TV-SAT, CCTV, WLAN Dipol Weekly Review

Amazon Leo launches - a competitor to the Starlink system.

Amazon Leo is the new name for Amazon's satellite Internet project, formerly known as Project Kuiper. The name change, announced in November 2025, emphasises the technological underpinnings of the venture: the abbreviation 'LEO' stands for Low Earth Orbit, where satellites operate to provide fast and stable Internet connectivity. Amazon plans to launch more than 3,200 satellites, half of which must be launched by mid-2026 due to regulatory obligations. The project is expected to deliver Internet to places where traditional terrestrial infrastructure is limited or not available at all.

Amazon's Leo service will be offered in several hardware variants for a range of applications, from mobile and home to professional business solutions. The most advanced of these, Leo Ultra, uses phased-array antennas. These are electronically steerable beam antennas used in satellite systems, radar and military telecommunications, among others. Their main feature is the ability to steer the signal beam electronically rather than mechanically. They provide bandwidths of up to 1 Gbps for downloads and up to 400 Mbps for uploads. Amazon is also announcing the integration of its platform with AWS cloud services, which is expected to enable enterprises to create private network environments and use satellite communications for critical applications ranging from logistics and industry to emergency response and field communications.

Amazon Leo aims to bridge the global digital divide. The project is designed to enable high-speed Internet access for both individual users and businesses operating in sparsely urbanised areas, in hard-to-reach regions or in places where it is not cost-effective to build cable infrastructure. Currently, more than 150 satellites have been launched into space, with full commercial deployment expected in 2026. Official pricing and country-specific availability plans have still not been revealed, but Amazon is gradually moving closer to launching a full service to compete with current satellite systems such as Starlink.

Coaxial cable insulation stripper.

The insulation stripper for RG-59, RG-6, RG-11 and TRISET type cables is a practical tool used during the installation of antenna, TV and satellite installations. It enables quick and precise removal of the outer sheath and protective layers of the cable, without the risk of damaging the main conductor or screen. The adjustable design allows the tool to be adapted to different cable diameters, increasing its versatility. Thanks to the use of sharp, appropriately positioned blades, work becomes accurate and repeatable, even under intensive use. The cable stripper significantly reduces the time needed to prepare the cable for plugging and improves the aesthetics and quality of the connections made.

DIPOL offers two variants of the MASTER line of tools.

Is it possible to connect 2 cameras with a single network cable?

A standard Ethernet cable (category 5e or 6) consists of 4 pairs of wires (8 wires in total). Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) transmission actually uses only two pairs, i.e. four of these eight wires. Data transmission takes place on cores 1,2,3,6. The remaining two pairs are unused. In emergency situations, the appropriate connection of the wires to the RJ-45 connectors will enable two devices to be connected. Importantly, PoE power can also be provided on the same pins as the data (the camera must support 802.3af mode A).
The connection can be made by manually plugging in the appropriate pins or by using the P-PoE2 M18954 adapters, which allow the signal and power from two devices to be transmitted simultaneously over the same cable. The use of adapters ensures reliable connection and smooth functioning of the installation.

Why 3 wavelengths in a reflectometer?

Having an OTDR with the ability to measure at 3 wavelengths comes with a number of benefits. The first is the ability to fulfil customer orders to their specifications. Requirements for reflectometric measurements range from those where the customer expects measurements at 1310 nm and 1550 nm to those where only measurements at 1625 nm are expected (mainly measurements in larger operators' networks). The OR-30 L5835 can handle any of these types of requests.

Another benefit is the possibility of full diagnostics of the system being made. The additional 1625 nm laser makes it possible to detect any macro-bends in the system that would not necessarily manifest themselves with 1310/1550 nm measurements. The higher wavelength, due to occupying a larger area of the MFD in the fiber, is more sensitive to leakage at bends, resulting in increased attenuation. However, it is worth making measurements at lower wavelengths as well, since it is at these wavelengths that transmission is usually realized. In addition, the 1310 nm wavelength helps highlight fiber positioning problems (poor connectors, splices). To summarize, 3-wave measurement is a complete measurement and provides full information about the network.

How do HDMI to IP converters work? HDMI converters use multicast transmission to transfer data between transmitter and receiver. For this reason, it is not recommended to use converters in home networks (such a stream is sent in a traditional/straightforward network to each device, which overloads switches and routers). It is best to create a dedicated network or dedicated VLANs (virtual local area networks) for the converters...>>>more