Fibre-optics overcome the challenges of video and AV switching integration

Switching solutions need to provide functionality, flexibility and performance to ensure the ability to easily configure, upgrade and interchange signal types and different video formats. With the high cost of custom optics and delayed innovation in AV transmission over standard networking optics, both the pro-AV and digital signage industries have been slow to adopt high definition digital video and fibre cabling for AV signal distribution.

Many new AV and digital signage installations, such as government sites, entertainment complexes, hospitals, retail outlets and education campuses cover incredibly large areas that are beyond the capabilities of most copper-based systems. As fibre-optic technology becomes more cost effective the introduction of new integrated distribution solutions that employ fibre-optic technologies will increase to meet industry needs.

Technical innovation
With the integrated development of fibre-optic components such as interoperable transmitters, receivers and matrix switchers, the way in which the industry approaches digital AV signal distribution can be significantly altered. When combined together, these components can enable any end to end configuration for distribution of uncompressed multi-format video, audio and RS-232 signals over fibre-optic, in an all format signal distribution platform.

Modular transmitters and receivers support a wide variety of analogue and digital video formats through plug and play, field interchangeable modules. This approach can deliver hundreds of different product configurations with numerous video and auxiliary signal types, fibre-optic types and component types, such as multi-port transmitters, daisy chain receivers with input switching support and small to large scale full cross-point matrix switchers.



For installations with multiple, mixed resolution displays, to prevent low quality up-scaling on high resolution displays, each source is configured to the highest resolution. Additionally, each display device can be independently controlled or monitored easily by a third party control system from a single input point using RS-232. Full compliance with HDCP means users can mix and manage protected versus unprotected content switching.

When fully integrated, these modular components can provide an efficient, ultra-high-speed data sequencing and streaming engine capable of driving standard small form-factor pluggable (SFP) optics. The resulting benefits of such a system is the ability to simultaneously transmit uncompressed 1920 x 1200 video with HDCP at 60Hz, 8-channel 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio and bi-directional RS-232, all on industry standard SFP optics and cabling. The distance supported while transmitting all these signal types at their maximum performance is over 2,000metres with multi-mode optics and 30,000metres with single mode optics.

The modular building block approach enables the ability to field configure, upgrade and interchange signal types, including video formats, which greatly increases flexibility in specification, installation and procurement.

Simplifying multi-format signal distribution
To date, multi-format signal distribution has been performed by separate switching and distribution platforms. Many new installations now demand a switching solution that can combine the multitude of digital and analogue signal formats, such as HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, VGA, composite, component and s-video video signals, digital and analogue audio signals, and other auxiliary signals, such as RS-232, all on the same distribution network with automatic format conversion between video and audio signals and built in scaling.

By unifying switching platforms, costs can be reduced and the complexity of integrating multiple converters and extenders from many different manufacturers minimised. Additionally, the risks of incompatibility can be eliminated and the number of potential failure points significantly reduced.
With the advent of modular fibre-optic switching technology in AV signal distribution, costs can be reduced by up to 50% over other competing switching technologies. A signal distribution platform can now be designed to deliver exceptional high resolution image quality, offer mission critical reliability and advanced functionality.

Ease of use
Ease of use and adaptability is essential. Plug and play implementation of a switching distribution network using video, audio, auxiliary modules and fibre-optic extension modules can be easily achieved. The lifetime and use of the infrastructure can be greatly and easily extended while maximising user investment and reducing unused equipment. Making enhancements to perform format conversion or video scaling, for example, can be simply accomplished.

The modularity and flexibility of the switching platform can provide future proofing and protect the installed infrastructure if and when the user needs to implement any changes or increase the number of inputs and/or outputs. Technology adaptations and system updates can be achieved using modular building blocks.

If, for example, an end user is working with a VGA input today but changes to a digital source, then the user need only change the video module on the transmitter.

Future proofing
Future video, audio and auxiliary signal standards can easily be accommodated thanks to the modular architecture, whereas previously the entire distribution network would need to be changed to accommodate new signal types. With an integrated fibre distribution network and the associated transmitters, receivers and switchers never need to be fully replaced.

Fibre-optic technology is quickly becoming commonplace as a pro-AV and digital signage system solution. Due to the high-bandwidth requirements of today’s HD video solutions, a fibre optic infrastructure enables integrators to employ solutions where HDMI, DVI and analogue 1080p content can be distributed and switched over distances that copper cannot support.

A modular fibre-optic switching solution offers an upgrade path and the additional bandwidth for future - still to be developed - video standards. New SFP technology will allow for more and more bandwidth, whereas copper has all but reached its bandwidth limitations. As the demand for greener, more economic solutions increase, fibre-optic switching will become the solution of choice due to its more efficient use of power over greater bandwidths and distances.