INDUSTRY

Glimmerglass, a pioneer of transparent connectivity solutions, has teamed with PESA Switching Systems to demonstrate the world's first photonic routing switcher at NAB 2004 in Las Vegas, NV (booth # SU9530). An industry first, this solution switches video as laser-beams instead of as electrical voltages, delivering performance that far exceeds conventional routing switchers. Using less power than a small light bulb, the photonic routing switcher can switch bandwidths of 40 Gb/s on each of its fiber links over distances of more than 20 kilometers, making it ideal for mobile production trucks, broadcasting, sporting venues, campus networks and surveillance. Additionally, its unique laser-beam switching technology makes it compatible with all video and audio formats, analog or digital, and even future formats not-yet-defined. This photonic routing switcher offers multiple advantages over traditional solutions because it uses a completely different technology to manage video, audio, control and data signals. Unlike conventional switchers, it establishes transparent connections -- literally through directing laser beams of light between fiber optic cables. Glimmerglass' Brilliance microphotonics, a patented technology comprised of silicon micro-mirrors and micro-lenses at the core of this new switcher, enables it to deliver exceptional performance in a small, low-power chassis. Brilliance allows the switcher to accept any signal format and switch, monitor and multicast signals with or without manual intervention. It can connect, disconnect or re-direct video signals as desired with the touch of a button from a control panel, such as the PESA 3500PRO control system being demonstrated at NAB. Named XD for its data rate and format independence, the switcher can route SD, HD and without any modification, it can also route HDSL (dual-link HD-SDI) to enable full uncompressed post-production applications using so-called 2K resolutions or higher. It can also switch L-band, CCU data, Ethernet and telecom formats. It can even switch compressed, encrypted and unframed video making it an outstanding choice for highly secure communications. The switcher can establish connections between any of its 64 input and 64 output fibers. This technology can also support a scalable 32x32 configuration and asymmetrical configurations such as 120x20, 60x10, etc. It is packaged in a 3 RU chassis and includes capabilities such as Photonic Multicasting (point-to-multipoint optical signal distribution) and the ability to automatically route around loss of input signals. "We're delighted to be partnering with PESA to demonstrate the XD switcher based on our Brilliance technology," said Mark Housley, president and CEO of Glimmerglass. "We'll showcase the world's high-performing video routing switcher integrated with PESA's 3500PRO routing switch control system -- a perfect combination for government and mobile video applications." Glimmerglass develops and manufactures the smallest, highest performing, and most reliable transparent connectivity solutions that manage light at the physical fiber, waveband, and individual wavelength levels. Glimmerglass delivers transparent connectivity products to the video, supercomputing, test & measurement, Internet infrastructure, government, enterprise, cable and telecommunications industries. For more information about Glimmerglass, visit www.glimmerglass.com.