Teleste CFO460 four channel video link provides low cost video transmission

CCTV and fibre optics – they are still dating

Today a CCTV system does not necessarily need to be full IP yet. Much depends on the application, the scale of the video system or that the requirement is rather looking at a point-to-point transmission than spreading the signal into LAN or WAN network. The most critical specification requirement is naturally latency. For the vast number of analogue based CCTV cameras with composite video output still in use today, it is evident that the most efficient, maintenance- and trouble-free way of transmission is a basic fibre optic system. The same method is valid for HD video for which the transmitted content is a high bandwidth HD-SDI signal.

The answer for deployments with high value on network safety and robustness against intrusion is a hybrid network solution. The so-called First Mile path from the CCTV camera to the nearest network node locating within “safe premises” can be carried out with a fibre optic link transmitting the signals in a secured and safe manner over a specific telecoms cabling or any dark fibre available. Such systems also have good scalability as there are available fibre modems that can multiplex and transmit various services simultaneously (video, audio, data, contact closure etc.). Multiplexing is also possible on the optical layer meaning that several modems can share the same fibre media. With very specific modems and passive backbone components the cabling topology can even be expanded from the typical point-to-point arrangement to support add-and-drop or redundant ring type operation – still only one fibre core is needed. The technology in these systems is based on standard CWDM lasers operating on different wavelengths.

Should the application look at real time SD video operation the answer is modern fibre optic transmission. If the IP/Ethernet operation on the outer rim of the system is in control and approved, a modern fibre optic transmission system is an excellent choice for future system migration plans towards IP video. A specific fibre optic modem can support both analogue and digital IP cameras fluently by having the necessary interfaces to both worlds. Typically this is enabled by introducing a Fast Ethernet 10/100Base-TX interface available next to other interfaces reserved to analogue operation.

In Teleste’s CFO fibre optic products, there is an implemented Ethernet support on the fibre modems that can be utilised for any type of IP based communication whether it´s video, LAN, industrial or VoIP related. The performance supports 100 Mbps operation in a Bridge Mode. Lately the CFO series fibre modems have also been harnessed with versatile SFP optical transceivers. In practise this means installation- and service-friendly approach by having a single modem model that can be equipped with the most suitable SFP transceiver depending e.g. on the cabling and distance requirement.

For more information about fibre optic video please visit www.teleste.com/video-surveillance/cfo.