Traditional fiber optic media converters perform a useful function but don’t really reduce the amount of cable needed to send data on a fiber segment. They still require two strands... more/see it nowof glass to send transmit and receive signals for fiber media communications. Wouldn’t it be better to combine these two logical communication paths within one strand?

That’s exactly what single-strand fiber conversion does. It compresses the transmit and receive wavelengths into one single-mode fiber strand.

The conversion is done with Wave-Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology. WDM technology increases the information-carrying capacity of optical fiber by transmitting two signals simultaneously at different wavelengths on the same fiber. The way it usually works is that one unit transmits at 1310 nm and receives at 1550 nm. The other unit transmits at 1550 nm and receives at 1310 nm. The two wavelengths operate independently and don’t interfere with each other. This bidirectional traffic flow effectively converts a single fiber into a pair of “virtual fibers,” each driven independently at different wavelengths.

Although most implementations of WDM on single-strand fiber offer two channels, four-channel versions are just being introduced, and versions offering as many as 10 channels with Gigabit capacity are on the horizon.

WDM on single-strand fiber is most often used for point-to-point links on a long-distance network. It’s also used to increase network capacity or relieve network congestion. collapse

DDS (Digital Data Service) is an AT&T® service that transmits data digitally over dedicated leased lines. DDS lines use four wires, and support speeds up to 56 kbps; however, DDS... more/see it nowis actually a 64-kbps circuit with 8 kbps being used for signaling. You can also get 64-kbps (ClearChannel™) service. Since the transmission is digital, no modems are needed. Dedicated digital lines are ideal for point-to-point links in wide-area networks.

T1 is a dedicated transmission line operating at 1.544 Mbps. It’s comprised of 24 DSOs, each supporting speeds of 64 kbps. The user sends data at N x 56 or N x 64 over T1 circuits. T1 operates over twisted-pair cable and is suitable for voice, data, and image transmissions on long-distance networks. collapse

Type 1 Cable is made of solid wire, typically 22 AWG bare copper. It has braided shielding around each pair. It’s recommended for long runs in walls, conduits, etc.

Type 6... more/see it nowCable is typically made of 26 AWG stranded copper and has one shield around both pairs. It’s lighter and more flexible than Type 1 Cable and has a better “look.” It’s recommended for use in office environments. collapse

Media converters transparently convert the incoming electrical signal from one cable type and then transmit it over another type—thick coax to Thin, UTP to fiber, and so on. Traditionally, media... more/see it nowconverters were purely Layer 1 devices that only converted electrical signals and physical media and didn’t do anything to the data coming through the link.

Today’s media converters, however, are often more advanced Layer 2 Ethernet devices that, like traditional media converters, provide Layer 1 electrical and physical conversion. But, unlike traditional media converters, they also provide Layer 2 services and route Ethernet packets based on MAC address. These media converters are often called media converter switches, switching media converters, or Layer 2 media converters. They enable you to have multiple connections rather than just one simple in-and-out connection. And because they’re switches, they increase network efficiency.

Media converters are often used to connect newer 100-Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet, or ATM equipment to existing networks, which are generally 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T, or a mixture of both. They can also be used in pairs to insert a fiber segment into copper networks to increase cabling distances and enhance immunity to electromagnetic interference.

Rent an apartment…
Media converters are available in standalone models that convert between two different media types and in chassis-based models that house many media converters in a a single chassis.

Standalone models convert between two media. But, like a small apartment, they can be outgrown.

Consider your current and future applications before selecting a media converter. A good way to anticipate future network requirements is to choose media converters that work as standalone devices but can be rackmounted if needed later.

…or buy a house.
Chassis-based or modular media converter systems are normally rackmountable and have slots to house media converter modules. Like a well-planned house, the chassis gives you room to grow. These are used when many Ethernet segments of different media types need to be connected in a central location. Modules are available for the same conversions performed by the standalone converters, and they enable you to mix different media types such as 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 100BASE-FX, ATM, and Gigabit modules. Although enterprise-level chassis-based systems generally have modules that can only be used in a chassis, many midrange systems feature modules that can be used individually or in a chassis. collapse

When choosing a fiber driver, you should make a power budget, calculate the speed and distance of your cable run, and know the interface requirements of all your devices.

Many of... more/see it nowour fiber drivers are for single-mode fiber optic cable. Compared to multimode fiber, single-mode delivers up to 50 times more distance. And single-mode at full-duplex enables up to two times the data throughput of multimode fiber. collapse

Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitters UARTs are designed to convert sync data from a PC bus to an async format that external I/O devices such as printers or modems use. UARTs insert... more/see it nowor remove start bits, stop bits, and parity bits in the data stream as needed by the attached PC or peripheral. They can provide maximum throughput to your high-performance peripherals without slowing down your CPU.

In the early years of PCs and single-application operating systems, UARTs interfaced directly between the CPU bus and external RS-232 I/O devices. Early UARTs did not contain any type of buffer because PCs only performed one task at a time and both PCs and peripherals were slow.

With the advent of faster PCs, higher-speed modems, and multitasking operating systems, buffering (RAM or memory) was added so that UARTs could handle more data. The first buffered UART was the 16550 UART, which incorporates a 16-byte FIFO (First In First Out) buffer and can support sustained data-transfer rates up to 115.2 kbps.

The 16650 UART features a 32-byte FIFO and can handle sustained baud rates of 460.8 kbps. Burst data rates of up to 921.6 kbps have even been achieved in laboratory tests.

The 16750 UART has a 64-byte FIFO. It also features sustained baud rates of 460.8 kbps but delivers better performance because of its larger buffer.

Used in newer PCI cards, the 16850 UART has a 128-byte FIFO buffer for each port. It features sustained baud rates of 460.8 kbps.

The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI®) Bus enhances both speed and throughput. PCI Local Bus is a high-performance bus that provides a processor-independent data path between the CPU and high-speed peripherals. PCI is a robust interconnect interface designed specifically to accommodate multiple high-performance peripherals for graphics, full-motion video, SCSI, and LANs. collapse

Routers are intelligent, high-level devices that enable individual, unique, logical networks to communicate with each other while maintaining their own identities. A router forms the boundary between networks. It connects... more/see it nowlogically separate networks operating under the same transport protocol such as TCP/IP or SNA. Routers are protocol-dependent and must support the protocols being routed. Thanks to the Internet, these protocols have become fairly standardized.

Part of a router’s function is to choose a path over which to send packets. This path may involve multiple hops from the source device to a destination that can be across multiple physical networks—even on another continent. In an enterprise-wide WAN divided by routers, each network is managed separately and is assigned a unique network number (OSI Layer 3), usually an IP address.

A router learns the network number of each connected LAN and stores these numbers in a routing table. If a network changes, the router learns and stores the change automatically. The router uses these routing tables combined with a routing algorithm to decide the best way to route a packet. collapse

Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), pronounced “scuzzy,” has been the dominant technology used to connect computers and high-speed peripherals since the 1980s. SCSI technology is constantly evolving to accommodate increased... more/see it nowbandwidth needs. One of the more recent developments is Ultra2 SCSI.

Because Ultra2 SCSI is backward compatible, it works with all legacy equipment. Ultra2 doubles the possible bandwidth on the bus from 40 to 80 MBps! Just as importantly, Ultra2 supports distances up to 12 meters (39.3 ft.) for a multiple-device configuration. Ultra2 uses Low-voltage Differential (LVD) techniques to transfer data at faster rates with fewer errors. Don’t confuse Ultra2 with LVD. Ultra2 is a data-transfer method; LVD is the signaling technique used to transfer the data.

Cables are very important when designing or upgrading a system to take advantage of Ultra2 SCSI. Cables and connectors must be of high quality and they should come from a reputable manufacturer to prevent crosstalk and minimize signal radiation. BLACK BOX® Ultra2 LVD cables are constructed of the finest-quality components to provide your system with the maximum protection and highest possible data-transfer rates. collapse

This proprietary processing technology developed by Panasonic® eliminates backlighting problems commonly seen with security camera systems. It gives you clear images regardless of the lighting situation and a dynamic range... more/see it nowthat’s 64 times greater than that offered by conventional video cameras.
Super Dynamic II™ accomplishes this by using a double-speed, charge-coupled device (CCD). It takes two pictures in the time
it takes for a conventional CCD to capture one. The first Super Dynamic II picture is a long exposure (1⁄60th of a second) that captures a scene’s dark areas; the second is a short exposure (from 1⁄1000th to 1⁄4000th of a second) that captures the scene’s bright areas. Super Dynamic II then combines the best quality signals from the two images and outputs them as a Composite analog image.
The technology’s enhanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) circuitry corrects gradation to give you proper black level references so black areas within a scene appear black—not washed-out shades of gray. It also enables images with high contrast to be seen on the screen.
What’s more, Super Dynamic II technology provides exceptional sensitivity (0.8 lux using an F1.4 lens), enabling the camera to capture vivid details and color even in low-light applications. collapse

Code-operated and matrix switches from Black Box give you computer-controlled switching for a variety of applications.

Code-operated switches
BLACK BOX® Code-Operated Switches enable one device to control up to 64 connected devices,... more/see it nowdepending on the code-operated switch. For instance, you can use one modem—not eight—to control eight devices. Code-operated switches are ideal for applications that require remote switching for file sharing or monitoring. Use code-operated switches for:
• Remote programming. Call in via remote sites to access servers, logic controllers, or any devices that require programming.
• Diagnostics. From your master control room, you can probe servers and run diagnostics.

Matrix switches
Matrix switches enable more than one device to control other devices. Any port can connect to any port and perform more than one operation at a time independently. The code-operated switches talk to only one slave port at a time.

For instance, if your operation has four computers that need to share two printers and one modem, a matrix switch is what you need to handle the job. Use matrix switches for:
• Industrial applications. You can download instructions remotely to more than one programmable logic controller.
• Data sharing. PCs or industrial devices can be connected—locally or remotely—to other PCs and industrial devices or for file swapping. collapse