A 15-hour energy storage system in New York.

Zinc8 Energy Solution, a Canadian start-up previously known as MGX Renewables, has signed an agreement to implement an innovative energy storage system in New York, co-funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This is the second important project to be carried out by Zinc8, following on the heels of the start-up's victory in a global innovation challenge run by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in January.

The system devised by Zinc8 may help create power reserves and even out the demand for electric power in the grid

The developer, Digital Energy Corp, a NY-based company specialized in CHP systems, photovoltaics, and microgrids, has already signed a deployment agreement with Zinc8 to build a cheap energy warehouse in Brooklyn, New York. The system is designed to support and enhance the economy of the co-generation system currently in place in the borough. This groundbreaking project for the institutional and business sector is able to store energy up to 15 hours, much longer than the upper limit of 4-6 hours for lithium-ion and 8-10 hours for flow batteries. Using a rechargeable zinc-air flow battery, the system can be configured to support a wide range of discharge power, recharge power, and duty cycle requirements. The energy storage capacity of the system only depends on the size of the zinc storage tank. The solution thus provides a very cost-effective and scalable alternative to the fixed power/energy ratio of the lithium ion battery. Digital Energy Corp said it had a hundred customer projects ready on offer. The company's president and CEO, William Cristafaro, described the Zinc8 system as very promising for a customer base of more than 100 power plants, solar system, and microgrids.

Comparing Hikvision IP camera videos recorded at different shutter speeds.

Below you can see screenshots and night videos recorded at different shutter speeds with a K17592 DS-2CD2025FWD-I camera. In example 1, the camera works in color mode, with the shutter speed set to 1/25 s. On account of its high sensitivity and adequate lighting, it has not automatically switched to black and white. The moving vehicle in the screenshot, however, is blurred. In example 2, the shutter speed is set to 1/100 s. Because of the reduced amount of light that reaches the sensor, the camera has switched to the black-and-white mode. Changing the shutter speed has also allowed to prevent blurring.

What is the reason behind dead fiber-optic links in media converters?

Copper-to-fiber media converters are very popular devices, commonly used in point-to-point Ethernet connections. They allow to transmit signals over distances much greater than those possible for twisted-pair cables, as well as enable the galvanic isolation of connected subnetworks. Even though the converters do not need to be configured, sometimes new links do not work properly. The most frequent errors committed by inexperienced installers include:

Incompatibility is the most common cause of a "dead" link. When selecting media converters, installers should thus check the specifications of the network devices that will be connected on both sides. If the link is to cooperate with various devices, both 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps, the solution is to employ media converters with the auto-negotiation feature on Ethernet ports. By doing so, users will avoid any possible incompatibility issues.

HDTVI camera signals in DVB-T standard.

Creating access to CCTV camera video in shared antenna or SMATV systems based e.g. on multiswitches is an issue often raised during the modernization of TV installations. Signals from video monitoring cameras (with a maximum resolution of 1080p) can be fed into the installation using a TERRA mix440 R81611 IP-4xDVB-T or TERRA MI520P R81609 IP-2xDVB-T/C transmodulator. One panel receives the RTSP stream with a maximum bit rate of 200 Mbps and creates 4 neighboring DVB-T multiplexes (each MUX can carry video from 3 full-HD cameras). Thanks to a RJ-45 Ethernet port, the programming of the mix-440 R81611 panel is performed via a web browser (no need for a programmer).

In the diagram below, video signals from eight DS-2CE56D8T-IT3E M75263 cameras are connected to the HD-TVI M75609 DVR, and delivered to the mix-440 R81611 transmodulator in the form of a RTSP stream. The mix-440 R81611 transmodulator creates 4 neighboring DVB-T multiplexes. It is recommended to evenly distribute the sub-streams from the cameras in each of the four DVB-T MUXes, as well as to keep a 10% safety margin when determining the maximum bit rate for the whole multiplexes (typically, the total bit rate of a multiplex should not exceed 31 Mbps). The tests of the solution were performed only with Hikvision cameras.

Conversion of video from eight CCTV cameras (HD-TVI, 1080p) to a RTSP stream, and then to the DVB-T standard, using the mix440 R81611 transmodulator.

Separating local networks from CCTV networks.

As per standard, a single network should not include CCTV devices (security systems) and home computer equipment. Separating these devices from one another is one of the factors that improve the performance of the security system.

One way to do this is to create virtual local area networks. This requires the use of a managed switch and dedicated VLANs. In the example below, the user can alter the switch parameters to create two separate networks. One will be dedicated for monitoring, the other will serve as a home network. Both will work independently of each other.

An example of an IP network with VLANs

How to extend the IR signal to remotely control a mobile DVR?

Mobile DVRs are often installed in spots that are out of sight and difficult to access. When choosing a location, it is recommended to consider both security (difficult access) and practical issues. DVRs are often installed in the trunk. The challenge is how to control the device and monitor its operation.

The PROTECT LED KL-1 control panel (M80103) allows to monitor the operating status of mobile DVRs and functions as IR remote control extender. It has 6 LED indicators:

The connection cable is 4 meters long. To connect the control panel to a DVR, the user needs to cut off the original plug and connect the individual wires to the following ports of the DVR (via the connector supplied with the DVR):

The PROTECT LED KL-1 control panel properly connected to the dedicated connector

Multiswitch systems based on Wide Band technology. Using quattro LNBs in multiswitch systems for the reception of channels from two satellite positions (HotBird 13.0E and Astra 19.2E) requires 8 RG-6 coaxial cables. Choosing a Wide Band A98222 LNB instead reduces that number to just four. In contrast to standard quattro devices, Wide Band LNBs have two signal outputs (H polarization/V polarization) and rely on a single local 10.41 GHz oscillator to ensure excellent performance in the entire 290...2340 MHz frequency range...>>>more

An example of a SMATV system distributing satellite channels in dSCR/Unicable technology, along with amplified terrestrial broadcasts

TERRA dSCR multiswitches with auto gain control