barox releases ‘game-changing’ media converters for security projects

Having already produced a wide range of Ethernet switch products specifically designed for video surveillance applications, barox has now added the PC-PMCRP101-GE and PC-BTPMCRP101-GE media converters to its extensive range.

Suitable for deployment in installations requiring extended network reach or for use within environments prone to electromagnetic interference, while necessarily maintaining excellent quality of signal transmission over longer distances, the two new media converters can be employed across a wide variety of fibre optic-to-copper applications.

PDOR as standard 

Featuring PDOR as standard allows the PoE output of the media converters to be switched off and on remotely. As such, any connected device (including a surveillance camera) can be switched on and off on a remote basis. The feature can be used to force a camera to restart or, in cases with data protection sensitivity, used to temporarily switch a camera off completely.

The ability to switch connected devices off and on remotely can be used to resolve device faults where the reboot can negate the need for engineering visits to site. This clever functionality can help to maximise system efficiency by minimising device downtime and reducing support costs.

Historically seen as a capability only available on managed switches, PDOR now adds device management to the many advantages of using barox media convertors. Particularly useful in applications where media converters are deployed at the edge, such as at airports, prisons, highways and within Critical National Infrastructure, when paired with the barox RY-LGSO25-24 or RY-LGSO25-28 Ethernet switches the switch can be configured to constantly and automatically monitor any device connected to the PC-PMCRP101-GE or PC-BTPMCRP101-GE media converters.

Connected IP cameras

Using the barox switches’ SFP auto-checking function, combined with the media converters’ PDOR functionality, monitoring and automatic restart of IP cameras can be performed whereby the switches’ optical ports may be configured to regularly ‘ping’ the connected IP camera.

If the camera doesn’t respond within a certain time, the optical port is switched off for a predefined period. The PDOR function of the connected media converter then also switches off the PoE power supply to the camera and switches it back on after a predefined time to reboot the camera. At the same time, the switch reports the incident by sending an e-mail to alert the recipient.

Wide array of applications

“Adding this level of device management to a media converter is a real game-changer,” explained Rudolf Rohr, co-founder and managing partner at barox. “Using the combined benefit of PDOR and SFP, the new PC-PMCRP101-GE and PC-BTPMCRP101-GE media converters bring the benefits of built-in-device and PoE management, along with the highest level of security features, to an even wider array of installation applications.”

*Further information is available online at www.barox.uk