Increased demand for 1080p HD video requires an innovation in fibre optic video transport tools contends Jim Jachetta, senior vice president of engineering and product development, MultiDyne

By Jim Jachetta,

Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product Development

With the pressure to deliver content in high definition, the world of video transport is dramatically changing. From a broadcast engineer picking out equipment that will save the most time and space in a studio, to a consumer watching a soccer game at home – everyone wants more out of video. Due to this demand, we are seeing the convergence of different video transport methods across industries. High resolution standards that were previously pigeon-holed as “broadcast-only” are now becoming more widely used in every install. We are dealing with a more educated client who is interested in 1080p HD video at home and at work. Manufacturers in this space need to speed up innovation and the range of the solutions they offer in order to give users added value when it comes to HD.

In the past, designers have made a choice early on in system configuration, catering to either a pro A/V, DVI standard as the main backbone to a solution, or a 3G SMPTE broadcast standard. Now, due to customer demand, we are developing tools that have fiber optic video transport capabilities over both standards depending on the application. One such offering, the DVI-6000, which we will be showcasing at IBC 2009, offers breakthroughs in DVI and RGB over a SMPTE compliant 3G data transport.

MultiDyne has been contracted to work on a major hospitality project in Las Vegas which exemplifies the demand for solutions that address both broadcast and pro A/V requirements. Within the 67 acre city-within-a-city campus, there are retail facilities, a condo hotel, casino resort and 300,000 square feet of technologically advanced meeting and convention space. The entire campus features a fiber optic video backbone capable of 1080p 3G HD-SDI transport. The facility is capable of broadcasting live events from any of the meeting rooms or theaters to a broadcast production truck outside, and the convention center features high-tech screens, projectors and digital signage that require a DVI signal. This multi-acre campus is a banner example of how innovations in fiber optic technology must and can be used across many different applications, formats and resolutions due to the new flexibility in fiber optic gear and optical routing switchers. The MultiDyne EOS-4000 switcher is another perfect example of this − as it switches in the light domain, it is able to effortlessly transition between 3G SMPTE and DVI, allowing the user to transport any signal they require.

Fiber optic video transport solutions only continue to be more reliable than competing options. We are actively breaking the constraints of video transport over copper, allowing customers to route and send video further over a single fiber. Fiber optic solutions also allow users to “future proof” their design, with bandwidth potential for innovation over 10G. When designing a complex system using copper, all cabling has to be perfect. If a user squeaked by using copper for 3G, they will be inoperable when the “next big thing” comes along.

It is important to note that MultiDyne’s path to innovation does not end with the advancements made for video transport using the DVI-6000. We are actively designing products that will take advantage of 6G technology, leading to 10G capability. The convergence of video transport demands over several markets also continues to drive us forward. For MultiDyne, the key to not only surviving but thriving in the economic downturn has been to diversify across the broadcast, pro A/V, military and government markets. Our DVI-6000, which can be used across all of these sectors, is in line with this strategy. As IBC is one of our most important shows every year – not only to reach the European market but to meet with U.S. customers, integrators and consultants as well – we’re excited to spend time with our customers, continuing to introduce them to our products which break boundaries when it comes to DVI and 3G HD-SDI video transport.

MultiDyne (Stand 2.A54)

About MultiDyne:

For more than 30 years, MultiDyne has been a leading provider of innovative and outstanding video and fiber optic-based transport and routing systems for the broadcast, cable, satellite, production, digital cinema, pro A/V, corporate, retail, surveillance, teleconferencing, judicial arraignment, transportation, government, military, and healthcare markets. MultiDyne’s fiber optic transport and routing systems for video, SDI, 3G HD, DVB/ASI, VGA, DVI, HDMI, audio, AES, Ethernet, data, CATV, as well as the company’s other broadcast accessories are used worldwide by such industry leaders as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, RAI, BBC and the Department of Transportation. MultiDyne provides a seven-year warranty on its core product line. For more information, call MultiDyne at 1-877-MULTIDYNE or 1-516-671-7278, visit the company’s Web site at www.multidyne.com, or send an e-mail to sales@multidyne.com.

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Frank Jachetta – Senior VP of Sales and Operations
MultiDyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems

Frank, can you first fill us in on your background?

I hold a Bachelors degree in computer science and started in the industry as a circuit board designer and firmware developer. I have transitioned into a sales and operations position, but still enjoy being involved in product development.

What is the history of MultiDyne?

My father Vincent started MultiDyne in 1977 by building the first portable colour bar generator. MultiDyne then went on to create the first hand held signal generator. Our signal distribution background started with long-haul, cable equalizing DAs and has now evolved into a full line of fibre optic transport products.

What are the main product lines of MultiDyne?

MultiDyne comes from a broadcast background, but as convergence becomes a reality, many of our products carry over or focus on pro-AV, high end surveillance, intelligent traffic systems, military, government and simulation.

Our focus is high quality, point to point fibre optic transport. We can transport virtually any signal over fibre optic cable including composite, component and HDSDI video, high resolution graphics such as DVI dual link and RGB, AES and analogue audio, and much more.  Another product line is the field rugged, fibre optic transport working in conjunction with our tactical cable assemblies. In fact, the LiGHTBoX 1150 won two awards at IBC in 2008.

Which applications represent the current “sweet spot”?

I would have to say the optical router (EOS-4000) in conjunction with the DVI/RGB Fibre Link (DVI-6000).   When these two are installed in concert, it is no longer just a point to point device, we can distribute from one point to many points, such as multiple screens with the same content. Or, with a touch of the remote control, different images can be displayed on each of those same screens. DVI, DVI-DL, NTSC, PAL, RGB or YPbPr can be transported over the same link, so regardless of the source and destination signal requirements, one device can carry any of these signals. Audio also comes along for the ride and soon, USB!

Fibre optics is clearly a main component, how has this evolved in recent years?

With the advent of HDSDI and its tremendous proliferation, fibre has moved from being a luxury to becoming a necessity. Depending on cable types, HDSDI can only travel a few hundred feet over copper. This removes the option of copper from even a large room, not to mention a building, campus or metro area.

Does fibre compete favourably with copper?

Until it became a necessity, copper was more favourable due to fibre’s higher cost and fibre frailty. Fibre also had a stigma of being too difficult to terminate. However, with the increasing cost of copper, rugged tactical fibre and field termination kits, fibre has become more favourable than copper. In fact I was onsite for a railroad installation, standing in a tent on a windy winter day while the technician there terminated ST connectors onto fibre in a matter of seconds!

What future do you see for 3G transport?

Of course one day 3G will go the way of the VCR and vinyl records, but for now, the future of 3G transport is bright. The higher resolution 3G or 1080p HDTV is supported by many consumer displays and has proliferated into broadcast productions. 3G can be used to transport dual link HDSDI by multiplexing two 1.5G HDSDI streams into one 3G stream for digital cinema.  3G or HDTV 1080P is also used in sports and television productions. The 3G HD signal format is often used as the transport format of choice. Various types of signals are converted to and from the 3G format. This holds true for our DVI/RGB fibre link which converts DVI to 3G for transport or cross conversion. This way the 3G can pass through other 3G devices and routers easily, before it is converted back to DVI or simply left in its new 3G form.

How has the current business climate affected you?

I feel as an industry, even outside of fibre, we are all very blessed by the explosive growth of high resolution video content and the need to distribute it. With the mandates of changing over to HD, all the new video services that consumers have available and are willing to purchase and the proliferation of multimedia into all aspects of life, I am cautiously optimistic that our industry will not just weather these difficult times, but thrive.

Would you like to make a few predictions about the future of the media industry once the financial crisis is behind us?

Although the word convergence has become a cliché, I feel this is our future. When a single broadband conduit is brought to the home it will not just bring voice data and video, but will bring on demand services of very specialized content as easily as accessing a web site. When you can access various HD camera views at will, while watching baseball; when you can shop interactively, or take a real-time virtual walk through the summerhouse you are about to rent 3000 miles away, this is the future.

Current on demand and fibre to the home are a glimpse of what’s to come, but as the economy improves and the infrastructure is expanded, these services will quickly become reality. Of course, the broadband conduit to the home will be fibre.

Edition 71

2nd quarter 2009

Applications, News, User Report 1080p, 1080p over fiber, 3G HD Fiber Link, 3G SMPTE, convert DVI to 3G SMPTE, DVI converter, dvi fiber optic link, DVI fiber optic routing switcher, DVI fiber optics extender, DVI for video wall, dvi optical link, dvi over fiber, DVI-6000, DVI6000, EOS-4000, fiber optic routing switcher, HDMI fiber optic link, hdmi over fiber, LiGHTBoX fiber, LiGHTBoX fiber for HD camera, LiGHTBoX fiber link for HD camera, RGB fiber optic extender, RGB optical routing switcher, rgb over fiber

Locust Valley, NY – MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems, a leading provider of fiber optic equipment for the transport of video and audio for broadcast & pro A/V applications, announced today receipt of an order for a large quantity of the industry leading 3G HD-SDI fiber optic transport units, plus a number of its EOS fiber optic switchers. The initial orders exceed $1 million for products enabling conversion of 3Gb video signals to an optical mode for transport over single mode fiber.

MultiDyne developed the HD-3000 Multi-rate 3G HD-SDI fiber optic transport product in anticipation of state of the art customers requiring 1080p resolution, and a future proof video position. MultiDyne received the orders through two well known System Integrators for application in one the world’s most renowned hotel and casino establishments.

“We are thrilled to have received this contract award for leading edge technology in such a prestigious and visible application,” said Bob McAlpine, vice president of global sales and business development. “Our HD-3000 fiber transport products are evolutionary, ideally suited to handle this major 3Gb requirement. In addition, the EOS-4000 Series fiber optic switcher provides MSA compliance and pathological performance for 3Gb video signals,” added Jim Jachetta, Senior Vice President of Engineering & Product Development for MultiDyne.

About MultiDyne:
MultiDyne provides fiber optic transport systems for video, audio, SDI, HD-SDI, 3G HD-SDI, AES, Ethernet, data, PTZ, RGB/VGA, DVI, HDMI, and CATV; optical multiplexing, CWDM; automatic protection switching; loss detectors with automatic switchover; test signal and character ID generators; video, audio and digital distribution amplifiers; cable equalizers; automatic gain AGCs; electrical and fiber optic routing switchers; tactical cable assemblies; XLR adapter panels as well as other television accessories. MultiDyne has been serving the broadcast, cable, satellite, production, digital cinema, pro AV, corporate, retail, surveillance, teleconferencing, judicial arraignment, transportation, government and healthcare sectors for over 30 years. For more information, call MultiDyne at 1-800-488-8378 or 1-516-671-7278, visit our Web site at www.multidyne.com, or send an email to sales@multidyne.com.

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All products mentioned herein are trademarked property of their respective owners.

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MultiDyne Partners with openGear with HD3500 3G HD-SDI 1080p fiber optic link

 

Locust Valley, NY – MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems, a leading provider of fiber optic equipment for the transport of video and audio for broadcast & pro A/V applications, announced today their partnership with Ross Video and participation in the openGear terminal equipment platform group.

MultiDyne has developed the HD-3500 Multi-rate 3G HD-SDI fiber optic transceiver circuit card for its first product offering in the openGear platform.  “We are excited to be a part of this consortium of vendors,” said Jim Jachetta, SVP of Engineering for MultiDyne.  “The diversity of solutions for openGear provides the customer with the best of all worlds in a very dense and well controlled frame.

 

About MultiDyne:
MultiDyne provides fiber optic

About openGear:

All products mentioned herein are trademarked property of their respective owners.

 

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MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems announced today that the MultiDyne HD-1500 was selected by Applied Electronics Ltd (AEL) and The National Hockey League (NHL) for the High Definition Goal Video Replay System.  The system was designed and installed by AEL.  Frank Jachetta of MultiDyne worked closely with Eugene McEleney of AEL and Jim Wilkes of the NHL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applications, User Report 3G HD Fiber Link, Goal, hd, HD Cameras, HD fiber extender, HD fiber link, HD fiber optic link, HD over fiber, HD-1500, hd-sdi, HD-SDI Fiber Optic Link, HD1500, High Definition Goal Video Replay System, Hockey, multidyne, national hockey league, NHL, NHL HD-SDI