Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from April 2006

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from April 2006

Maturation of the cabling industry.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
April 1, 2006... For the past nine years, I have observed the cabling industry, most often from the comfort of my desk but also frequently from jobsites, contractor and end-user corporate offices, conferences, and trade shows. In that time, I have observed what...

The reconstruction of TIA-568.(Ask DONNA)
April 1, 2006... This is the second of a two-part series looking at the reorganization of the TIA-568 standard--the parent document for most "unique premises environments" standards. If you missed the first installment, check out Donna's column from March...

If you structure it, voice over IP will come: IP telephony may be just the beginning of fully converged building systems, which will require a robust infrastructure.(Internet protocols)
April 1, 2006... Since the start of this century, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has steadily gained in popularity in the residential market. But the technology's gains in that market are stagnant compared to its growth as the dominant architecture of...

Wi-Fi means business for cabling installers: far from putting contractors out of work, wireless technology will require more knowledge that could lead to more business.(wireless communications services)
April 1, 2006... Last year was the first year laptop shipments surpassed desktop computer shipments, and that lead continues to increase. Nearly all of those laptops came equipped with Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) cards. The urge to be productive in the office,...

Extreme telecom makeover: Casino Resort edition: angled patch panels help save rack space for future expansion at Foxwoods.(network hardware)
April 1, 2006... It started as an active-equipment upgrade in one telecom room (TR) at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, but snowballed into the rewriting of specifications for active and passive hardware renovations for the entire campus. "Cisco will...

IP video makes its mark on surveillance industry: network cameras are having an impact and fast becoming mainstream.(internet protocols)
April 1, 2006... The latest craze to hit the security surveillance industry, formerly known as the closed-circuit television (CCTV) industry, is Internet Protocol (IP) video. And it's hitting quite hard. A look at general industry trends suggests that IP...

New technology fights 'dirty power' surges.(INDUSTRY spotlight)
April 1, 2006... Traditional surge suppressors and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) have long been considered combatants against catastrophic power-related issues that can disable telecommunications equipment and networks. But are they enough? Not so,...

Alliance begins Ethernet mission.(Ethernet Alliance)
April 1, 2006... The Ethernet Alliance (www. ethernetalliance.org), is off and running with its mission to promote Ethernet technology. The Alliance, which officially formed in January, intends to aggressively accelerate the growth of IEEE 802 Ethernet...

Researcher bullish on fiber-to-the-home estimates.(industry forecasts)
April 1, 2006... Researchers say the latest numbers of fiber-to-the-home deployments show strong growth, with deployments increasing across all market segments. The numbers are being touted by the Fiber-to-the-Home Council (www. ftthcouncil.org) and...

TIA says U.S. telecom spending rose 8.9% in 2005.(Telecommunications Industry Association)(United States)
April 1, 2006... Total spending in the United States telecommunications industry rose 8.9% in 2005 to an estimated $856.9 billion, and is expected to climb 10.2% this year, reaching $944.7 billion, according to the newly released TIA's 2006 Telecommunications...

OTDRs make inside move to premises fiber testing: 10-Gigabit Ethernet applications are making optical time-domain reflectometers more than just an outside plant tool.(Optical time-domain reflectometers)
April 1, 2006... Optical time-domain reflectometers (OTDRs) are increasingly nudging their way into the premises environment. The point-to-point links of a premises cabling network are, at least until recently, rarely tested with an OTDR. Most OTDRs have...

Updated retrofit course.(New Products)
April 1, 2006... Training Reels has updated its Residential Retrofit Installation course on DVD. The more than three-hour course is designed for installers who have mastered new construction but lack knowledge on the tools and techniques to confidently tackle...

'Intelligent' handheld tester.(New Products)(Corning Cable Systems designs optical meters)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The OTS-400 series of "intelligent" optical meters, sources and testers offer simultaneous testing and storage of dual-wavelength attenuation measurements. The series can be used during installation, system qualification and maintenance. Series...

10-GbE termination block.(New Products)(ADC Telecommunications Inc. ADC Broadband Communications Div. designs copper cables)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The 20-pair CopperTen termination block for 10-Gigabit Ethernet applications is designed to accommodate five incoming and five outgoing 4-pair Augmented Category 6 cables, maintaining distance between each 4-pair cable to meet Cat 6a alien...

Custom interface modules.(New Products)(Automation Systems Interconnect Inc. )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Interface to any connector with any terminal block and circuit with the company's custom interface modules. Capabilities include over-voltage protection, relay circuitry, power and signal conditioning, and identification. The company will...

Versatile tray bracket.(New Products)(Cablofil Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The C 50 cable tray bracket is designed for use as a wall-mount attachment, electrical box support, or under-floor attachment. The bracket is built to securely attach wire cable tray up to four inches wide to interior or exterior walls,...

Push-mount cable tie.(New Products)(Device Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The tamper-proof Push-Mount Wire tie features a low profile designed to prevent snagging when the cable is trimmed and the harness pulled through a bulk head. The remaining terminal end falls below the low-profile receptacle, eliminating sharp...

Hydraulic crimper.(New Products)(Framatome Connectors International)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Y81KFT Four-Point HYPRESS hand-operated hydraulic crimping tool incorporates a latchless flip-top style head designed to provide easy tool removal from continuous conductor runs while eliminating the need to purchase and maintain dies. The...

Shielded Cat 6 system.(New Products)(Hellermann Tyton)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Featuring a patented plug-and-play design, Shielded RapidNet is a shielded Category 6 network cabling solution especially suited for supporting Gigabit Ethernet applications that require added security. This pre-terminated system, says the...

High-speed cable line.(New Products)(Hubbell Premise Wiring)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... High-performance cabling now provides a complete Hubbell Premise Wiring end-to-end solution. The new line includes Category 5e, Speedgain Category 5E, Nextspeed Category 6, Nextspeed 6E-550MHz, and Nextspeed Ascent 10GbE. All cables are...

Large gauge cutter/stripper.(New Products)(Klein Tools Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Klein-Kurve large-gauge wire stripper/cutter, designed for cabling maintenance and repair tasks, strips 6 to 12 AWG stranded wire and eliminates the need for a skinning knife. The multifunctional, lightweight tool lets you pull, grip and...

Designer snap-on connectors.(New Products)(Leviton Manufacturing Company Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... QuickPort snap-on connectors and adapters are now included in the company's Acenti Collection of residential connectivity products. The QuickPort line of audio, video, voice, or data jacks can be inserted into a single neutral or off-white...

Fiber splicing DVD.(New Products)(The Light Brigade)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Fiber Optic Splicing is a menu-based DVD that covers PAS, LID, and fixed V-groove fusion splicers for ribbon, FTTH, and premise applications. Discussion also includes various types and applications for mechanical splicing, such as access for...

Fast Ethernet via wireless.(New Products)(LightPointe Communications Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... FlightExpress 100 is designed to deliver Fast Ethernet speed for enterprise users having two or more buildings requiring connectivity at distances of 200 meters or less. It is especially suited for "quick hop" high-speed wireless links, such as...

Surveillance solutions.(New Products)
April 1, 2006... With three independent MPEG-2 encoders onboard, the C-23 video encoder is designed for high-density surveillance applications, with up to 33 camera signals served in a mounting chassis while using only 3U of 19-inch rack space. The C-23 also...

Cabinet for servers.(New Products)(Elma Bustronic Corporation)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Optima AdvancedTCA cabinet, designed for blade and server applications, features a standard 44U high x 600-mm wide x 600-mm deep construction. It features integrated air baffling to ensure cooling path integrity, four high-volume CFM fans,...

Cat 6 patch cable.(New Products)(Quabbin Wire)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... DataMax 10Gig patch cable is designed to resist PSAXT noise with what the company claims is a more than 10 dB margin over the TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10 proposed minimums. In tests using the TIA's proposed six-around-one configuration, the company says...

Laser-printer labels.(New Products)
April 1, 2006... The Sharpmark Labeling System is designed to let you print professional-looking labels using a laser printer. Suitable for applications ranging from cables to patch panels, face plates and control panels, Sharpmark labels are supplied on cut...

Expanded Cat 6 line.(New Products)
April 1, 2006... Several new products have been added to the Fast Media line of Category 6 products. Modular plugs offer a one-piece design for quick assembly of solid or stranded cable. Each plug accepts 22-24 AWG solid copper wire, and can be assembled using...

Slim I/O connector.(New Products)
April 1, 2006... The Slim I/O cable connector system provides power and/or signal I/O capability for short- and long-reach cable. Optional passive equalization of signals is also available. The connector system is capable of performing at Gigabit speeds, and...