Techwell

SLOC TW3801-C1, TW3811-C1 Reference Tutorial

1 AN1802.0 November 21, 2012

CAUTION: These devices are sensitive to electrostatic discharge; follow proper IC Handling Procedures. 1-888-INTERSIL or 1-888-468-3774 | Copyright Intersil Americas Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved Intersil (and design) and SLOC are trademarks owned by Intersil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Application Note 1802

Table of Contents
Security Camera History .................................................................................................................... 3 The SLOC Solution........................................................................................................................... 4 SLOC Compliance Testing .......................................................................................................... 5 Using Cameras with SLOC ............................................................................................................. 6 Using DVRs and Monitors with SLOC ........................................................................................... 8 System Design Examples ................................................................................................................ 10 SLOC on the Network................................................................................................................ 10 Installation Rules .......................................................................................................................... 11 Video Transformers ...................................................................................................................... 12 Installation Notes and Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................... 13

Application Note 1802

Security Camera History

Throughout the 20th century, most security cameras were standard television definition, generating color or monochrome NTSC, PAL, or SECAM video signals. For interference and security reasons, the video signals were usually hard-wired to monitors, VCRs, and DVRs by a length of coaxial cable, typically copper-core RG59 cable. Today there is a world-wide security camera infrastructure consisting of millions upon millions of miles of coax cable. At the turn of the century, higher-resolution CCD and CMOS imagers enabled the creation of high resolution cameras, but there was no standard (like RS-170a) that allowed them to be transmitted as baseband video over a single cable. At the same time, IP network infrastructure and bandwidth was rapidly expanding, so that (in many installations) it was now feasible to run an Ethernet cable to every camera. The video data from the imager could be digitally compressed using MJPEG, MPEG, or H.264, and converted to IP for transmission over local or wide-area networks. These new IP Cameras had many benefits: flexible, high resolution, streaming to one or more monitors/storage devices at multiple locations, and (since the data was already digital) they made it easier to perform analytics (motion detection, face recognition, etc.). However installers and users also discovered drawbacks to IP-based cameras. Many security cameras have pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) capability, allowing an operator to physically direct the camera to any area of interest or track a moving object or person. However the lag (delay) introduced by the compression, IP packet routing, and decompression necessary for IP cameras can be on the order of one or two seconds, making real-time PTZ control difficult or impossible. The second challenge was retrofitting existing installations, most of which were already wired with coax. Replacing an existing coax installation with Cat x twisted pair was expensive. Ethernet cables have a maximum length of 100m, while even low-quality 3C2V coax cables could run 300m with no appreciable loss of video quality. This meant that repeaters/hubs/switches, etc. (with their required power supplies) needed to be installed for cable runs greater than 100m, adding to expense and complexity.

Application Note 1802

The SLOC Solution

SLOC (Security Link Over Coax) addresses these issues, combining the capabilities and flexibility of the latest IP cameras with 500m RG59 coax cable support and the lag-free monitoring that security customers have become accustomed to, and require in many situations. SLOC Technology: Extends the reach of IP cameras to match that of analog. The 100m Cat x IP limitation is removed, so SLOC can reach 500m 5 times longer than a traditional IP camera. SLOC leverages the infrastructure of existing coax installations. Upgrading a site from analog to IP no longer requires replacing coax with Cat x (and additional routers, hubs, etc. for distance) the original coax cable is used for IP, and the original analog signal is retained. IP cameras are not limited to a maximum of 1080p or any standard video format SLOC will transport IP video of any resolution. Since SLOC supports analog CVBS as well as IP, there is always a latency-free analog option for instantaneous PTZ feedback and live-view. The analog and IP signals can even go to different DVRs/NVRs, providing signal and storage redundancy at a low incremental cost. SLOC combines the bidirectional IP data stream with the CVBS analog video signal and simultaneously transmits both over a maximum length of 500m RG59 cable. A point-to-point SLOC solution uses one transmit IC (TW3801) and one receive IC (TW3811). No compression or other processing is performed on the analog CVBS video. It is transmitted in the same manner as standard CVBS cameras baseband video, providing the same image quality (and very low latency) as traditional CVBS cameras. The video IP data from the camera to the receiver (the downstream path) is modulated onto a 20MHz carrier, creating a continuous 36Mb/s data path. The IP control information going back to the camera (the upstream path) is on a 40MHz carrier with a link data rate up to 11Mbps (though 4Mbps is recommended to achieve 500m distances). SLOC supports the 10/100 Mb/s Ethernet standard. It is able to do that with 36Mb/s and 4Mb/s continuous data rates because IP camera data rates (including HD) are typically less than 10Mb/s downstream and negligible upstream. The SLOC hardware embeds internal buffers to handle short bursts of 100Mb/s data from I-frame updates, etc. By enabling IP cameras with compression and (optionally) analytics performed inside the camera, less functionality is required inside the NVR, providing a more streamlined and cost-effective security solution.

Application Note 1802

SLOC Compliance Testing
Verifies that hybrid video quality standards are met by assuring hardware meets electrical compliance specifications for passing products. Among the tests performed, certified SLOC products have been measured to achieve a distance of 500 meters Belden #54945 at 36Mbps downstream and 4Mbps upstream. All SLOC equipment bearing the SLOC logo must pass SLOC certification testing. The testing ensures that SLOC cameras and receivers from different manufacturers will work well together, minimizing one source of installation and operational issues. All certified products will be granted use of the SLOC logo for marketing materials and for labeling and identifying the SLOC BNC connector on the end product.

Application Note 1802

Using Cameras with SLOC

Existing IP cameras can be converted to the SLOC standar d by attaching them to an adapter module or dongle. This adapter does not have an independent IP address, instead it uses the address of the IP camera, so the adapter is transparent from a network point of view. The adapter functions by converting the physical layer of the IP network from a LAN to a signal that can be combined with the analog input and transmitted over one coaxial cable. As in Figure 1, each adapter has an analog video input, an RJ45 Ethernet input and one BNC connector output:

Conventional IP Camera
CVBS_OUT
75

SLOC Adapter Module

25MHz

BNC

Coax

BNC

CVBS_IN
75

Image Sensor

Camera Processor
E-MAC

25MHz

MII1

TW3801
I2C

Techwell

COAX_I COAX_O
75

BNC

Coax

RJ45

MII

10/100 PHY
I2C

Cat5

RJ45

10/100 PHY

Connect to SLOC Receiver Modem

MCU

MCU

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2. AN EXAMPLE OF TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE ADAPTER MODULES

Application Note 1802

Alternatively, SLOC can be embedded in the camera itself: SLOC Embedded IP Camera
25MHz

E -MAC

MII 2

CVBS _IN

TW 3801
I 2C MII1

Techwell

COAX_I COAX_O
75

BNC

Coax

Image Sensor

Camera Processor

75

Connect to SLOC Receiver Modem

RJ 45

MCU

1 /10 0PHY 0

FIGURE 3.

The camera will continue to function as a normal network camera after it is SLOC enabled and the TW3801 chip is embedded inside. A SLOC camera may have both a SLOC BNC connector and (optionally) an RJ45 connector. However the MAC address from the IP camera will be the same for both, so if a camera supports both interfaces, only one should be used at a time.

Application Note 1802

Using DVRs and Monitors with SLOC

Just as with cameras, existing DVRs and monitors can support the SLOC standard by using a receive-side adapter/dongle. Similar to how a transmit dongle is inserted after the traditional analog and IP outputs from the camera, the receive dongle is inserted in front of the traditional analog and IP inputs of a DVR/NVR or network switch. Just like the transmit dongle, the receive dongle itself does not have an IP address; it transparently passes analog video and IP data from the coax cable through the SLOC input terminal to the analog video and IP output terminals.

25MHz

SPOT Monitor
CVBS_OUT
BNC

Coax

BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

Coax

Connect to SLOC-based Camera

TW3811
I2C

Techwell

75

MII1

DVR
RJ45

MCU

10/100 PHY

Cat5

Network Switch NVR

FIGURE 4.

Application Note 1802

When there are many channels of SLOC data, an Ethernet switch or router can be used to combine all the IP streams into a single gigabit stream, just as would be in a standard IP camera configuration.
25MHz

Coax

BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

CVBS_OUT

BNC

Coax

Connect to SLOC-based Camera 1

BNC

TW3811

Techwell

75

MII1

10/100 PHY

25MHz

I2C CVBS_OUT
BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

Connect to SLOC-based Camera 2

TW3811

Techwell

75

Analog Channels (1 to N)

MII1

10/100 PHY

I2C

Hybrid DVR

25MHz

BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

CVBS_OUT

BNC

Connect to SLOC-based Camera N

TW3811

Techwell

75

MII1

10/100 PHY

IP Channels (1 to N)

MCU

I2C

RJ45

Multi-Port Ethernet Switch Controller

GMII

1G PHY

FIGURE 5.

And of course SLOC technology can be embedded in the DVR itself:

25MHz

Coax

BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

CVBS_OUT

Connect to SLOC-based Camera 1

Coax
BNC

TW3811

Techwell

75

MII1

10/100 PHY

Techwell Live TW286X Techwell TW286X Techwell TW286X Techwell TW286X

REC

Techwell TW288X

PB

HD CODEC H.264

25MHz

I2C CVBS_OUT

COAX_I COAX_O
75

Connect to SLOC-based Camera 2

TW3811

Techwell

75

MII1

10/100 PHY

PCI

I2C

Multi-Port Ethernet Switch Controller

GMII

Host Processor

25MHz

Coax

BNC

COAX_I COAX_O
75

CVBS_OUT

Connect to SLOC-based Camera N

TW3811

Techwell

75

MII1

10/100 PHY

Network

Comm

Storage

MCU

I2C

FIGURE 6.

Application Note 1802

System Design Examples

SLOC on the Network
IP cameras offer the advantage of transmitting easily-stored and accessed compressed data, allowing off-line analysis and simultaneous backups in multiple locations. SLOC enhances this benefit by allowing that IP transmission over coaxial cable. There are various network configurations with and without SLOC enabled products, examples shown below. The key point to remember is that SLOC is transparent a SLOC Rx/Tx pair essentially looks like a wire (or an Ethernet cable) to the network.
HUB (Layer 2 switching) LAN IP NVR

SLOC camera Coax

SLOC Adapter(Rx) or SLOC NVR

192.168.1.100
Network camera LAN SLOC Adapter(TX) Coax

SLOC Adapter(Rx) or SLOC NVR LAN

192.168.1.103
PC

192.168.1.101
Network camera
LAN

192.168.1.104
192.168.1.102
FIGURE 7.

All IP Addresses are for example only

The picture below shows the viewpoint from the network. Each set-up is the same as a normal networked product, regardless of the SLOC devices between the camera and the hub/switch.
SLOC camera

IP DVR

192.168.1.100
Network camera

192.168.1.103
PC

192.168.1.101
Network camera

192.168.1.104 192.168.1.102
FIGURE 8.

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Application Note 1802

Installation Rules
Just as with an IP network, only point-to-point SLOC connections are supported:
SLOC camera SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Valid

FIGURE 9.

As mentioned in the DVR section, multiple cameras can also be used as long as there is one embedded SLOC receiver for every embedded SLOC transmitter.
SLOC DVR SLOC camera Coax

192.168.1.100
SLOC camera

Valid
192.168.1.101
SLOC camera

Coax

Coax

192.168.1.102 FIGURE 10.

The following connections are not supported and will not work:
SLOC camera SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Invalid

SLOC Adaptor (Rx) LAN

SLOC camera

SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Invalid
SLOC camera

FIGURE 11.

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Application Note 1802

Analog Video Splitter
SLOC camera SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Invalid

SLOC Adaptor (Rx) LAN

FIGURE 13.

Analog Video Equalizer

SLOC camera SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Invalid

FIGURE 12.

Video Transformers
Sometimes differences in ground potential can arise over long distances, such as the 500m SLOC is capable of reaching. This could be a DC differential or it could be 50Hz or 60Hz. If the effects of the ground loop are large enough to degrade analog image quality or prevent error-free IP communication, a video transformer can be used to break the ground loop. Because SLOC bandwidth (up to ~50MHz) is much higher than standard video (~6MHz), not all video transformers that work well with analog video will also work with SLOC. A transformer with inadequate bandwidth can degrade the performance of the IP link (significantly reducing the maximum cable length) or even prevent the IP link from working at all.

30Hz to 5MHz Video Transformer

SLOC camera SLOC Adaptor (Rx) Coax LAN

Invalid

FIGURE 14.

Therefore it is important to choose a transformer with good high frequency characteristics so there is minimal attenuation. Intersil recommends the following transformer which supports the SLOC standard: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION Type:WAA-7075M http://www.nihonkohden.co.jp/trans/trans/signal.html Note that, even when using a high grade transformer with the SLOC system, the transmission distance may become shorter (typically by about 10%) due to the losses introduced by the transformer.

12

Application Note 1802

Installation Notes and Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If I use SLOC, will I need to get my system compliance tested? A: Yes. This is to verify quality standards are met for all units with the SLOC interface and bearing the SLOCTM logo. It also ensures hardware compatibility between embedded and dongle/adapter devices using the SLOC interface. Q: Is it possible to mix and match SLOC cameras, DVRs, and dongles from different manufacturers? A: Yes. Once the product is SLOC certified, the hardware interface will be standard whether it is embedded or discrete. A SLOC embedded camera can operate with a receiver dongle and an NVR with both CVBS and IP inputs just as a standard IP camera with CVBS and IP outputs can operate with a SLOC embedded NVR. Q: What length of cable does SLOC support? A: Since SLOC transmits at higher frequencies than analog video; the maximum cable length is a function of the cable quality and composition. The certified SLOC products have been measured to achieve a distance of 500 meters Belden #54945 at 36Mbps downstream and 4Mbps upstream. SLOC can also reach up to 300m with less-expensive bare copper SYV75-3/64 (1/0.5) cable from Shenzhen Shuangying Cable Co or equivalent. Q: Can I use a video booster to extend the range of SLOC? A: No. Because SLOC data is bi-directional, a video booster/amplifier would block the upstream channel, preventing Ethernet operation altogether. Q: Can I use RF splitters/combiners/boosters with SLOC ? A: No. Like a CVBS surveillance system, SLOC uses point-to-point connections only. Each SLOC camera/ transmitter must connect to its own SLOC receiver.

Intersil Corporation reserves the right to make changes in circuit design, software and/or specifications at any time without notice. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned to verify that the Application Note or Technical Brief is current before proceeding. For information regarding Intersil Corporation and its products, see www.intersil.com