Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from April 2004

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from April 2004

Are these thoughts really warranted?(Editorial)(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... This month, senior associate editor Brian Milligan examines the topic of vendor warranties, discussing their real-world implications for cabling-system users as well as some emerging technologies that just might put these warranties to the...

Web pet peeves, plenum breakdown, and the second telecom boom.(Ask Donna)
April 1, 2004... "Internet commerce is merely the direct-sales model on steroids with customers and suppliers enjoying an electronic connection, any time, anyplace." --Michael Dell, Dell Computer As a designer, my customers expect 24/7 support from me....

Teaming fiber and electronics to extend high-rate distances; Transceiver vendor aims to raise awareness of short-wave 10-Gigabit benefits.(design)
April 1, 2004... A strategic marketing initiative between a cable manufacturer and a maker of optical transceivers has the transceiver vendor attempting to educate cabling-system end users, so that users will be aware of cost-effective solutions when purchasing...

Contractors see potential warranty changes coming: as PoE and VoIP go mainstream, many wonder about the warranty impact on cable solutions.(installation)(Voice over Internet Protocol )(Power over Ethernet )(Cover Story)
April 1, 2004... New applications like Power over Ethernet (PoE)and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are making their way into the mainstream network cabling. They are bringing with them the promise of easy deployment and more reliable, high-speed networks....

Weighing trade-offs for fiber connection, termination: understanding the options is essential for controlling labor and material costs.(technology)
April 1, 2004... The optical-fiber industry has come a long way in the past decade, but with so many termination technologies, products, techniques, and procedures from which to choose, selecting the right one for your application can be difficult and will...

IP cameras aim for seamless network integration: newest technologies try to detach stigma from video-over-UTP transmission.(security)(internet protocol)(unshielded twisted pair)
April 1, 2004... Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable was initially developed to carry voice traffic, which travels at 64 kbits/sec--a meager transmission rate by today's communications standards. Ever since it first carried data rather than voice signals, UTP...

Graybar broadens portfolio, distributes security products.(Industry spotlight)
April 1, 2004... Graybar is off and running with its revitalized effort to reach cabling installation contractors who want a piece of the security installation pie. The company has expanded its traditional communications and electrical product portfolio to...

Report: telecom equipment spending is reason for optimism.(Industry spotlight)
April 1, 2004... Spending in the telecom sector rose in 2003, and that could be the beginning of a recovery, according to the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). Total spending in the U.S. telecommunications industry rose 4.7% last year to an...

RCDD warns of empty promises of 10-Gigabit Ethernet over copper.(Industry spotlight)
April 1, 2004... Manufacturers are starting to Open up the floodgates, promising that their products can allow for copper-based 10-Gigabit Ethernet. But they may be empty promises that are coming out far too early, says a representative from Belden Inc.,...

Missed connections.( )(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Missed connections In your January issue, you published an excellent article on Industrial Ethernet. While the article was interesting and insightful, there was some incorrect given in the caption below the photograph on page 36. I provided the...

Easy-on-the-hands punch-down efficiency: a trustworthy everyday tool sees new trends for improved ergonomics.(product update)
April 1, 2004... Punch-down tools get a lot of use on a jobsite since they are essential for terminating cable at the IDC blocks, patch panels, and workstation jacks. While these trustworthy tools have been around for decades, and the basic concept remains the...

Feature-packed UPS.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The VS Series of line-interactive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems include automatic voltage regulation (AVR), extended runtime, and complete protection against all types of power problems--including brownouts, blackouts, surges, and...

Close-to-the-vest accuracy.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... With Pocket Bid estimating software for the pocket PC, you can perform a complete estimate, generate a bill of materials, and produce a final price while at the jobsite. Pocket Bid synchronizes with any of the company's desktop estimating...

Digital technology guides toner.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Relying on a proprietary advanced digital signal locating technology, the IntelliTone toner and probe series is designed to help you quickly find elusive, hidden, or bundled cables. Its digital signaling is designed to defeat bleed to quickly...

A next-gen optical test set.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The FOT-930 MaxTester is a hand-held multifunction optical loss test set that delivers what the company says is fully automated, bi-directional loss test results in 10 seconds, and at up to three wavelengths on a singlemode port or two...

Field-installable fiber connector.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Billed as the only no-epoxy/no-polish field-installable optical fiber connector to feature a spring loaded ferrule for mating with any LC connector on the market, the Optimax LC is designed to offer a quick termination process for premise...

Management accessories.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A brush grommet panel, protective grommet, vertical lacer strips, and horizontal lacer bars have been introduced for Middle Atlantic Products' line of racks and enclosure systems. Five perforated steel lacer strips are designed to mount...

High-powered mini clip light.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Designed for hands-free use while working in dark installation areas, the MiniClip Light features a powerful xenon lamp (the same technology used to power the Tower of Lights at the World Trade Center site) and fits on your cap, safety glasses,...

System addresses labeling standard.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Designed to support the TIA/EIA-606-A standard for appropriate identification of telecommunications infrastructure, the LabelWare System provides customizable identification of 110-wiring products, patch panels, wall plates, housing, ports and...

Three-in-one security balun.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... For closed-circuit TV installations, the VideoEase CCTV Pass-Thru Balun allows remote power, PTZ control and video to be connected to a CCTV camera via one Category 5 cable rather than three dedicated cables. On one end, the balun features...

Time-saving cable tray package.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Cable-Mgr. cable tray system is designed for ceiling, wall or raised-floor installations, and features raceways and pre-fabricated multi-directional junctions/intersections that eliminate fabrication in the field. The manufacturer says its...

Small footprint powerhouse.(New Products )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... At 8 by 2.25 inches, the ZoneDefender PRO AC surge protector is designed to offer space-saving installation with a punch--protection ratings from 80 kA to 240 kA. The device provides protection between line to neutral, line to ground, line to...

Singlemode fiber offers launch power.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NexCor optical fiber with the company's proprietary MaxPower technology is a singlemode cable that's designed to handle twice the launch power of comparable fibers for improved converged technologies in fiber-to-the-X installations. MaxPower...

Easy-reach cable tie tote.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Ty-Rap Tote cable tie dispenser can hold 100 of the company's 8-inch Ty Rap ties, and designed to flee up workers' hands unfit the tie is ready to install. Contractors can carry the tote on their belt tool pouch, and a diamond-shaped...

Relay tester has built-in routines.(New Products)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Billed as the only electrical relay test set in the industry with built in test routines and transducer testing capabilities, plus a touch-screen interface, the MPRT is designed to simplify routine protective relay testing, reduce errors, and...