TV-SAT, CCTV, WLAN Dipol Weekly Review

Language barrier-free conversations at T-Mobile.

Mobile network operator T-Mobile in the US has unveiled a Live Translation service that allows telephone conversations to be translated in real time. This solution is designed to facilitate communication with speakers of other languages. The translation takes place directly at the operator's network level, rather than on the phone itself, which means that the feature can be used on virtually any device that supports regular voice calls.

Live Translation works during a standard telephone call. The user initiates the call as usual and then activates the function with the appropriate code during the conversation. The artificial intelligence system recognises the languages of both callers and transmits a translated version of what is said to each of them with very little delay. This allows the conversation to flow smoothly, without long pauses or the need to manually type in the text. Importantly, only one of the parties needs to be a T-Mobile customer, while the other person can use any network and also does not need to install any software. The service covers more than 50 languages, making it helpful both in private life and at work.

The solution is currently available in beta to selected customers in the US. During the test period, use of the service is free, while details of any charges after the beta have not yet been disclosed. T-Mobile emphasises that the project aims to eliminate language barriers in everyday communication. Live Translation is part of the trend of using artificial intelligence in telecommunications. If the technology proves itself in practice and provides quality translations, it could become one of the most important communication tools of the coming years, especially in an increasingly global and mobile world.

Setting the pulse and relay output timing on the DS-KD7003EY-IME2/A door station of the 2-Wire HD system.

In the DS-KD7003EY-IME2/A G73647 door station, the pulse or relay output timing is set using switch DEC5, selecting one of the positions from 0 to 8. Each of these positions is assigned a fixed opening time: positions 0, 3 and 6 - 2 seconds, positions 1, 4 and 7 - 5 seconds, positions 2, 5 and 8 - 10 seconds. At the same time, each position determines which output controls the lock: pulse Lock1, relay Lock2 or both at the same time. Positions 0-2 activate only Lock1 (DC Pulse), positions 3-5 only Lock2 (Relay), while positions 6-8 activate both outputs simultaneously. Depending on the number of active outputs, one or two lock icons appear on the internal monitor.

Position 9 works differently to the others. The lock opening time is then not permanently set but can be configured after logging in to the door station via the web browser. In this mode, both Lock1 and Lock2 can have their operating time set from the web interface. In addition, the Lock2 output can be switched to two modes of operation in the configuration: "electric lock" (lock control with time set in the WWW) or "doorbell" (bell output). This means that in position 9 Lock2 is not permanently assigned to the doorbell function and its operation depends on the settings in the web interface. This makes position 9 the most flexible, as it allows you to freely set the opening time from 1-255 s and choose whether Lock2 should control the lock or work as a doorbell output.

Mounting a satellite dish on a flat surface.

Ballast masts are structures designed for the installation of antennas, lighting, signalling or other equipment on roofs and other flat surfaces, without interfering with the structure of the ground. Their stability is ensured by appropriately selected ballast (usually concrete weight plates), which prevents the mast from toppling under the influence of wind or vibrations. Ballast masts are widely used in temporary and permanent installations, particularly where permanent anchoring of the mast is not possible or where the integrity of the roofing is required. A variety of mast heights are available as required and the ballast weight is selected to meet the safety requirements of the wind zone. The size of the ballast/ballast frames has been selected so that they can be lifted onto the roof even through a small roof hatch.

The photos below show the installation of a DPL-120 A9684 satellite dish using an ATLAS-11 ZB-1100 E8748 ballast mast.

Types of ferrule grinds in optical fibre connectors.

In optical connectors, the quality and geometry of the ferrule grind are crucial for insertion loss and return loss.

The oldest type was the FF (Flat Face) cut. In this solution, the ferrule and fibre face are perfectly perpendicular to the optical fibre axis. Nowadays, FF ground is practically not used in modern telecommunications installations due to very high back reflections (approx. -14 dB), which adversely affect the operation of lasers and systems with high bandwidth. It can still be found in older systems, in simple laboratory installations or in measurement paths where reflections are not critical.

The next development step was the PC (Physical Contact) cut. In this case, the ferrule surface is slightly convex (spherical) and the apex of the curvature is exactly in the fibre axis. When the two connectors are joined, the fibre cores are in direct contact, which significantly reduces the backreflection (typically to around -40 dB). PC ground was widely used in first-generation telecommunications systems and can still be found in some industrial installations today, although in practice it has largely been replaced by an improved version of UPC.

The UPC (Ultra Physical Contact) grind is a development of PC technology, providing a more precise geometry and smoother contact surface. As a result, it achieves very low backreflection (even below -50 dB) and low insertion loss. UPC connectors are today the standard in telecommunications, data networks, FTTH and most active optical devices. They are most commonly found in SC, LC or FC type connectors in the version labelled /UPC (usually with blue coloured identification elements).

The most advanced version is the APC (Angled Physical Contact) cut, in which the ferrule face is additionally inclined (usually at an angle of 8°). Reflected light then does not return to the fibre core, but escapes into the sheath, making it possible to achieve very high reflection attenuation (even -60 dB and better). APCs are used in reflection-sensitive systems such as CATV networks, RF over Fiber, PON/GPON systems and in long-haul transmission and high-power laser systems. APC connectors are usually coloured green and can only be combined with other APC connectors.

Meaning of abbreviations:
FF - Flat Fiber - ferrule face flat, large contact area
PC - Physical Contact - flat ferrule end, slightly smaller contact area
UPC - Ultra Physical Contact - flat ferrule end, small contact area
APC - Angled Physical Contact - ferrule face angled, small contact area

Buffer power supply for mobile systems. Fibre optic cables form the core of the cabling of many monitoring systems. They are usually chosen in cases where the camera points remain at a considerable distance from the monitoring centre.
In a situation where a camera point includes 1 camera, its implementation usually includes the use of an airtight box, in which a media converter is placed together with a power supply, a PoE power supply and a box / cassette protecting the place of welding of the fibre optic cable entering the box...>>> more