Telecast Fiber Systems’ New CopperHead DLV-3X1 Fiber Optic Multiplexer Adds Versatility to HD Acquisition

Telecast Fiber Systems today announced the release of the new CopperHead DLV-3X1 camera-mounted fiber optic multiplexer for Dual Link Digital Cinema Cameras. The DLV-3X1 converts four 1.5-GB/s data streams from copper to fiber, permitting transmission of uncompressed Dual Link 4:4:4 and 4:2:2 HD/SDI data signals between the camera head and “Video Village” (camera control area) over just one lightweight, battle-rated fiber optic cable. By replacing three or four coax cables, the DLV-3X1 not only reduces the bulk and weight of camera cabling, but also increases signal transmission distances from several hundred feet to as far as nine miles.

“The CopperHead DLV-3X1 enables highly mobile acquisition of HD footage during on-set and remote production, giving the entire production crew greater freedom of movement in capturing a scene or live event,” said Jim Hurwitz, west coast sales manager and camera systems product manager for Telecast Fiber Systems. “Already proven in field and studio use, this unit adds little weight to the camera while adding significant flexibility, allowing users to get the shots they want at the quality they desire in much less time than with coax-based solutions.”

The compact CopperHead DLV-3X1 measures just 3.7 inches by 5.5 inches by 1.75 inches and mounts between virtually any portable dual-link 4:4:4 camera and its battery. The four 1.5-GB/s signals from the camera A- and B-channel HD-SDI outputs, along with a viewing HD-SDI output are converted for fiber transmission over a single cable. An integrated HD receiver accepts an incoming uncompressed HD stream to enable previewing of green-screen composites, application of lookup tables, etc.

A 1-RU base station at “Video Village” handles all receive and transmit functionality for up to two camera-mounted DLV-3X1 systems.

Like all products in the CopperHead family of camera-mounted fiber optic transceivers, the DLV-3X1 delivers high quality and reliability while consuming little power, and is designed to operate with common on-camera batteries or off-board 12VDC power supplies.