What Is Media Converter ? What Are Types Of Media Converter & Working In Headend ?

what is media converter

Introduction

There are various kind of devices which used in Digital Headend System. These devices are Encoders, Decoders, Professional IRDs, QAM, CAS Server, SMS Server, PSI SI Server, Network Management Server, VOD Server Transcoders, , Data Switches, Management Switches and Media Converters etc.

We have already described all of these Headend Equipements in our various articles except Media Converters.

So today in this article we will cover What Is Media Converter its working and its Types etc.

What Is Media Converter ?

what is media converter

Media Converter is a device used to convert one Data Communication Port into other Data Communication Port. Where these communication ports can be Fiber Ports or Electrical Ports (RJ 45 Ethernet).

In Other Words,

A Media Converter is used to convert Electrical Signal into fiber signal or vice versa. Where it can also be used for single mode fiber to multi mode fiber communication or changes in wavelength of fiber signal.

It is a Active electronic device require external AC or DC power. It is available in Fiber to Fiber Port and Electrical To Fiber Port.

What Is OFC ?

What Are Types Of Media Converter ?

Media Converters comes in stand alone mode as well as modules. These modules we need to mount on the chassis. Lets now discuss about its Types.

(1) Fiber To Fiber Media Converter

Fiber To Fiber Media Converter have Optical Input port and Optical Output Port. So both ends are connected with fiber.

This Media Converter is used to connect Single Mode Fiber with Multimode fiber. So that a communication can be established.

It is also used for conversion of wavelengths. Because it supports wavelengths 1150, 1310 and CWDM.

(2) Copper To Fiber Media Converter

It is having RJ 45 port for electrical signals and Fiber Port for optical Signals. This Ethernet Port can be Fast Ethernet Port or 10 Gig Port.

Now this Ethernet can be used as input electrical signal port and fiber port as optical output port. This conversion of data communication protocol enable us to send our signal at longer distance over fiber.

Thus Copper To Fiber Media Converter or ETH To OFC Media Converters are used to send Electrical Signal at long distance. Because there is some limitation to send electrical signal at longer distance using copper cables.

ETH To OFC Port Media Converters removes this limitation to send our signal at long distance. Because it convert our electrical signal into light signal for OFC.

(3) Unmanaged Media Converter

Unmanaged Media Converters provides data communication between two protocols. Any kind of packet loss is not monitored in it. It just establish a communication between two ends.

It is easy to install and it is cheap.

(4) Managed Media Converter

Managed Media Converter are superior than Unmanaged Media Converters. Because it can measure fault detection and can do the monitoring of network.

We need to configure it. You need install a individual hardware for SNMP. This individual hardware can be installed on the same chassis of media converter. Which makes it easy to use.

It facilitate you for Monitoring of Network, remote config and very quick you can detect the faults. Its GUI is full of information which helps you a lot.

This is expensive than unmanaged media converter.

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How Does Media Converter Work ?

How Does Media Converter Work

As shown above in the figure there are two data switches named as Data Switch 1 and Data Switch 2. We want to send the data from switch 1 to switch 2. But the distance between these two switches is high. So copper cable connection will not be possible.

To accomplish this we need to convert out Electrical Data into Optical Data.

Now by using the media converters we are sending data from switch 1 to switch 2.

CAT 6 cable of switch 1 is directly connected to the ETH input port of Media Converter. Now Media Converter convert this Electrical signal into the optical signal. It provides then optical output from its fiber port.

Now this output goes into the fiber network.

The fiber network gives optical output. Which goes as input to second media converter shown in the right side of diagram. Now media converter convert this optical signal into the electrical signal and gives output to the Data Switch 2 via CAT 6 cable.

Finally we have received the data of switch 1 to switch 2 over fiber network at long distance.

What Is EDFA & PDFA ?

Conclusion

Media Converters are very useful to send our data at long distance. Copper to Fiber media converters are widely used in various industries.

If we send our data over fiber there are lot of benefits of it. Because Optical Signal are having very low losses in transmission. It have resistivity for interference. It is easy to manage than Copper Cables.

Suggested Articles

What Is Optical Fiber Cable or OFC ?

What Is EDFA & PDFA For CATV ?

What Is HFC Network ?

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Comments

  1. Funduk Wangdu says:

    Why to use media converters now when there are fiber SFPS

    1. You are right Mr. Funduk as explained ..What are SFP Modules ?
      But this article is only focused on What exactly the Media Converters are….how they work in case someone somewhere is using it. Hope you got it.

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