Aurora Networks is promising to light the way for cable operator's all-digital networks, with the debut of two full-spectrum fiber-optic transmitters.
The company's AT3545G series full-spectrum transmitters will enable a cable network's evolution to full QAM capabilities, according to Aurora. They also fit into the Converged Multiservice Access Platform (CMAP) architecture, which consolidates technologies for delivering narrowcast services into a single platform to save headend space and reduce energy consumption.
"These transmitters support the cable operator's ongoing strategy to reclaim analog bandwidth and to assist them as they utilize the full network spectrum for delivering broadcast and a consistently growing slate of narrowcast services," Aurora vice president of marketing John Dahlquist said in a statement.
The transmitters are available in two versions: The AT3545G-xx-1-AS C-band dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) transmitter supports "light analog channel loading" plus QAM loading up to 1 GHz for delivering digital services. The second version of the transmitter, the AT3545G-xx-2-AS, is optimized for node segmentation, according to Aurora, with full analog channel loading up to 550 MHz along with QAM channel loading up to 1 GHz.
The AT3545G transmitters incorporate a user-selectable RF input gain technology that permits lower RF input levels, allowing cable operators to compensate for signal loss.
The transmitters also enable the transmission of full spectrum -- both analog and QAM -- channel loading over 50-km distances. For full spectrum QAM-only loading, the reach may top 60 km. Both applications support up to 16 wavelengths per fiber, and as a narrowcast transmitter the units will support more than 120 QAMs over 40 wavelengths per fiber.
Meanwhile, Aurora also introduced new RF over glass (RFoG) devices that support cable operators as they evolve their all-fiber networks to round out its portfolios for both direct-fed and distributed RFoG architectures. The new products include diplexer/return receivers, a passive optical network (PON) filter module, two high-powered optical amplifiers and an MDU CPE device.
In addition, Aurora announced that its NC2000 optical node platform is now available with mains power connectivity, which the company said will reduce installation complexity and cut power requirements. With the mains power enhancement, a cable operator no longer needs to connect the NC2000 node to a power line via a bulky external power supply -- instead, an operator simply plugs the node into any standard electrical outlet.
The company will demo the new products at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo here this week.
