PESA has announced a new concept in fiber optic backplane design that uses MiniCube™ Miniature Form Pluggable (MFP) transmitter technology from Advanced Fiber Products, LLC. Introduced as the world’s first 3G-SDI MFP fiber routing switcher, the MFP option backplane for PESA’s Jaguar 3 64x64 series will be on display at the 2012 NAB Show (Booth SL9615), which runs through April 19 in Las Vegas, Nev.
MFP technology establishes a new approach to LC-type fiber connectivity. Traditional Small Form Pluggable (SFP) modules use right-angle card cages that take up valuable board space during the design process. With MFP modules, both vertical and right-angle pluggable cages are available, resulting in a 50 percent smaller footprint. With vertical mount cages, hot pluggable fiber connections can be loaded in the same backplane space as a standard BNC port, which simplifies product packaging and increases product performance.
Offering up to 64x64 high-speed fiber optic ports, PESA’s Jaguar 3 is the first routing switcher to incorporate MFP technology. With its unique backplane design, the Jaguar 3 can offer fiber and coax connections in the same chassis. Two shared backplanes allow I/O ports in groups of 32.
“Our MFP video transceiver works with existing infrastructures, but it uses about half the space and up to 40 percent less power than traditional video optical transceivers,” explained Mark Benton, general manager, Advanced Fiber Products. “As a result, it helps to create a very dense backplane offering pluggable modules, such as what you can find on the Jaguar 3. PESA has shown a lot of interest in this technology, and we appreciate working with them on this first MiniCube video router application.”
The Jaguar 3 can route all SMPTE and ITU standard serial digital video signals, and it supports embedded audio and other ancillary data for SDI, HD-SDI, and DVB/ASI broadcast sources. For digital cinema, the Jaguar can be configured to support SMPTE S372 for dual-link HD-SDI. With the MFP optional fiber backplane, HD signals can be transmitted up to 10Km.
Although the 2 RU Jaguar 3 is small in size, data rates from 50 Mbps up to 3 Gbps are supported. All inputs are auto-equalized, while outputs are auto-sensed and re-clocked to the appropriate transport stream. For non-standard formats, re-clockers can be bypassed to allow any data rate up to 3 Gbps. Two independent reference inputs allow selection of sync using either black burst or tri-level sync source. The compact frame design features front load, hot-swappable card sets and includes slots for optional redundant power supply/control modules. The routing switcher frame can be configured to support a variety of control interfaces, including Ethernet, RS-232, or PESA’s PERC2000 control system.
The Jaguar 3 includes PESA’s CATTRAX software, which provides a simple interface for diagnostics, setup, and switching. With CATTRAX, multiple users can operate the Jaguar control system from anywhere on the network. For pushbutton control, the Jaguar offers three styles of local or remote panels.
“Advanced Fiber Products has pioneered the next-generation fiber solution for flexible switching systems,” said Dan Holland, PESA vice president of product marketing. “The new MFP concept capitalizes on a miniature form factor technology that allows PESA to deliver the best possible video performance for fiber optic routing. As a result, long distance routing for high-end, high-speed video distribution is available in a more compact solution for military, government, production facilities, and sporting venues.”
