For several years, the standard cable used for home theater systems and computer networking with copper wire continues to be CAT5 wiring. It is now dealing with the purpose of being considered old-fashioned, with a brand new standard emerging of CAT6. Where on earth does that leave CAT7? Basically, it is as leading edge as you can get within the field. From old to new, CAT5 to CAT7. What are the differences and similarities? Let’s take a closer look.

If you’re establishing a home theater system, CAT7 and CAT5 wiring will offer similar benefits. There are obviously a few differences, however–something to be expected because of the newness of CAT7. Either of these two, however, will work for the one who wants good quality sound.

In lots of homes throughout the nation, the old-fashioned TV room continues to be substituted with the house theater. The TV and audio system are set up so the family can have maximum enjoyment from their movies, sports, and favorite Television shows. To properly install your home theater system, you need to understand what it is set up–which means you need to know how to have it correctly wired.

There are a few possibilities for you for wiring you home entertainment system. Because we’re concerned with CAT 5 and CAT7 here, we’ll only discuss those which involve those cables. The benefits for either of these is that they’ll offer optimum system performance, plus you can keep your video source at a long way out of your television, monitor or other output device.

You can use your CAT5 and CAT7 wiring with three types of distribution systems: Ip address (or IP, distributed via a USB port), Rf and Analog. You can use CAT5 and CAT7 coax cables for any of those distribution systems. For the purposes, the real difference between CAT5 and 7 may be the distance that you could run the cable but still achieve optimum results. You can run CAT5 coax cables up to 100 meters from the output device; you are able to run CAT7 as much as 1000 meters away.

Both CAT5 and CAT7 may be used to deliver video for cable TV (sometimes with a CATV amplifier), Internet data and telephone. Many of these are distributed through similar cabinets. CAT5 and CAT7 delivers video for example CATV , telephone, and data. All these is shipped via similar cabinets. There are many advantages for using CAT5 or 7. Price is one of the main ones; the video for either of these standards is affordable and price efficient. That is because the cable eliminates your need for purchasing extra coax cables. It is also simpler to configure the video than it could be should you have had several splitter amplifiers and taps and coaxial combiners. The body will maintain a superior signal quality, because video distribution via CAT5 or CAT7 utilizes active RF video hubs.

When you are deciding how to wire your home video system, just make sure you have carried out your homework in advance, to make sure you are earning the very best choices. You might decide to go with CAT5 wiring or with CAT7. Indeed, you may decide to go with some combination of these two. But regardless, make sure you pick what matches with your needs as well as your budget. There are many web sites to find the information you need to determine what’s going to best help you create the ultimate home entertainment experience.

Fiberstore is experienced on fiber optic and copper networks. We offer and install copper cabling solutions including copper cables, network cables, ethernet cables across the entire performance range. You can purchase these best ethernet cables on our store with your confidence. Learn more about fiber optic products on www.FiberStore.com.

The use of fiber optic systems is expanding at a amazing rate. Only in the past Ten years, fiber optic communications systems have replaced just about all coaxial and twisted pair cables particularly in network backbones. This is also true in almost any long distance communication links.

This can be explained simply. Optical fiber cable is easier to set up, lighter than traditional copper cable, and much smaller than its electronic counterpart. The most crucial factor is it has much more bandwidth. Because fiber optic cables are lighter, they are simpler to survive existing ducts and cable raceways. There are other big benefits of fiber optic cables including their immunity to electromagnetic interference, longer repeater distances, lower power requirements, and better flexibility.

All the above pros make fiber optic cables very attractive and most important of all, very economical. The unstoppable trend for fiber optic applications would be the change from the long haul (long distance) to our desk, our house, and our office. The terms include FTTC ( fiber towards the curb), FTTD (fiber towards the desk), FTTH (fiber towards the home) and FTTB( fiber to the building). Fiber optic cables enable our imagine integrating all our phone, Internet and TV services. Fiber’s wide bandwidth makes this possible. It offers more than enough ability to meet all our voice, data and video requirements.

The transformation from copper to fiber is greatly accelerated through the invention of optical fiber amplifier. Optical fiber amplifiers enable optical signal transmission over very long distances without the expensive procedure for conversion to electronic signals, electronic amplification and the conversion to optical signal again as in traditional regenerators.

Today most of the network traffic switching continue to be done by electronic switches such as those from Cisco. But tremendous interest and effort of utilizing all-optical devices for those network switching are accumulating in the industry. The most important sign of all-optical switching lies in its almost unlimited transmission capacity. However, it is still within the prototype stage for controlling light with light, so optical swith circuits continue to be controlled by electronic circuits now. The switching matrix may be optical circuits but the control are still done by electronic circuits.

Optical fiber is nearly the perfect medium for signal transmission available today and in the foreseeable future. The excellent sign of optical fiber is its immunity to electromagnetic interference. Optical circuits can be crossed inside a common space without cross interference among them. But you will find problems which are impeding the rate of all-optical system development. The most obvious and basic reason may be the compatibility requirements with legacy fiber optic systems.

Another huge advantage of optical fiber is based on the opportunity to multiplex its capacity via WDM (wavelength division multiplexer). WDM modulates each of several data streams right into a different part of the light spectrum. WDM is the optical equivalent of FDM (frequency division multiplexer). The use of WDM can increase the capacity of merely one channel fiber optic communication system by countless times.

In additional to optical communication systems, fiber optic technology is also widely used in medicine, illumination, sensing, endoscopy, industry control and more.

The most of today’s telecommunication systems is run on a fiber optic network. This has been largely due to the fact that such networks are perfect for transferring information. The development in fiber optics continues to enhance considerably during the last decade, providing more and more benefits to their users.

It does not take a specialist scientist to know just how the process works. An optical fiber can be used to transmit a pulse of light in one spot to another. An electromagnetic carrier wave will be modulated in order to use the light to transfer the data. A transmitter is thus required to create the signal before is distributed across the said cable. It is important to observe that such networks also counteract any distortions to the signal, which would result in interference. When the signal is received at the other end, it’s converted into an electric signal.

Is transmission of data an issue for you together with your old networking technology? Your company should then consider installing a fiber optic network! Light is passed in the form of light pulses with an optical glass fiber. This beats the traditional way of transmitting information with the help of copper wires, because this approach to using optical fiber is quicker and is therefore a more sensible choice.

All this adds to the price of optical fiber being relatively high. Fiber optic networks are mainly suited in situations where information is transmitted to longer distances. Including several telephone companies too. These fiber optic networks can carry higher levels of data in a nutshell distances too.

The rapid growth and development of the internet in recent years has taken about the requirement for new methods to transfer information. Naturally, the faster this process is performed, the better for everyone. However, the amount of virtual traffic making the rounds the world has also been steadily increasing, so these kinds of networks have become indispensable in transferring data wisely.

Telephone companies have played the most significant part within the increasing reliance on fiber optics. Actually, numerous telecommunication companies realised the future is determined by such cables and optical solutions rather than the old copper wires of that time. The possibility of monopolizing the market drove these companies to take a position a lot in fiber optics.

Not only the larger companies use fiber optics but also the smaller business firms and personnel. Instead of using wireless networks this fiber optic technology can be easily be implemented in the home based computer networks too. These optical fibers are generally made from plastic. Anybody who wants a faster connection may use Ethernet technology at home or in the working environment Due to the low power LED bulbs been used, the constant maintenance cost of fiber optic networks are comparatively low.

In the educational sphere, fiber optic networks are also an instantaneous success. One must understand that nowadays education has become increasingly reliant on technology, so computers are playing a chief role in schools. Universities all around the world employ such networks to transfer educational matter between students and lecturers, in addition to between the students themselves.

There isn’t any doubt that these kinds of networks continues to shape the long run in regards to the change in information. More and more governments, companies and educational institutions are purchasing fiber optic infrastructure as it is clear that right now there isn’t any better alternative in the field.

However, fiber optic networks haven’t been implemented up to now in lots of parts of the country. Another major factor for that less using fiber optics is the labour charges involved with installation. The glass fiber is more sensitive than copper wires, which means that more care needs to be taken in installing and maintaining a fiber optic network. For this reason you will find several layers since the glass fiber in fiber optics.

About the author:

Fiberstore is experienced on fiber optic network products. Learn a little more about Cisco SFP and wire stripper on www.FiberStore.com.

There are mainly six common materials in fiber optic cable construction. Before you buy fiber optic cable, you should think about this. Here are the fiber optic cable materials with the introduction of their features and applications.

1. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

Features:

1) Good resistance to environmental effects. Some formulations are rated for -55 to +55.

2) Good flame retardant properties. Can be used for both outdoor and indoor fiber optic cables.

3) PVC is less flexible than PE (Polyethylene) .

2. PE (Polyethylene)

Features:

1) Popular cable jacket material for outdoor fiber cables

2) Very good moisture and weather resistance properties

3) Very good insulator

4) Can be very stiff in colder temperatures

5) If treated with proper chemicals, PE can be flame retardant.

3. Fluoropolymers

Features:

1) Good flame-resistance properties

2) Low smoke properties

3) Good flexibility

4) Most often used for indoor fiber cables

4. Kevlar (Aramid Yarn)

Aramid yarn is the yellow fiber type material found inside cable jacket surrounding the fibers. It can also be used as central strength members.

Features:

1) Aramid yarn is very strong and is used in bundle to protect the fibers.

2) Kevlar is a brand of aramid yarn. Kevlar is often used as the central strength member on fiber cables which must withstand high pulling tension during installation.

3) When Kevlar is placed surrounding the entire cable interior, it provides additional protection for the fibers from the environment.

5. Steel Armor

Steel armor jacket is often used on direct burial outdoor cables and it provides excellent crush resistance and is truly rodent-proof. Since steel is a conductor, steel armored cables have to be properly grounded and loss fiber optic cable’s dielectric advantage.

Applications:

1) Outdoor direct burial cables

2) Fiber cables used for industrial environment where cables are installed without conduits or cable tray protection

Features:

1) Provides excellent crush resistance for outdoor direct burial cables

2) Protects cables from rodent biting

3) Decreases water ingress into the fiber which prolongs the fiber cable’s life expectancy

6. Central Strength Member

For large fiber count cables, a central strength member is often used. The central strength member provides strength and support to the cable. During fiber optic cable installation, pulling eyes should always be attached to the central strength member and never to the fibers. On fiber splice enclosure and patch panel installations, the cable central strength member should be attached to the strength member anchor on the enclosure or patch panel.

About the author:

Fiberstore is an expert on fiber optic technologies and products. Learn even more about plastic optical fiber and fiber optic pigtail on www.FiberStore.com.

In fiber optic networks, optical active devices are key components. It can convert electrical signals and optical signals to each other, the optical transmission system of the heart. Optical active devices are divided into the following three categories.

A. Light Source

The device that converts electrical signal into optical signal is called light source. The main light sources are light emitting diodes (LED) and laser diodes (LD).

B. Optical Detector

The device that converts optical signal into electrical signal is called optical detector. The main optical detectors are photodiode and avalanche photodiode.

The optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber reaches the receiving end, the receiving end has a light receiving element signal. But since we know of light has not yet reached the level of awareness of the electricity, so we can not direct the optical signal obtained by reducing the original signal. Between them, there are still one of the optical signals into electrical signals, and then by the electronic circuit to amplify the process, and finally restore the original signal. The reception switching element is called the light detector, or photodetector, short detector, also known as photo-detector or a photodiode. Common optical detector comprising PN photodiodes, PIN photodiodes and avalanche photodiodes (APD). Optical fiber communication systems require optical detector to be high sensitivity, fast response, low noise, stable and reliable.

C. Optical Amplifier

Optical fiber amplifier has become active devices rookie. Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) has currently a large number of applications , while optical fiber Raman amplifier (FRA) is very promising.

Fiber amplifiers can not only amplify the optical signal directly, but also have real-time, high gain, broadband, online, low-noise, low-loss optical zoom function. They are essential key components in the new generation of fiber optic communication systems.

Since this technology not only solved the attenuation of optical network transmission speed and distance limitations, more importantly, it created a 1550nm band WDM, which can enable ultra high-speed, large-capacity, ultra-long haul wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), optical transmission, optical soliton transmission becomes a reality. It is epoch-making milestone in the history of optical fiber optic communication development.

In practical optical fiber amplifiers, there are mainly EDFA, semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and FRA, of which the EDFA amplifier with its superior performance is now widely used in long-distance , large capacity, high-speed optical fiber communication systems, access networks, optical fiber CATV networks, military systems in areas such as power amplifiers, repeater amplifiers and preamplifiers. Optical Fiber Amplifier is generally constituted of the gain medium optical fiber amplifier, the pump light input-output coupling structure.

Source: FiberStore

Optical passive devices is an important part of the communication device, but also the other optical components indispensable application areas. There are mainly four categories of Optical Passive.

(A) Active Fiber Optic Cable Connector

Fiber optic cable connector is connected to two active optical fiber to form a continuous optical path and can be repeated assembly and disassembly of passive components; also has the fiber optic cable with active devices, fiber optic cable and other passive components, fiber optic cables and systems and instrumentation carry out activities connections. Active connector along with the development of optical communication development, has now formed a complete range, a wide variety of systems products, fiber applications are indispensable, the most widely used component of the foundation.

Their function can be divided into the following sections: Connector plugs, fiber jumpers, converters, inverters, etc. These components may be used alone as the device, a component can be used together. In fact, an active connector is used to refer two connector plug plus a converter.

(B) Optical Attenuator

Optical attenuator is a certain amount of optical power can attenuation device. Optical attenuator can be broadly divided into fixed and variable types. Fixed attenuator and variable attenuator of the main indicators of its attenuation accuracy, precision, and stability or repeatability, as well as applicable wavelength region.

A fixed optical attenuator fixed amount of attenuation of the optical path of the light energy is mainly used for its excellent temperature characteristics. Debugging the system, commonly used in analog optical signals through a fiber attenuation and the corresponding relay station or decrease in the optical power of the room to prevent the optical receiver saturation; also be calibrated for an optical measuring instrument calibration.

For different line interface, you can use different fixed attenuator; if the interface is a pigtail type available pigtail type optical attenuator welded to the optical path between the two sections of fiber; If you are debugging the system connector interface converter or inverter-type fixed attenuator. In practical applications often require attenuation amount of the optical attenuator can be changed with the user needs. Therefore, the variable attenuator wider range of applications. For example, EDFA, CATV optical system design margin of the actual system is not exactly the same, the optical power margin of the system BER assessment, to prevent the receiver is saturated, it must be inserted in the system variable optical attenuator, another , fiber optics (such as a power meter or OTDR) measurement, calibration will also use the variable attenuator. From the perspective of market demand, on the one hand, the optical attenuator development toward miniaturization, serialization, low price direction. On the other hand, due to the common type optical attenuator, optical attenuator is development direction toward high-performance, intelligent optical attenuator, high return loss optical attenuator.

(C) Optical Switch

Optical switch is an optical path control device, the optical path switching plays a role in the optical fiber transmission network and a variety of optical switching systems, computer control can be achieved spectral exchange, to achieve between the terminals, between the center terminal and the distribution of information and exchange intelligence; in the ordinary optical transmission system, an optical path for the active and standby switching can be used in optical fiber, optical devices and optical fiber sensor network test, the optical fiber transmission systems, measuring instruments or the sensing system is stable and reliable easy to use.

CATV optical network in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of cable systems, should be equipped with a backup optical transmitter, an optical transmitter is working when a failure, the use of optical switch can be in a very short time (less than 1ms) to Backup optical transmitter access system to ensure it is working properly.

According to its operating principle, the optical switch can be divided into mechanical and non-mechanical two categories. Mechanical optical switch optical fiber or optical components by moving the optical path changes, currently on the market are generally mechanical optical switch, the advantage of low insertion loss, typically less than 1.5dB; high isolation, typically greater than 45dB, and without polarization wavelength effects. Non-mechanical optical switch is to rely on electro-optic effect, magneto-optical effect, sound and light effects and thermo-optic effect to change the refractive index of the waveguide, the optical path is changed, which is a new technology, the advantages of this type of switch: switch time is short, Small size, easy integration of optical or electro-optical integration; deficiencies are large insertion loss, isolation is low.

(D) WDM Multiplexer and Demultiplexer

Optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology in an optical fiber multiple wavelengths of light simultaneously transmitted carrier signal, and each optical carrier by FDM or TDM mode, each carrying multiple analog or digital signals. The basic principle is the sending side optical signals of different wavelengths are combined (multiplexed), and is coupled to the same fiber optical cable for transmission, the receiving end turn these combined signals at different wavelengths separated ( demultiplexing), and further processed to recover the original signal into a different terminal. Therefore, this technology called optical wavelength division multiplexing, short wavelength division multiplexing technologies.

Source: FiberStore

Optical attenuator is a very important fiber optic passive components. It’s an indispensable device for fiber CATV. So far the market has formed four series that are fixed-step, variable, continuously variable and intelligent optical attenuator.

Types of Optical Attenuators

A. Displacement Optical Attenuator

As we all know, when the two sections of optical fiber connection, must meet a really high accuracy, in order to make the optical signal a smaller loss transmission previously. Conversely, when the fiber to help make the appropriate alterations in the precision, you can control the amount of attenuation. Displacement-type optical attenuator is based on this principle, the intention of the fiber within the butt, the appearance of certain dislocation. The sunshine energy loss, in order to achieve the purpose of a controlled amount of attenuation, the displacement-type optical attenuator is divided into two types: the lateral displacement type optical attenuator, the axial displacement of the optical attenuator. The lateral displacement from the optical attenuator is a classical method, due to the magnitude from the lateral displacement parameters in the micron level, so generally do not have to produce a variable attenuator is used only for producing fixed attenuator, and the use of welding or stick connection, there is still a sizable market, the benefit of high return loss, generally more than 60 dB. Axial displacement type optical attenuator by mechanical means as long as the process design of two optical fibers a certain distance with the objective, is possible attenuation. This principle is mainly employed for producing fixed optical attenuator and some small variable optical attenuator.

B. Thin-film Optical Attenuator

This attenuator is created while using principle of sunshine in the reflected light concentration of the top of metal thin film film thickness. When the thickness from the metal thin film deposited around the glass substrate is bound, made of a set optical attenuator. Different attenuation can be obtained if inside a different thickness of a disk-shaped metallic thin wax glass substrate, metallic thin film, so that inserted within the optical road to different thicknesses so that you can alter the intensity of the reflected light within the optical fiber inserted obliquely deposited Cover made of the variable attenuator.

C. Attenuation-sheet Optical Attenuator

Attenuation the chip type optical attenuator directly fixed attenuator through an absorption characteristic in the end surface of the optical fiber or even the optical path to attain the reason for the attenuation from the optical signal, this process can not simply be used to produce a fixed optical attenuator can also be used to produce the variable optical attenuator.

Applications of Optical attenuators

A set optical attenuator fixed amount of attenuation of the optical road to the sunshine energy is principally used for its excellent temperature characteristics. Within the commissioning from the system, widely used in analog optical signal through the corresponding period of optical fiber attenuation or reduce the margin from the optical power the relay station may also be used to prevent saturation from the optical receiver; optical test instrument calibration scaling. For different line interface, you can use different fixed attenuator; if the interface is really a pigtail type available pigtail type optical attenuator welded towards the optical path between the two sections of fiber; If you are debugging the machine connector interface converter or inverter-type fixed attenuator.

In practical applications often require attenuation quantity of the optical attenuator could be changed using the user needs. Therefore, a wider range of applying the variable attenuator. For instance, EDFA, CATV optical system design margin of the particular product is not quite the same, the optical power margin of the system BER assessment, to prevent the receiver is saturated, it should be inserted within the system variable optical attenuator, another , fiber optics (such as a power meter or OTDR) measurement, calibration will also make use of the variable attenuator. From the perspective of market demand, on the one hand, the optical attenuator development toward miniaturization, serialization, low price direction. However, due to the common type optical attenuator, optical attenuator is development direction toward high-performance, intelligent optical attenuator, high return loss optical attenuator.

Source: FiberStore