Dual Input, Automatic Changeover Protection Switch for openGear Platform

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Automatic Changeover and Protection Switch with Dual Input Frame Synchronizer, Test Signal and Character ID Generators for the openGear Platform

OVERVIEW:

The PKA-5210 Protection and Keep Alive (PKA) product is an automatic video bypass and signal changeover switch for the openGear platform. The PKA-5210’s primary use is as an automatic protection switch. The unit has A and B inputs with seamless and automatic switching capability. A primary video feed can be connected to the A input and a backup feed on the B input. If the A feed should fail, the PKA-5210 will switch to the B feed seamlessly using its multiple input frame sync capability. Another feature of the device is the internal generation of a video test signal with a character ID. This can be used to test and identify a video circuit. If the primary video circuit A fails and the B input fails as well or there is no backup B input, the system can seamlessly switch on a test signal and character ID onto the circuit or when it is not in use.

The PKA-5210 benefits all types of transmission applications such as terrestrial broadcast television transmitters, microwave electronic news gathering links, mobile and fixed satellite transmission, fiber optic video transmission, 60GHz wireless video transmission and more.  As an example, a major network buys the rights to an evening national hockey game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, contracts a mobile production truck to cover the game, and leases a connection from the Staples Center to the network’s Sports Group in the east coast from a long haul video telecommunications provider. In many cases, the network will want to see if the video circuit is up and running hours before the televised event. The PKA-5210 is ideal for this type of application where the video transmission system and circuit must be kept active when there’s no video activity, or when there’s a need to perform remote diagnostics. Bottom line – the PKA-5210 is built for critical applications requiring the utmost in long term sustained performance, absolute reliability and long product life.

FEATURES:

Up to 20 of the PKA-5210 cards can be installed in a 2RU openGear chassis.   Two SDI inputs allow manual selection of A and B inputs, or automatic changeover to an alternate inputs on loss of input video as well as user-configurable criteria such as black/frozen frame or audio silence. The PKA-5210 provides two programmable character ID text strings to identify live output video, or to ID the video feed upon the loss of video. The system allows the used to import a video graphical slate to identify issues or interruptions in the video feed.  The PKA-5210 generates nine video test signals and audio tone to test the transmission path from end to end.  The Character ID, imported slate and/or test signal can be switched onto the video feed upon the loss of video.

The PKA-5210 supports the character insertions and display of time code in the output stream received as embedded standard SMPTE or audio LTC time code. The unit has a moving-box insertion option to help differentiate live video from frozen video.

The PKA-5210 is controlled and monitored by the openGear DashBoard™ with full status and control access locally or across a standard Ethernet network. GPIO allows direct input routing control and status monitoring.

• Dual input with manual selection or intelligent Automatic Changeover and Protection Switching.
• Latching bypass relay retains manual or failover input-to-output routing even in the event of power failure.
• Auto-Changeover can be set to invoke failover for basic input loss as well as subjective failover based on black/frozen frame or audio silence. Threshold and event-duration-allowed are user configurable.
• Two independent character ID burn-in text string insertion allows condition-based insertion such as basic ID text for valid input and different text message for failover conditions.
• Supports import of user graphical slate for loss of video failover insertion.
• Timecode processing can prioritize, filter for, and convert between specific SMPTE embedded-video or audio LTC, with output/burn-in timecode using selected format.
• Framesync with full H/V offset and manual/loss of video pattern generator. Framesync can also convert raster format between 29.97/59.94 and 30/60 formats.
• Rear-panel looping reference connectors.
• Full audio crosspoint with delay control. 5.1 stereo downmix available for all audio outputs.
• Remote control/monitoring via Dashboard™ software or web browser.
• Low-power and high-density design allows up to 20 cards per 2RU frame with less than 18 Watts per card.

Audio Crosspoint Matrix

PKA-2210 Block Diagram:

Web Based Status & Control Interface: