SatKrak 2008

Multimedia home at Satellite Fair in Cracow

It is the guideline of DIPOL exposition at SatKrak 2008 exhibition (October 16-18, Krakow, Poland). The idea for designing and implementing structural cabling combines all modern services needed by the residents of modern homes. The solutions are suitable both for one-family and multi-family houses.

The 7th edition of "Engagingly about antennas" has been adjudicated

Everyone could exercise imagination, and the results show that this activity, as usual, brought a lot of interesting compositions with antennas, the objects that does not seem to be so inspiring.
The entries often present antennas as bridges linking various worlds:

• technology - nature; industrial products often replace the natural rest places for birds: "We like it, will we fly away?" - Marek Niedoba,
• the present day - history; the antennas bridging the gap between old cultures and the most advanced technologies of the modern world: "Antenna in Mongolian grassland" - Piotr Szydlowski,
• deserted regions - research stations: "Global range" Grzegorz Kupis,
• poverty - consumption; antennas on falling apart homesteads - a symbol of the luxury for the poor: "Cairo" - Katarzyna Zwolska,
• peace of the nature - media noise; antennas found in backwoods: Evening cartoon, supper and bed - Paweł Skonieczny,
• sky - ground; "Morning news" - Weronika Zielinska, "Out of a window... - Mariusz Krason,
• isolation - a sense of community: "Loneliness in a big city"- Wojciech Pigla.

As every year, they were carefully watched by fine art photographer from Krakow, Mr. Pawel Zechenter, who awarded the first and second prizes. Another award has been granted by the DIPOL Technical Department.

Megapixel revolution in CCTV

Development of IP CCTV technology has been relatively slow to date. An important reason was that DVRs with network functions (sometimes more advanced than those of some IP cameras) supported by low-cost analog cameras were an attractive alternative to IP CCTV systems.

But the limit of analog CCTV (PAL, NTSC) is resolution of the images (PAL: 720 x 576). Such restrictions do not exist in the IP CCTV systems equipped with megapixel cameras.

An analysis of the advantages of megapixel cameras can be carried out assuming that the optimum monitoring requires approximately 130 pixels per one meter of the observed object. For a 50-meter wide scene, an analog system (720 pixels) would require to employ 9 cameras. In the case of a camera with 1.3 Mpix resolution (1280 x 1024), the number can be reduced to 5 such cameras, for a 2 Mpix camera - only 4 cameras will do the same job.

A smaller number of cameras has other advantages. First of all, it lowers the cost and time of installation and maintenance. It also lowers operational costs - it is easier to conduct surveillance with a smaller number of points.

Of course, there is another alternative for megapixel cameras - very popular speed dome/ PTZ cameras. With adequate lens, it is even possible to cover the area mentioned above with a single PTZ camera. However, such a solution has many drawbacks. First of all, the camera can be set only in one of two ways. The first one provides an overall view, without possibility of recognition of some important details, e.g. the license number of a car. The second way, using optical zoom, increases the capability of identifying details, but at the expense of losing the rest of the scene.

In addition, PTZ camera has to be controlled by the operator, who must decide what is interesting at the moment and focus on that area. In the case of fixed megapixel cameras, there is always available a complete picture, with all events recorded by the system. Due to a very high resolution of the cameras, the details can be viewed using digital zoom.

TERRA multiswitches are compatible with HD broadcasts

The most flexible multiswitch installations in multi-story buildings are based on 9-cable system (signals from two Quatro LNBs and terrestrial TV antenna). On each floor we employ the splitter providing signals to multiswitches. It allows to shape the network according to actual requirements - we may deploy practically unlimited number of outlets.

After getting some information from installers on improper cooperation of some multiswitches, coming from certain manufacturers, with digital platforms, we decided to thoroughly test this issue in the case of TERRA equipment.

The tests showed that MS-XXX, MSR-XXX, and MSV-XXX series are fully compatible with HD broadcasts.
Multiswitches from Terra operate properly both in the case of 8PSK modulation (e.g. TVN) and QPSK (e.g. Cyfrowy Polsat, Cyfra+). They are suitable for MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 compressions.

Terra multiswitches allow to build SMATV systems up to 250 outlets, using various topologies. The most flexible multiswitch installations in multi-story buildings are based on 9-cable system. It allows to shape the network according to actual requirements - one may deploy a suitable number of outlets.

Mesh - community networks of the future?

Mesh networks differ from other networks in architecture - the component parts can connect to a number of neighbor nodes. It allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by jumping from node to node until the destination is reached.
The main features of wireless mesh networks:

• dynamically arranged connections - routes of packets depend on the state and work load of individual nodes,
• due to switching between the nodes - the risk of disruption of data transmission is considerably lower than in the case of star-shape architecture,
• possibility of quicker transmission thanks to lack of a central node,
• easy expansion by adding new nodes,
• new nodes can be installed in any places where they can communicate with other nodes and power supply is available.

So far, there is no final standard for this kind of wireless networks, but the work is on track since 2003 (the proposals were submitted to a vote in 2005). The result is IEEE 802.11s - a draft IEEE 802.11 amendment for mesh networking. Lack of accepted standard is the reason that mass development of the networks is a matter of time. This kind of solution is often used for applications requiring good network coverage and high reliability, where wired systems are not available or feasible.

Halogen-free TRISET cables

Halogen-free TRISET cables The new cables from TRISET family - TRISET-113 HF E1019 and TRISET-11HF E1029 are manufactured using HF (halogen free) technology. When burning, they do not give off toxic gases.
This feature allows to use the cables in public buildings (hospitals, schools, theaters etc). In such buildings there have to be used safe cables which, in the case of fire, do not pose any additional risk for people. It is not permissible to use compounds of chlorine, fluorine, bromine, or iodine - the halogen compounds hazardous to health (carcinogenic) that would give off in high temperature.

Cables in PVC sheath (containing chlorine) and those based on polyethylene and polypropylene (admixture of bromine) are halogen cables. In the mentioned halogen-free cables there are used more expensive aluminum compounds instead.

The halogen-free TRISET cables belong to NC/LSOH group, i.e. they do not emit corrosive fumes (Non Corrosive), or much smoke (Low Smoke), or, of course, halogen compounds (O Halogen - Zero Halogen - sometimes marked as ZH).

The both cables comply with EN 50268-1, 2 - (low smoke) and EN 50267-2-2 (non-corrosive, halogen free).
TRISET family has been awarded at SatKrak 2007 (international satellite trade fair in Krakow). Due to low loss, high screening efficiency, and perfect matching, TRISET cables ensure high performance of multiswitch systems and large cable installations (MATV, cable TV).

TRISET HF cables comply with highest safety standards and feature outstanding technical parameters:

• high screening efficiency (A-class: above 100 dB),
• low loss (at 2150 MHz: TRISET-113HF - 27.7 dB, TRISET-11 HF - 21.0 dB).

ANGA Cable 2008

ANGA Cable 2008, May 27 - 29, Cologne, Germany. This year's trade fair was a success - more exhibitors and visitors, perfect order and excellent organization. There were present the "typical" companies like TELEVES, TERRA, ALCAD, Kathrein, but also the representatives of Web technology, e.g. Cisco.