Grass Valley 3430AP CopperHead - Manual (Page 51)

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CopperHead 3430AP
User Manual
4 Power up the HDX-plus power supply, the Camera Unit and the Base Station, and check the
Fiber Optic Cable Link and signal strength
Planning the Fiber Cable Route
Obviously the longer the planned cable run the more planning required. It also makes a differ-
ence whether you are running Tactical Fiber Cable or Hybrid Fiber Cable as these affect both the
length and the type of exposure the cable can endure.
When planning your cable route take into the consideration the following:
1 Possible obstacles that might cause you to run short of cable – you may need to take a
more indirect, but achievable route
2 Possible hazards to the cable – while tactical fiber is extremely durable it is not immune to
damage. An obvious hazard is running the cable across a lawn scheduled to be cut during
your live production. Make sure the empty roadway at 6AM will not be filled with heavy
equipment when it comes time to retrieve your cable
3 Possible interference (physical) with the cable that might cause it to bend or kink to an
extent that unacceptable signal loss occurs.
4 Safety hazards – make sure that the cable will not cause a tripping or tangling hazard
with people, animals or vehicles.
5 Decide whether the Fiber Cable is to be unspooled from the Base Station location or the
Camera location. Typically the reel is kept close to the base station. However if there is a
chance the Camera location may need to move further away from the Base Station after ini-
tial placement it makes sense to place the reel at the camera end. Make sure there is
enough free cable coming out of the stationary end of the cable reel to accommodate a
well‐managed connection to the camera.
Planning the cable route requires common sense and the ability to foresee the unforeseen.
Running the Fiber Cable
Do the following when running your Fiber Cable:
1 Make sure that both ends of the Fiber Cable are securely capped. In this case the concern is
dirt and damage. ANY dirt in the connector can adversely affect Fiber Optical performance
and potentially cause you to lose the use of your camera while the problem is diagnosed
and remedied.
2 If the cable run is long or if you will lose sight of the spooling out cable reel make sure you
have appropriate assistance in running out the cable. When retrieving the cable, assis-
tance to prevent the cable end from being caught or tangled up could be critical. Don’t
start reeling in the cable on your own and assume the Connector end will make it back to
home base safely.
3 When unspooling the cable ALWAYS make sure the stationary end (the end that goes to
the Base Station or Power Supply) us securely contained within the reel. A loose Connector
can bang around and be damaged and NEVER connect the stationary end of the Fiber