MultiDyne will expand range of compact fiber transport products with the new VB-3600 Series

To be introduced at 2017 NAB Show, new series of rugged, compact systems support 12G and 4K video, and are interoperable with MultiDyne’s modular OG-3600 Series.

MultiDyne Fiber Optic Solutions will expand its versatile and economical LightBrix range of compact, rugged fiber transport products with the new VB-3600 Series. Now shipping, the VB-3600 Series provides broadcasters and content producers with eight throwdown or mountable options to serve a diversity of signal configurations, including 12G, 4K and 1080p video; and embedded audio, Ethernet and control.

With its compact architecture (7.25×5.75×1.75 inches), the VB-3600 Series is built for users that need a lightweight throwdown system that is convenient to move around in the field; or an unassuming system for simple mounting to a tripod or a wall. Ideal as a signal extender from a camera to a truck, studio or video display, each unit meets specific connectivity needs across video, audio and data – including 12G single-link and 4K quad-link – with exceptional density relative to its size.

At the top of the new VB-3600 range, the VB-3607 provides a cost-effective solution for transmission of 4K video or four 1080p, HD, SD and/or ASI signal paths over one single-mode fiber-optic cable. It is also capable of handling SDI rates from 5Mb/s all the way up to 3Gb/s (1080p) uncompressed, making this the ideal unit for mobile production trucks and other customers that need to trunk multiple uncompressed SDI signals over fiber.

Although the VB-3600 Series offers set configurations, MultiDyne can deliver a standard build of any signal count and combination. The VB-3600 is essentially a small card cage that allows any combination of cards, and facilitates any combination of signals. For additional flexibility in the field, all VB-3600 units include mounts for battery power – an important benefit for production locations lacking local power connectivity.

Signal density is amplified when the field unit communicates with MultiDyne’s award-winning OG-3600 Series, which represents a series of eight modules compatible with openGear solutions. This flexibility further differentiates MultiDyne from other fiber transport solutions that limit customers in options and connections.

Frank Jachetta, president, MultiDyne, said “you can imagine a mobile production truck or temporary studio built for a special event, each of which are challenged with managing multiple signals through an infrastructure that is already very diverse. While the VB-3600 offers a compact receive solution, our customers can further slimdown their infrastructure by leveraging the OG-3600 modules. Above all, it’s the industry’s broadest portfolio and highest signal density across complementary send and receive units”.

To maximize ease of use and deployment, each VB-3600 Series throwdown corresponds with the signal density and connectivity features of either a common VB-3600 throwdown or a specific OG-3600 Series module. Broadcast engineers and production personnel can quickly establish communication between each device upon connection, with no additional configuration work required. Broadcasters using a VB-3600 throwdown in tandem with an OG-3600 module reap the additional benefits of remote monitoring and SNMP management via the openGear Dashboard.

OG-3600 Series

As with the VG-3600 Series, MultiDyne’s intensive engineering efforts laid the foundation for the OG-3600 Series, introduced at NAB New York and now shipping.

The series is comprised of eight purpose-built cards, each intelligently designed to fit more circuits and information onto a single module than previously possible. Its unparalleled high-density design brings as many applications and channels onto a single card that were previously dispersed across three, optimizing space and reducing weights. The design also allows for quick population and assembly of all componentry to support all applications requested by the customer.

For example, five modules in the series support up to eight audio channels alongside other applications that can also include digital (4K, 3Gb/s, HD-SDI) and composite video, genlock, timecode, GPIO, tally, serial data and/or Ethernet depending on the model. The OG-3605 model is specifically geared toward audio, reference and data needs, giving broadcasters a more affordable option for fiber transport needs that lack video requirements. MultiDyne will soon add 12G support to the OG3600 Series.

“The OG-3600 gives new flexibility on a singular platform not only for our customers, but for our manufacturing team,” said Jachetta. “We also wanted to create a system that could co-exist with our other fiber products, including the VG-3600 Series and our BullDog system for very high-capacity fiber transport needs from the field. We believe we have broken the paradigm for signal density and diversity on a single module, with tremendous flexibility to configure for each order.”

Jachetta adds that 4K compatibility across both the VB-3600 and OG-3600 will further evolve as quad-link connections transition to IP and 12G single-wire 4K transport, and expects to further expand MultiDyne’s openGear range with non-fiber cards that cross into other terminal gear applications.

Even staying with the present, MultiDyne is seeing enormous opportunity from these systems that go beyond standard broadcast-related production, noting a large project with Apple that integrates the VG-3607 Series with the OG-3607 Series.

“With a portable throwdown on one side and modular cards at the receive end, they are seeing tremendous flexibility in the way they move signals for corporate and industrial AV needs,” said Jachetta. “It’s an intriguing example of how a flexible fiber transport architecture can both simplify operations and introduce new services for any customer that needs to move video, audio and data across long distances.”