Sensors that do not require battery power getting closer.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have made tremendous progress towards creating small devices that do not require external or battery power supply. Professor Omid Abari, Ju Wang scholarship holder, and Professor Srinivasan Keshav from Waterloo's Cheriton School of Computer Science modified an RFID tag, the same that is used, for example, to open door locks. They removed the plastic casing, cut a small part of the tag antenna, and closed the gap in the circuit by placing a photo-transistor, i.e. a sensor reacting to different levels of light. By exposing the photo-transistor to light, they were changing the characteristics of the RFID antenna, which in turn caused a change in the signal reaching the reader. Then they developed a reader-side algorithm monitoring the changes in the signal and thus detecting different levels of light. One of the simplest modifications can be placing a switch instead of the photo-transistor so that the RFID tag can operate e.g. as a touch sensitive key.

The RFID tag has been modified by cutting out a small part of its dipole antenna and placing a small photo-transistor or temperature-sensitive resistor (thermistor)

Such solutions may mean a huge advance on the way of developing the Internet of Things (IoT) and creating devices with interfaces enabling communication over the IP network. The operation without an additional power source brings many benefits, including, among others, lower maintenance costs and the ability to work in places outside the access to the power network. The devices can be equipped with sensors enabling detection of various parameters in a given environment, such as ambient temperature, light intensity, sound or movement. However, the most important challenges that have to be solved is to ensure durability, reliability and trouble-free operation of such sensor tags.

Mounting devices on rails in 19" RACK cabinets.

The use of universal rails in RACK cabinets is a popular solution for placing devices in SMATV systems. Below we present examples of mounting devices intended for "hanging" in a RACK cabinet. We are not convincing to any particular solution. In each case, it should depend on device requirements, compliance with standards and convenience of assembly.

Example application of the ZMC-2 component of the RACK board system: installation of two Optical Receivers TERRA OR501W (QUATRO + DVB-T/DAB/FM) A9877 mounted on the vertical plate and connected with patch cords with keystone adapters, Channel Amplifier at440 R82511, Broadband Amplifier ma400 R82520, and Power Supply UP413 R82533.

Switch ideal for offices.

TP-LINK T1600G-28TS (TL-SG2424) gigabit switch has 24 GE ports and 4 SFP slots. It features advanced security functions, QoS, and multiple second layer management tools. The N29948 switch is an economical solution designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It has useful security features and supports SNMP and RMON management. QoS (Quality of Service) for layers 2, 3 and 4 provides enhanced capabilities to optimize data traffic. The switch can be easily managed via a web browser or command line interface.

In order to increase the number of possible applications of TL-SG2424 switches, the traffic management functions in the second layer include: support for VLAN 802.1Q, port isolation, port mirroring, STP/RSTP/MSTP, port aggregation, 802.3x Flow Control. Additionally, the switch is equipped with a number of maintenance functions, such as detection of loop back connections, cable diagnostics, and IGMP snooping. The IGMP snooping function allows intelligent management of multicast traffic by making it available only for some subscribers, together with IGMP throttling and IGMP filtering features that effectively block access to the multicast traffic for unauthorized users

Web Smart Switch TP-LINK T1600G-28TS (TL-SG2424) 24xGE 4xSFP RACK N29948

What information is hidden in Hikvision CCTV device logs?

System logs allow administrators to get a lot of diagnostic information about the device. It is possible to check the register with local and remote access, and the data can be displayed or exported (e.g. to a USB flash drive). The logs are stored in the mass memory of the device, i.e. on the hard disk of a DVR/NVR or on the memory card of an IP camera. Each log contains the date and time of the event, the channel number, and, in the case of remote access, the logon user name and IP address. Looking at the registry is the initial diagnostic step in the case of hardware problems.

Some important information that can be found in the logs:

How to differentiate Hikvision IP cameras from the economy line.

Hikvision IP cameras are divided into series with some characteristic features, such as video content analytics (VCA), H.265+ video compression, compact housings with IK10 rating (vandal-proof) etc. Knowledge of the characteristics of a given line along with the relevant symbols allow for quick selection of camera models suitable for a given installation. Currently, the economy line consists of three series: EasyIP Lite, EasyIP 2.0 plus (instead of EasyIP 2.0) and EasyIP 3.0. Shortly, there will be another series, EasyIP 4.0.

The DS-2CD segment in the name of a camera from these series is the same (the DS-2CE is an exception for PTZ cameras, not discussed here). The series and features of a camera are coded in the first and last digits of the type/name, which have been bolded in the following list:

Transmission of DVB-T signals via optical fibers.

Most systems transmitting DVB-T signal via optical fibers use traditional optical transmitters and nodes, e.g. the mo418 R82522 transmitter and OD-005P R81760 receiver. The networks are composed of single-mode cables and passive optical splitters that enable distribution of the signal to different locations.

An alternative solution is based on the conversion of the DVB-T signal (from a master antenna or headend) to IP stream that is distributed via typical fiber optic network (active Ethernet network), and then converted back into DVB-T. The equipment used for the conversions:

The IP stream can be transmitted by optical fibers linking any Ethernet devices - media converters, switches with SFP modules, etc. The advantage of this solution is the possibility of transmission within both single-mode and multimode networks. The signal is split by traditional switches, so in most cases it is not necessary to modify the existing network.

Example of an MATV system (DVB-T) with fiber-optic transmission medium
(transmission of four digital multiplexes via optical link up to 20 km)

Implementation of emergency power supply in a PoC system. Power over Coax (PoC) is a new system allowing for transmission of power supply via the video coaxial cable. As the cabling carries power along with the video signals, the installation of the system is considerably simpler - each camera is connected with the system via a single coax or a twisted pair of wires from a minimum cat. 5e cable... >>>more

CCTV system with PoC power supply supported by a UPS

Vertical mounting system in 19" RACK cabinets