Major Network Optical Vendors Will Eventually Need a Video Card

Implications: 1.      Whether it is HD-SDI, SD-SDI or ASI, almost all of the prominent fiber optic suppliers do not really support a video application. 2.      There are small, specialty companies, such as Net Insight, which specifically play in the video market. 3.      MRV’s offering of a pluggable interface for HDTV did not seem to get very far.  

Analysis:  In early 2004, MRV Communications introduced an SFP with an SDI.  In 2006, it announced uncompressed HD-SDI capability on the small form factor.  After the first quarter of 2007, there did not seem to be much discussion in the industry about MRV’s Digital Video SFPs.  Apparently, there were some rate and/or distance limitations with its pluggable.  

The standard physical interface for an HD-SDI is a BNC connector.  So, for just about every system supplier, a viable pluggable is probably necessary to provide the physical interface for video.  

Major applications in offering video transport include usage in pre- and post-production editing facilities and in live broadcast video markets, such as sports events.  Instead of, say, leasing a dark fiber between the production company and the editing firm to send video, it would be much cheaper to just use a single wavelength.  Those initial optical suppliers that are able to pull this off will gain an important competitive edge.