Kramer Electronics 648 User Manual

Kramer Electronics, Ltd.

USER MANUAL

Model:

648

FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater

Contents

Contents

1

Introduction 1

2

Getting Started 1

3

Overview 2

3.1 About FireWire 2

3.2 About the FireWire Repeater 3

3.3 Recommendations for Achieving the Best Performance 4

4

Your 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater 4

5

Using the 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater 6

5.1 Connecting the 648 to a Peripheral Device 6

5.2 Using the 648 to Connect Other Peripheral Devices 8

5.3 Interconnecting the Bilingual Backward Compatible Ports to 1394a Devices 9

6

Technical Specifications 9

Figures

Figure 1: 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater 4
Figure 2: 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater – Top and Lower Side Panels 5
Figure 3: Connecting the 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater to a Peripheral Device 7
Figure 4: Connecting the 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater to Surveillance Cameras 8

Tables

Table 1: 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater Features 5
Table 2: Technical Specifications of the 648 9

i

Introduction

1 Introduction

Welcome to Kramer Electronics (since 1981): a world of unique, creative and
affordable solutions to the infinite range of problems that confront the video, audio
and presentation professional on a daily basis. In recent years, we have redesigned
and upgraded most of our line, making the best even better! Our 350-plus different
models now appear in 8 Groups1, which are clearly defined by function.

Congratulations on purchasing your Kramer DigiTOOLS 648 FireWire2
800/1394b Optical Repeater, which is ideal for:

 Extending IEEE1394b protocol signals for high-speed external disk drives
 Professional scanners and printers
 Cameras for surveillance systems, digital audio and video
 Home entertainment components

The package includes the following items:

 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater
 One FireWire 9-pin to 6-pin connector cable
 Power adapter (12V DC Input)
 This user manual3

2 Getting Started

We recommend that you:

 Unpack the equipment carefully and save the original box and packaging

materials for possible future shipment

 Review the contents of this user manual
 Use Kramer high performance high resolution cables4

1 GROUP 1: Distribution Amplifiers; GROUP 2: Video and Audio Switchers, Matrix Switchers and Controllers; GROUP 3:
Video, Audio, VGA/XGA Processors; GROUP 4: Interfaces and Sync Processors; GROUP 5: Twisted Pair Interfaces;
GROUP 6: Accessories and Rack Adapters; GROUP 7: Scan Converters and Scalers; and GROUP 8: Cables and Connectors
2 FireWire, also known as IEEE 1394, was designed to be a universal interconnect, eliminating the need for many different
input/output connectors. The 1394 bus is a versatile, high speed, and inexpensive way to connect a wide variety of consumer
electronic devices. There are currently two standards: the original FireWire, now referred to as FireWire 400 or IEEE 1394,
and FireWire 800 or IEEE 1394b. As the names imply, the maximum speed of FireWire 400 is 400 Mbps, whereas FireWire
800 maximum speed is 800 Mbps
3 Download up-to-date Kramer user manuals from the Internet at this URL: http://www.kramerelectronics.com
4 The complete list of Kramer cables is on our Web site at http://www.kramerelectronics.com

1

Overview

3 Overview

The high performance 648 FireWire 800/1394b Optical Repeater can connect
between a host computer and remotely located peripheral devices via fiber
optics. IEEE 1394b protocol signals can be extended to up to 500m (1640
feet), with a data rate of up to 800Mbps in full duplex mode1.

In particular, the 648:

 Fully complies to the 1394b-2002 standard and is backward-compatible to

the 1394a-2000 and 1995 standards at 100/200/400Mbps

 Includes two electrical bilingual ports and an optical duplex LC fiber optic

connector (transmitter and receiver)

 Includes full P1394a support, that is, Connection Debounce, Arbitrated

Short Reset, Multispeed Concatenation, Arbitration Acceleration, Fly-By
Concatenation, Port Disable/Suspend/Resume

 Meets Class 1 eye safety, certified by FDA/CDRH and IEC 60825-1
 Works with both PC and Mac computers
 Provides power through the connector

3.1 About FireWire

The Kramer DigiTOOLS 648 is based on FireWire which:

 Is a serial bus standard2 that enables quick universal interfacing between

video and computer hardware items3

 Is simple to use and operates independently of the host system, letting you

connect more items than you otherwise could (as a computer only has
limited ports available), and for extended distances. Several can be
cascaded to create up to a 63 port FireWire Repeater / HUB

 Supports Plug and Play4, hot swapping5 and isochronous6 and

asynchronous applications

1 While the maximum cable length for transferring a 1394b protocol signal is currently 4.5 meters, the optical cables support
extension to up to 500 meters
2 Originally developed by Apple™ and published as IEEE 1394 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
3 Hardware items include digital cameras, computers, printers, VCRs, CD-ROMs, hard disks, scanners and graphic cards
4 Configures automatically. Whenever a device is added or removed the 1394 bus re-enumerates
5 You can connect and disconnect inputs and outputs dynamically, without having to restart the computer or cycle power
6 Video / audio applications require constant transfer rates, which the serial bus provides by supporting isochronous transfers

2

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