Gennum Intros 3Gbps SDI Receive Solutions for Video Broadcast Applications

Gennum Corporation has announced the development of its long reach 3 gigabits per-second (Gbps) SDI receive solutions suitable for broadcast video applications. It provides a reach of 150 meters over coaxial cables for 3 Gbps SDI.

 

The new solution is a combination of the company’s equalization technology and its receiver solutions. This is expected to reduce power consumption in next generation video broadcast equipment like switchers, multiviewers and monitors.

“As a pioneer in HD and a key contributor to SMPTE standards, we recognize the technical challenges associated with the migration to 3 Gbps from 1.5 Gbps HD data rates,” said Vijay Sharma, director of A/V connectivity, at Gennum.

“With this solution, we have applied our signal integrity expertise to resolve jitter issues that have limited existing coax solutions to about 120 meters at 3 Gbps, to date. With the ability to use longer run coax to transmit high performance 3 Gbps signals, broadcast studios can leverage their existing cable infrastructure, resulting in tremendous savings while still realizing a studio upgrade.”

Usually high-speed 3 Gbps signals run only for shorter lengths on coaxial cables and need to be regenerated. Gennum’s new equalizing-receiver solutions help extend the distance that the signal can travel before regeneration.

Broadcast studios can re-use their existing infrastructure although they have been designed for HD data rates. Gennum’s new receivers enable them to achieve high cable reach at 3 Gbps using thousands of meters of installed coaxial cable.

The new silicon-based solutions from Gennum can be integrated into different 3 Gbps studio equipment like monitors, multiviewers, encoders/decoders and switchers. These will be drop-in replacements for existing HD-grade end equipment eliminating studio redesign. The devices offer multi-rate support enabling backward compatibility.

The GS2971 and GS2961 offer high cable reach to 3Gbps video broadcast products. The GS2971 is a tri-rate receiver with integrated equalizer technology that supports 3Gbs SDI, HD and SD specifications. It enables 150+ meters of cable reach at 3G-SDI data rates, 250+ meters of cable reach at HD-SDI data rates and 480+ meters of cable reach at SD-SDI data rates.

Satisfying many studio product needs the GS2971 performs comprehensive digital SMPTE video processing and audio de-embedding in a small, cost effective package. The GS2961, is a tri-rate receiver that has same features as the GS2971 solution but does not include audio de-embedding.

Gennum designs semiconductor solutions and intellectual property (IP) cores suitable for consumer connectivity, enterprise, video broadcast and data communications products. The company enables multimedia and data communications products to send and receive information maintaining signal integrity. For such applications Gennum uses its own optical, analog and mixed-signal products and IP.