Broadband networking technology provider, Harmonic, has launched a coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) digital transmission solution which it says will significantly increase the available return-path bandwidth from the subscriber home to the operator. The solution consists of the company's new NDT 3140 family of transmitters, working in tandem with its new RDR 4002 receiver: Harmonic says that the combo is designed to maximize network capacity to support the growing demand for interactive applications, while simultaneously reducing the cost of provisioning such services. According to the company, the new digital return-path solution uses both time division multiplexing (TDM) and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technologies to allow operators to expand upstream capacity from the home, while leveraging the established HFC infrastructure as much as possible and minimizing the need for new fiber construction. The solution also allows operators to cost-effectively implement redundant paths to increase service availability, the company says.
Each NDT 3140 digital return transmitter accepts two RF outputs in the range of 5-48 MHz or 5-65 MHz. Using advanced digital signal processing technology, the transmitter independently digitizes the two RF signals, then, using TDM technology, combines them for transmission via a single optical link. The NDT 3140 family offers CWDM wavelengths in the range of 1430 nm to 1610 nm, as well as 1310 nm and 1550 nm output options: Harmonic says that these new transmitters are compatible with its existing PWRBlazer fiber nodes and can be easily added to already-deployed nodes. Cable operators can use Harmonic's 4-port HLN 3842 node to achieve 4-way return-path segmentation; by using the larger HLN 3844, they can achieve 4-way return-path segmentation with full redundancy, the company says. According to Harmonic, both PWRBlazer nodes also support a full range of optical passives to combine multiple wavelengths onto a single fiber.
Harmonic's RDR 4002 return-path receivers can be deployed in hub and headend sites to support a wide range of network architectures. The company says that performance is independent of link loss over the operating range of the receiver, allowing the digital links to have outstanding performance over very long distances. The RDR 4002, which Harmonic says is interoperable with its complete line of digital return transmitters, fits into a carrier hosted in Harmonic's HLP 4200 broadband platform in order to simplify installation and maintenance, as well as to provide hot-swap capabilities. Each receiver module covers a total of four RF signals from its two fiber inputs, delivering twice the density of Harmonic's previous digital return-path receiver.
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