wicket was fitted with a Bira S12U symmetric door strike from the Hartte G74220 series with an adjustable jaw of up to 4 mm, which is suitable for 12 V DC or AC operation. A 12 V DC power supply M1820 was used to excite it.
Diagram of video door entry system with an additional IP camera
COMBO-type meters for measuring TV/SAT signals.
The RF Level expressed in dBμV is not the only parameter to be taken into account when measuring digital terrestrial DVB-T2 and DVB-S/S2 satellite TV. Equally important, if not more important, are the Modulation Error Ratio (MER) and the Link Margin. MER can be regarded not as a measure of signal quality, but as a measure of the margin left by the installation for total signal loss. Omission of this parameter can result in a number of surprises, the most common of which is a periodic loss of digital signal caused, for example, by a passing truck or bad weather. Providing a safety margin (a sufficiently large distance from the cliff) by measuring the MER will avoid this type of situation. The typical and minimum values of the MER parameter in DVB-T2 for proper reception depend on the modulation technique. For 256-QAM modulation the minimum value is 28.5 dB, while typical values are 31.5 dB and higher.Link Margin is a measure that indicates the margin of safety (a large enough gap from the cliff) by measuring the MER. When the Link Margin is at or near zero, the decoder is unable to recover lost data, resulting in signal loss. A high Link Margin is important because it ensures that the signal is tolerant to degrading factors such as interference or system ageing. When measuring terrestrial and satellite TV, it is important to pay attention not only to the MER, but also to the Link Margin. The boundary between an ideal signal and no signal at all is very narrow. Therefore, even in the case of slight signal degradation, artefacts and image freezes can be observed on the TV screen. The higher its value, the greater the signal's tolerance to degrading elements. A properly set amplifier, high quality cabling, a minimum number of intermediate connections and other good practices will ensure Link Margin, which will protect the installation from future signal loss.
Comparison of key features of COMBO-type meters for DVB-T2 digital terrestrial and DVB-S/S2 satellite measurements:
 |  |  | |
| Code | R10206 | R10210 | R10155 |
| Certificate of calibration | YES | NO | NO |
| Spectrum Analyzer | YES | YES | NO |
| Real-time signal spectrum analyser for detecting interference from mobile signals | 5G, LTE 4G, GSM, DCS, UMTS, 3G | NO | NO |
| Measurement of parameters | Link Margin, RF Level, MER, bBER, aBER | RF Level, MER, aBER | RF Level, MER, aBER |
| Export of measurements to .csv | YES | NO | NO |
| Software update | Automatically, through RJ-45 port | File | File |
| RF - signal level | 25...100 dBμV | 30...90 dBμV | 44...85 dBμV |
| Battery - capacity | 7000 mAh | 5000 mAh | 2600 mAh |
Patchcords for connecting active devices in a network.
Network patchcords are prefabricated connection cables most often made from unshielded twisted pair, terminated with standard RJ-45 connectors. They are a basic element in the structured cabling infrastructure used in Ethernet type computer networks. They are most often manufactured in categories 5e to 6A, which determines their capacity and maximum frequency of operation.Main use of UTP patchcords:
- Connecting end devices to network access points: Patchcords are commonly used to connect computers, laptops, IP phones, network printers or IP cameras to RJ-45 sockets in the wall that lead to a central distribution point (e.g. a rack).
- Crossover connections in distribution racks: In data communication cabinets, patchcords are used to realise connections between patch panel ports and active devices such as switches or routers. They allow the network topology to be easily reconfigured without having to modify the fixed installation.
- Testing and network diagnostics: UTP patchcords are also used for temporary connections when testing networks with diagnostic equipment. Thanks to their standardised terminations and high flexibility, they facilitate the rapid establishment of test connections.
NETSET J20004N U/UTP cat 5e 0.25 m black patchcord. NETSET brand patchcords are compatible with Etherlighting (a technology developed by Ubiquiti that integrates visual lighting effects into network devices such as Ethernet switches and cables. The purpose of this technology is to facilitate cable management and connection identification in network environments).
NETSET patchcords are the most popular in the DIPOL range:
| Category 5e | Category 6 | ||
| 0.25 m | Blue | J20001N | J21100N |
| Yellow | J20002N | ||
| Black | J20004N | ||
| 0.5 m | Blue | J21001N | J21101N |
| Yellow | J21002N | ||
| 1 m | Blue | J21011N | J21111N |
| Yellow | J21012N | ||
| Red | J21013N | ||
| 2 m | Blue | J21021N | J21121N |
| White | J21022N | ||
| Red | J21023N | ||
| 3 m | Blue | J21031N | J21131N |
| Yellow | J21032N | ||
| Red | J21033N | ||
| 5 m | Blue | J21051N | J21151N |
| Yellow | J21052N | ||
| 10 m | Blue | J21061N | J21161N |
| 15 m | Blue | J21071N | J21171N |
In a situation where the camera point includes 1 camera, its implementation usually takes into account the use of a sealed box, in which the media converter is placed together with the power supply, PoE power supply and a box/housing protecting the place of fiber optic splicing introduced into the box.
DIPOL offers ULTIMODE L1302 media converter equipped with PoE power supply function connected from the RJ45 interface side of the device. This saves space in the airtight box and simplifies cabling. The media converter is compatible with 802.3af and 802.3at standards. So it will successfully power any IP surveillance camera available on the market.
Universal optical fibre L76004 terminated with pigtails L34372 plugged into adapter L42233 is fed into the patch box. The optical fibres and splices are secured in the L5302 subscriber box, which is recommended for this type of installation due to its small size. The connection of the L1415 SFP insert installed in the L1302 media converter to the optical fibre is made using a 0.5 m LC duplex patchcord L3223372_05. The short patchcord saves space and avoids troublesome excess cabling inside the box.
How to connect an IP camera when there is no network cable?
In locations where it is not possible or cost-effective to replace the existing cabling, only 2 wires are available for transmission and power supply, the installation of cameras or other IP PoE devices is possible using the special ETH10-2wire-SET J2842 converters.The idea of using ETH10-2wire-SET J2842 converters – PoE power and data transmission in 2 wires of the cable
The ETH10-2wire-TX DVR-side module is powered from any PoE switch (RJ45 port) and allows bi-directional network communication and powering of the ETH10-2wire-RX module together with the PoE camera via two wires of cable. Optionally, the devices can be powered via POWER screw connectors.
The maximum cable length in the 2-wire path is 1000 m (for one pair of UTP cat. 5e). The maximum range of data transmission and PoE power supply depends on the type, length and cross-section of the cables used. The stability of transmission is also affected by the presence of other wires in the cable path and additional intermediate connections. The best performance and the longest transmission range can be achieved by using two single twisted-pair cables, such as one pair of twisted-pair UTP cable.
The camera or other PoE receiver can be connected to the RJ45 port of the ETH10-2wire-RX module at the end of the line. When connecting the receiver to another switch or network adapter without PoE support, it is necessary to disable PoE power by setting the jumper on the ETH10-2wire-RX receiver accordingly.
The camera or other PoE receiver can be connected to the RJ45 port of the ETH10-2wire-RX module at the end of the line. When connecting the receiver to another switch or network adapter without PoE support, it is necessary to disable PoE power by setting the jumper on the ETH10-2wire-RX receiver accordingly.
 | SIGNAL-4K HDMI - DVB-T2/T/C modulator in 4K UHD 2160p R86600 is a professional device enabling the conversion of HDMI signal in 4K Ultra HD or Full HD resolution to DVB digital terrestrial television signal (DVB-T2 or DVB-T or DVB-C or ISDB-T) in 2160p or 1080p resolution. This makes it possible to transmit video and audio from various HDMI sources (e.g. set-top boxes, DVRs, media players, etc.) to TVs equipped with a DVB-T2, DVB-T or DVB-C tuner. The SIGNAL-4K modulator is an ideal solution for use in hotels, public buildings, monitoring systems or collective installations. In addition, the device is equipped with an RJ-45 port, which enables configuration via a web browser. | |
 | Signal Fire AI-5 fibre optic splicer + bag + toolkit L5872 is the entry-level model in a wide range of splicers from manufacturer Signal Fire. The company has been established for many years in many markets, including Europe, where it dominates the budget splicer sector. This model allows for efficient fibre optic connections in video surveillance, automation or fibre optic local area networks. It is designed for occasional splicing. The unit has all the features necessary to realise reliable splices with low attenuation. The 4 motors and the optical system with 300x magnification allow precise positioning of the fibres. The minimum splicing time is 8 seconds and the minimum weld shield welding time, 18 seconds. The AI-5 welder has a 5-inch TFT screen where the process and splicing effects can be observed in detail. | |
 | OPTISteel 1U 19' 24xSC duplex pull-out fibre optic switch black L51458 is designed for installation in 19" rack cabinets and racks. It allows for 48 fibre terminations. The front panel allows the installation of 24 SC duplex adapters. The switch is made of 1 mm thick steel sheet powder-coated in black. The front panel of the switch can be pulled out, so that easy access to the fibres and splices is ensured at any stage of the installation operation. Fibre optic cables can be inserted into the switcher via the 4 rear holes or the 2 side holes. | |
Worth reading
Control of a computer from various locations. In practice, there are many installations in which the computer is placed in a secure room (protected against physical theft), but image viewing and computer control are required from another point in the building (security room). Unfortunately, the distance of these rooms is a critical issue when implementing video and USB transmission over standard cabling. The solution is to convert these signals to IP transmission. Signal HD HDMI to IP converter H3613 enables the user to connect high-definition signal (HD) to a receiver (TV set, monitor) equipped with HDMI interface via CAT5e or CAT6 cable. Additionally, there is possibility of extending the USB port, e.g. for controlling a mouse and keyboard...>>>more
Sunell cameras – advanced features at an affordable price
