iTWire - More power over ethernet: a boost for video services

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More power over ethernet: a boost for video services - UPDATE

by Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
! A new standard for the delivery of up to 24 watts of power over standard ethernet cables enabling support for a number of key video services has passed a major milestone and is expected to be ratified by 2009. Related stories Nintendo Wi-Fi network adaptor is actually a router Spooks give CypherNet the tick on Layer 2 encryption iBurst now an IEEE standard More woes for WiMAX? 802.20 rises from the dead - UPDATED. HP claims first commercial Ethernet switch in space (NOTE - as originally posted this article quoted a figure of 30W for the new standard.This was based on incorrect information supplied by the Ethernet Alliance) The current standard for power over ethernet (PoE), IEEE 802.3-2005 (commonly referred to as IEEE 802.3af) provides 15.4 watts - - 48 volts DC over two of the four available pairs on a Cat 3/Cat 5e cable with a maximum current of 400 mA.. However after losses in the cable just under 13W is generally available. It is widely used to power IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, network cameras and other appliances where it would be impractical or costly to supply mains power. According to The Ethernet Alliance, this initial standard "helped consolidate voice and data services using a converged network infrastructure, giving customers enormous savings and greater capabilities from their networks," and the new standard, dubbed, PoE Plus, "promises to add video services in the same converged networks such as those requiring high-end, pan-tilt-zoom video cameras." Alliance president, Val Oliva, said: "PoE Plus brings value to ethernet by enabling key video services such as perimeter security, video conferencing and video-based IP phones for video collaborations. The standard is being developed by the IEEE P802.3at task force. According to the Ethernet Alliance, the task force expects to complete standard ratification by 2009. It has submitted its draft - IEEE P802.3at/Draft 3.0 - to the IEEE 802.3 working group ballot for technical review. The Ethernet Alliance has supported the IEEE P802.3at task force through its PoE/PoE Plus subcommittee whose members promote the benefits and value of PoE and PoE Plus through activities that include: interoperability demonstrations; plugfests; technology demonstrations; webinars and white papers. The PoE/PoE Plus subcommittee plans to hold a plugfest and webinar on PoE Plus in 2008. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to post your comment! Tags See All Tags Ethernet IEEE Standards Stuart Corner Video Get stories like this delivered daily - FREE - subscribe now