barox Kommunikation AG has released two new low-cost media converters featuring controllable PoE and Powered Device Optical Reset (PDOR).
Well known for pioneering security industry technical innovation, with a wide range of Ethernet switch products specifically designed for video surveillance applications, barox have added the new PC-PMCRP101-GE & PC-BTPMCRP101-GE media converters, with PDOR functionality to their extensive range.
Suitable for deployment in installations requiring extended network reach, or for use within environments with electromagnetic interference, while 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.
Minimising device downtime
Featuring PDOR as standard allows the PoE output of the media converter to be switched off and on remotely
Featuring PDOR as standard allows the PoE output of the media converter to be switched off and on remotely, so any connected device, such as a surveillance camera, can be remotely switched on and off.
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 the site. This clever functionality can help to maximise system efficiency by minimising device downtime and reducing support costs.
Device management
Historically, a capability only available on managed switches, PDOR now adds device management to the many advantages of using barox media converters.
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 converter.
barox switches
PDOR function of the connected media converter then also switches off the PoE power supply to the camera
Using the barox switches SFP auto checking function, combined with the media converters' PDOR function, monitoring and automatic restart of IP cameras can be performed, where the switches' optical ports can be configured to regularly ping the connected IP camera.
If the camera does not respond within a certain time, the optical port is switched off for a predefined time.
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 email to alert the recipient.
Highest security features
“Adding this level of device management to a media converter is a real game changer,” says Rudolf Rohr, barox Co-founder & Managing Partner.
“Utilising the combined benefit of PDOR and SFP, the new PC-PMCRP101-GE & PC-BTPMCRP101-GE media converters bring the benefits of built-in-device and PoE management, along with the highest security features, as standard, to an even wider array of installation applications.”
