Marketplace

Surge Protector Cable Innovations ’ subscriber premises power line surge protector, the PSB 5+3, has eight surge protected outlets handling up 1,680 joules. Three outlets are extra wide to allow for power cubes. Each outlet has a sliding child safety cover and a 15 amp overload resetable circuit breaker. Each unit is resold to the subscriber for protection of computer, television and other electronics. Cable Innovations is offering a $5 installer incentive plan for each PSB 5+3 installed. The installer fills out a card that is in each box and returns it to Cable Innovations. The company then sends a check. (Cable Innovations, www.cableinnovations.com, 800-952-5146) Power Supply CableServ has introduced the CableServ -48 Volt Power Supply for the Scientific-Atlanta Prisma I Optical Platform. The new power supply offers same form factor as the original. CableServ’s solution can be installed in S-A’s 6470 and 6470-R2 chassis and can be used as either a primary or backup power source. It is also equipped with hot-swap capability, allowing the system to run completely uninterrupted in case a failed unit needs to be replaced. (CableServ, www.cableserv.com) VoIP Meter Upgrades Acterna has added VoIP-related features to its Digital Services Activation Meter (DSAM) in version 2.3. The meter contains an EMTA and lets operators place and listen to a live, PacketCable -based VoIP call at the premises. In addition, the DSAM now verifies end-to-end call quality and measures MOS, packet loss, jitter and delay, along with critical RF parameters. The DSAM version v2.3 features: Ë A user interface three times faster than prior versions Ë MOS (mean opinion score) results Ë Ingress Resistance Test Ë Frequency Domain Reflectometry Ë Throughput testing Ë Deep Interleave Digital Video Option Ë Super Capacity Battery Option (Acterna, www.acterna.com,
240-404-1913) House Amp, Fiber Node Antronix ’s MicroAmp Series provides subscriber premises amplification in a small package, which simplifies installations in NID enclosures while maintaining high performance levels. MicroAmps come standard with Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology, patented CamPort auto-seizing F-Ports, nickel-plated housings and 6 kV combination wave surge protection on all ports. Antronix’s Micro Fiber Node Series is smaller than a traditional size fiber node housing and features low distortion, push/pull amplification with forward bandwidth to 870 MHz. It features a tri-color LED optical input range indicator, external RF and optical power test points, and field accessible gain and slope controls. It can be configured as a stand-alone receiver or as a bidirectional receiver/return transmitter with a choice of four optical return transmitters. (Antronix, www.antronix.com) 10GigE Arroyo Video Solutions ’ OnDemand solution for “ Always ON ” VOD has successfully completed interoperability and functionality testing with both Neterion and Tropic Networks . OnDemand supports native 10GigE interfaces. It was successfully tested with Neterion’s Xframe 10GigE adapters and Tropic Networks’ optical transport platform. The testing was conducted at Arroyo’s facilities and included lab testing of GigE and 10GigE interfaces and interoperability. OnDemand is based on the Arroyo Video Platform, which drives up to 5,000 streams from a 3RU, industry-standard server. OnDemand was also successfully tested with Tropic Networks’ metro DWDM platform in both static and reconfigurable variants. (Arroyo Video Solutions, www.arroyo.tv) Noise Power Ratio Tester Applied Instruments’ NPRT 2200 Noise Power Ratio tester measures the NPR of a device across a range of power levels. This test quantifies intermodulation distortion and determines the dynamic range of optical transmitters, amplifiers and other active HFC network devices. The included PC software uses predefined test setups to run a “Power Sweep” series of NPR measurements and graph the results. The measurements are compared to a threshold value to determine the acceptable operating power or dynamic range of the device. Results may be stored on the PC for further analysis, and the graphs may be printed. The NPRT 2200 comes in a two-rack unit enclosure. (Applied Instruments, www.appliedin.com, 317-782-4331) T-1 over HFC Xtend Networks ’ DS3 interface is designed to simplify delivery of symmetrical, voice-grade T-1 (1.544 Mbps) services over HFC networks. The interface, developed for Xtend’s XMTS Access Concentrator, will enable operators to use a single DS3 line, rather than 24 DS1 lines, to provide the T-1 links between the XMTS at the cable system headend and existing SONET backbones. Utilizing Xtend’s interface will allow operators deploying the XMTS to deliver 44.736 Mbps over a DS3 line. Xtend’s T-1 technology combines the company’s XMTS, a headend modular system servicing up to 28 T-1 links, and its V3xx family of T-1 modems over existing HFC infrastructure and OSSs. (Xtend Networks, www.vyyo.com) Ingress Management Electroline Equipment ’s upgraded version of the Test Point Selector (TPS) models TPS-MS-100 and TPS-SL-100 is part of its CLEARPath ingress management product line. The TPS-MS-100 now incorporates agile frequency control over three different ranges, from 46 MHz to 162 MHz. The new design offers compatibility with existing TPS-MS and TPS-SL units. Operators can mix TPS-SL and TPS-SL-100 units in the same station, driven by either a TPS-MS or a TPS-MS-100. The existing serial control feature has been migrated to the new platform without any modifications. The TPS-MS-100 and TPS-SL-100 are also supported by Locator, Electroline’s Web-based ingress management software. (Electroline Equipment, www.electroline.com, 514-723-8393) EMS Wave7 Optics ’ release 3.2 of its Last Mile Sentinel (LMS) is a standards-based element management system supporting its Last Mile Link (LML) FTTP (fiber-to-the-premises) optical broadband product line. The LMS 3.2 gives Wave7 customers increased automation capabilities to create quality of service packages in increments of 64 kbs, perform software upgrades on device discovery and have flow-through ease of billing. The flow-through provisioning interface is an XML over HTTP interface that is used to connect the LMS to the LMS OSS Connector for automatic service provisioning from an order entry or billing system. (Wave7 Optics, www.wave7optics.com) Flash IC Production Universal Remote Control is introducing a flash IC production capability. In comparison to the traditional masked IC production process, the flash IC process enables the company to quickly upgrade or apply changes to IR data libraries just prior to production. This virtually eliminates the possibility of out-of-stock or out-of-date IC situations. (Universal Remote Control, www.universalremote.com, 716-627-1221) CAT-5 Clip Telecrafter Products has expanded its line of Flex Clips to include a clip sized to fit Category 5 (CAT-5) wire. Because systems are now supplying telephony service, a need has arisen for a CAT-5 clip that is rugged for exterior use and yet discreet enough for interior applications. The Flex Clip is color matched to the wire, providing attachment that is strong but unobtrusive in the customer’s home. (Telecrafter Products, http://telecrafter.com/, 303-986-7700) Test Port Routing Switch Monroe Electronics ‘ Model R184 Test Port Routing Switch can be controlled directly through the RS-485 connection or the Ethernet (optional). It has a 50 MHz to 1 GHz range. Controlled from any PC, with the supplied software, the switch can be used to route 16 nodes to your test device or combined into a matrix for up to 256 inputs (nodes) routed to one output. It is also supported by Acterna ’s RSAM-5600 Remote Service Analyzer Module so you can route up to 128 nodes into one monitor. The units can be switched one at a time or set up for a scan mode. (Monroe Electronics, www.monroe-electronics.com) All-in-One Compression Tool Ripley’s CAT-AIO assembles series 59/6, 7 and 11F, BNC, RCA, IEC and Mini drop connectors from connector manufacturers including Arris/Telewire, Corning Cabelcon, Corning Gilbert, PCT, PPC and Thomas & Betts. Up to 12 Interchangeable Plunger Tips (IPTs) are available, each compressing a distinct set of connectors. The CAT-AIO is shipped with two IPTs to assemble the universal series of 59/6, 7 and 11 connectors as well as the 59/6 PPC-EX and PCT-TRS connectors. One IPT is installed in the tool; the second IPT can be stored within the tool’s body. The 10 additional IPTs are available for RCA, BNC IEC and other F-connectors. (Ripley, www.ripley-tools.com, 800-528-8665) Digital Simulcast Scopus ’ digital simulcast solution features real-time encoding, grooming, rate shaping, edge decoding and network management. Based on the Scopus E-1200 encoder, the Scopus closed loop statistical multiplexing system utilizes Scopus’ TriplePass, providing pre-processing, dual-pass encoding and statistical multiplexing. The 1-RU Scopus UE-9100 Universal Encoder series is a multi-channel encoding platform that can encode two MPEG-2 channels simultaneously. The IVG-7000 grooming, multiplexing and rate-shaping platform’s capabilities include video routing and processing, bit-rate reduction, IP networking and streaming, DPI, video monitoring, built-in scrambling, and simulcrypt conditional access. The 1-RU Scopus UID-2902 Universal IP Decoder concurrently decodes two video programs and eight audio streams. Dual MPEG over IP inputs support both link and logical (source) redundancy. (Scopus, www.scopusamericas.com) Prep for SCTE Exams NCTI ’s Prep Guides for SCTE Certification are personalized study aids for SCTE certification exams. The guides are built, purchased and downloaded directly from NCTI’s Web site. Prep Guides contain reference materials that align with the specific categories in SCTE certifications. To build a guide, a customer chooses from a list of topics for a category. Materials for those topics are automatically collated into a finished Prep Guide, which is then delivered to the customer as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document. NCTI released the Prep Guides in June. Also starting in June, each graduate of 16 select NCTI courses receives a voucher worth $15 that can be applied to SCTE membership costs and testing fees. (NCTI, www.ncti.com, 303-797-9393) Sales Force Automation, Tap Audit Solutions Mintek Mobile Data Solutions ’ WinTrack SFA is a mobile sales force automation solution, and WinTrack Tap Audit is a mobile tap audit automation solution. SFA is integrated with the cable industry’s three major billing systems. It enables sales reps to view and enter sales information on a mobile device while in the field. SFA also eliminates paper-based administrative tasks. Tap Audit provides mobile tap audit and security automation and enables tap auditors to take paperless household and subscriber information into the field. Daily updates from the billing system keep auditors informed of changes. (Mintek Mobile Data Solutions, www.mintek.com, 800-789-7226) High Performance F-Connectors Corning Gilbert ’s UltraRange connectors, Series 59 and 6, incorporate a floating, free spinning nut (U.S. Patent No. 5,975,591). The one-piece design eliminates loose parts. The UltraRange connector compression technology uses a patent pending dual ramp gripping member that swages over a large area of the cable jacket, providing 360 degrees of contact to the cable and a moisture seal to the cable jacket. The UltraRange is also weather resistant when used with the Corning Gilbert Seal Ring (G-SR-1/2) and installed on a standard F female port (ANSI/SCTE SP 400 1996). Its sealing system passes the SCTE interface moisture migration tests (SCTE IPS TP 013). (Corning Gilbert, www.corning.com/corninggilbert, 800-528-5567)