Ross DRA-8204 User manual

Ross Video Limited
DRA-8204
Dual MD-SDI Reclocking Amplifier
User Manual

DRA-8204 •Dual MD-SDI Reclocking Amplifier User Manual
• Ross Part Number: 8204DR-004-05
• Release Date: March 18, 2010. Printed in Canada.
The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice or obligation.
Copyright
© 2010 Ross Video Limited. All rights reserved.
Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of
Ross Video Limited. Reproduction or reverse engineering of copyrighted software is prohibited.
Patents
This product is protected by the following US Patents: 4,205,346; 5,115,314; 5,280,346;
5,561,404; 7,034,886; 7,508,455. This product is protected by the following Canadian Patents:
2039277; 1237518; 1127289. Other patents pending.
Notice
The material in this manual is furnished for informational use only. It is subject to change without
notice and should not be construed as commitment by Ross Video Limited. Ross Video Limited
assumes no responsibility or liability for errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this manual.
Trademarks
• is a registered trademark of Ross Video Limited.
•is a trademark of Ross Video Limited.
• Ross, ROSS, ROSS®are registered trademarks of Ross Video Limited.
• DashBoard Control System™ is a trademark of Ross Video Limited.
• All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in
this guide are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of
their respective owners.

Important Regulatory and Safety Notices
Before using this product and any associated equipment, refer to the “Important Safety
Instructions” listed below to avoid personnel injury and to prevent product damage.
Products may require specific equipment, and/or installation procedures to be carried out to
satisfy certain regulatory compliance requirements. Notices have been included in this
publication to call attention to these specific requirements.
Symbol Meanings
Important Safety Instructions
This symbol on the equipment refers you to important operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions within the Product Manual Documentation. Failure to heed this
information may present a major risk of damage or injury to persons or equipment.
Warning — The symbol with the word “Warning” within the equipment manual
indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death
or serious injury.
Caution — The symbol with the word “Caution” within the equipment manual
indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor
or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe practices.
Notice — The symbol with the word “Notice” within the equipment manual indicates
a situation, which if not avoided, may result in major or minor equipment damage or a
situation which could place the equipment in a non-compliant operating state.
ESD Susceptibility — This symbol is used to alert the user that an electrical or
electronic device or assembly is susceptible to damage from an ESD event.
Caution — This product is intended to be a component product of the DFR-8300
series frame. Refer to the DFR-8300 series frame User Manual for important safety
instructions regarding the proper installation and safe operation of the frame as well
as its component products.
Warning — Certain parts of this equipment namely the power supply area still
present a safety hazard, with the power switch in the OFF position. To avoid electrical
shock, disconnect all A/C power cards from the chassis’ rear appliance connectors
before servicing this area.
Warning — Service barriers within this product are intended to protect the operator
and service personnel from hazardous voltages. For continued safety, replace all
ba rrie r s aft e r an y servicing.
This product contains safety critical parts, which if incorrectly replaced may present a
risk of fire or electrical shock. Components contained with the product’s power
supplies and power supply area, are not intended to be customer serviced and should
be returned to the factory for repair. To reduce the risk of fire, replacement fuses must
be the same time and rating. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

EMC Notices
United States of America
FCC Part 15
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A Digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used
in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
CANADA
This Class “A” digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appariel numerique de la classe “A” est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
EUROPE
This equipment is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of
CE Directive 93/68/EEC.
INTERNATIONAL
This equipment has been tested to CISPR 22:1997 along with amendments A1:2000 and
A2:2002, and found to comply with the limits for a Class A Digital device.
Maintenance/User Serviceable Parts
Routine maintenance to this openGear product is not required. This product contains no user
serviceable parts. If the module does not appear to be working properly, please contact Technical
Support using the numbers listed under the “Contact Us” section on the last page of this manual.
All openGear products are covered by a generous 5-year warranty and will be repaired without
charge for materials or labor within this period. See the “Warranty and Repair Policy” section in
this manual for details.
Notice — Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by
Ross Video Limited could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.
Notice — This is a Class A product. In domestic environments, this product may
cause radio interference, in which case the user may have to take adequate
measures.

Environmental Information
The equipment that you purchased required the extraction and use of natural
resources for its production. It may contain hazardous substances that could
impact health and the environment.
To avoid the potential release of those substances into the environment and to diminish the need
for the extraction of natural resources, Ross Video encourages you to use the appropriate
take-back systems. These systems will reuse or recycle most of the materials from your
end-of-life equipment in an environmentally friendly and health conscious manner.
The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol invites you to use these systems.
If you need more information on the collection, reuse, and recycling systems, please contact your
local or regional waste administration. You can also contact Ross Video for more information on
the environmental performances of our products.

Company Address
Ross Video Limited
8 John Street
Iroquois, Ontario
Canada, K0E 1K0
Ross Video Incorporated
P.O. Box 880
Ogdensburg, New York
USA 13669-0880
General Business Office: (+1) 613 •652 •4886
Fax: (+1) 613 •652 •4425
Technical Support: (+1) 613 •652 •4886
After Hours Emergency: (+1) 613 •349 •0006
E-mail (Technical Support): [e-mail]
E-mail (General Information): soluti[email protected]
Website: http://www.rossvideo.com

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Contents • 1
Contents
Introduction 1
Overview.............................................................................................................................. 1-2
Features.................................................................................................................. 1-2
Functional Block Diagram................................................................................................... 1-3
Documentation Terms.......................................................................................................... 1-4
Installation 2
Before You Begin ................................................................................................................2-2
Static Discharge..................................................................................................... 2-2
Unpacking.............................................................................................................. 2-2
Installing the DRA-8204...................................................................................................... 2-3
Rear Modules for the DRA-8204 .......................................................................... 2-3
Installing a Rear Module ....................................................................................... 2-3
Installing the DRA-8204 ....................................................................................... 2-4
Cabling for the DRA-8204 .................................................................................................. 2-5
User Controls 3
Card Overview..................................................................................................................... 3-2
Output Channel Configuration............................................................................................. 3-4
Channel Rate Selection Buttons and LEDs........................................................... 3-4
Single or Dual Channel Jumper Configurations.................................................... 3-4
Control and Monitoring ....................................................................................................... 3-5
Status and Selection LEDs on the DRA-8204....................................................... 3-5
Factory Default Values.......................................................................................... 3-6
Reclocker Rate Selection ..................................................................................................... 3-7
Reclocker Rate Selection LEDs ............................................................................ 3-7
Menus 4
SNMP Monitoring and Control ........................................................................................... 4-2
DashBoard Control System Software .................................................................................. 4-3
Status Menus ......................................................................................................... 4-3
Setup Menus .......................................................................................................... 4-4
Routing Menus ...................................................................................................... 4-5
Alarms Menus ....................................................................................................... 4-5
Specifications 5
Technical Specifications ...................................................................................................... 5-2
Service Information 6
Troubleshooting Checklist................................................................................................... 6-2
Bootload Button .................................................................................................... 6-2
Warranty and Repair Policy................................................................................................. 6-3

2 • Contents DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Introduction • 1–1
Introduction
In This Chapter
This chapter contains the following sections:
• Overview
• Functional Block Diagram
• Documentation Terms
A Word of Thanks
Congratulations on choosing an openGear DRA-8204 Dual MD-SDI Reclocking Amplifier.
Your DRA-8204 is part of a full line of Digital Products within the openGear Terminal
Equipment family of products, backed by Ross Video's experience in engineering and design
expertise since 1974.
You will be pleased at how easily your new DRA-8204 fits into your overall working
environment. Equally pleasing is the product quality, reliability and functionality. Thank you for
joining the group of worldwide satisfied Ross Video customers!
Should you have a question pertaining to the installation or operation of your DRA-8204, please
contact us at the numbers listed on the back cover of this manual. Our technical support staff is
always available for consultation, training, or service.

1–2 • Introduction DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)
Overview
The DRA-8204 is a two channel Multi-Definition SDI distribution amplifier, capable of
equalizing and reclocking all common serial digital signals. Support for both standard-definition
and high-definition signals makes the DRA-8204 a universal SDI distribution amplifier.
Each channel of the DRA-8204equalizes the incoming SDI signal, compensating for up to 300m
of cable at 270Mbps and over 120m of cable at 1.485Gbps. The signal is then reclocked, with
automatic rate detection for all popular data rates. Each channel is fully independent and can run
at different data rates. LED indicators at the front of the card identify the presence of incoming
video and the identified signal data rate for each channel independently.
A special feature of the DRA-8204 is the ability to operate in a number of different channel
configurations. Dual channel mode is ideal for applications requiring only a few outputs, such as
mid-cable signal boosters, router expansion, or signal cleanup. Up to 20 SDI distribution channels
can be housed in a 2RU space. Special attention has been taken to ensure the SDI outputs
faithfully reproduce the incoming signals, with excellent jitter and return loss specifications.
LED indicators at the front of the card identify the presence of incoming video, simplifying
system troubleshooting.
Features
The following features make the DRA-8204 the best solution for general SDI equalizing, reclocking,
and distribution:
• Two independent channels of SDI distribution
• Flexible channel configurations:
• a single channel 1:8
• a dual channel 1:4 + 1:4
• a dual channel 1:6 + 1:2
• Equalizes and reclocks all popular SDI signals from 143Mbps to 1.485Gbps
• Equalizes up to 300m of Belden 1694A cable at 270Mbps, or over 120m of cable at
1.485Gbps
• Automatic detection of incoming data rate
• LED indicators for signal presence and data rate for each channel
• Excellent input and output return loss exceeds SMPTE specifications
• Fits openGear DFR-8300 series frames
• 5 year transferable warranty

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Introduction • 1–3
Functional Block Diagram
This section provides the functional block diagram for the DRA-8204.
Figure 1.1 Simplified Block Diagram of DRA-8204 Functions
SDI OUT
BNC 2
BNC 3
BNC 4
BNC 5
BNC 6
BNC 7
BNC 8
BNC 10
Equalizer
Equalizer
Reclocker
Reclocker
Channel A
(BNC 1)
Channel B
(BNC 9)
Crosspoint
SDI IN

1–4 • Introduction DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)
Documentation Terms
The following terms are used throughout this manual:
•“Frame” refers to DFR-8300 series frame that houses the DRA-8204 card, as well as any
openGear frames.
• All references to the DFR-8300 series frame also includes all version of the 10-slot
(DFR-8310 series) and 20-slot (DFR-8321 series) frames and any available options
unless otherwise noted.
• All references to the DRA-8204 also includes all versions unless otherwise indicated.
•“Operator” and “User” refer to the person who uses DRA-8204.
•“Board”, and “Card” refer to openGear terminal devices within openGear frames,
including all components and switches.
•“System” and “Video system” refer to the mix of interconnected production and terminal
equipment in your environment.
•“DashBoard” refers to the DashBoard Control System™.
• The “Operating Tips” and “Note” boxes are used throughout this manual to provide
additional user information.

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Installation • 2–1
Installation
In This Chapter
This chapter provides instructions for installing the rear modules for the DRA-8204, installing the
card into the frame, and cabling details.
The following topics are discussed:
• Before You Begin
• Installing the DRA-8204
• Cabling for the DRA-8204

2–2 • Installation DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)
Before You Begin
Before proceeding with the instructions in this chapter, ensure that your DFR-8300 series frame is
properly installed according to the instructions in the DFR-8300 Series User Manual.
Static Discharge
Whenever handling the DRA-8204 and other related equipment, please observe all static
discharge precautions as described in the following note:
Unpacking
Unpack each DRA-8204 you received from the shipping container and ensure that all items are
included. If any items are missing or damaged, contact your sales representative or Ross Video
directly.
ESD Susceptibility — Static discharge can cause serious damage to sensitive
semiconductor devices. Avoid handling circuit boards in high static environments such as
carpeted areas and when synthetic fiber clothing is worn. Always exercise proper grounding
precautions when working on circuit boards and related equipment.

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Installation • 2–3
Installing the DRA-8204
This section outlines how to install a Rear Module and the DRA-8204 in a DFR-8300 series
frame.
Rear Modules for the DRA-8204
The following rear module are required when installing the DRA-8204:
•DFR-8310 series frames — The DRA-8204 requires the 8310AR-030 Rear Module
(R1-8204), and is also compatible with the DFR-8310-BNC frame.
•DFR-8321 series frames — The DRA-8204 requires the 8320AR-030 Full Rear Module
(R2-8204).
Installing a Rear Module
If you are installing the DRA-8204 in an DFR-8310-BNC frame, or the rear module is already
present, skip this section
Use the following procedure to install a Rear Module in a DFR-8300 series frame:
1. Refer to the DFR-8300 Series User Manual to ensure that the frame is properly
installed according to instructions.
2. Locate the card frame slot on the rear of the frame.
3. Seat the bottom of the Rear Module in the seating slot at the base of the frame’s back
plane.
Figure 2.1 Rear Module Installation (DRA-8204 not shown)
4. Align the top hole of the Rear Module with the screw hole on the top edge of the frame
back plane.
5. Using a Phillips screwdriver and the supplied screw, fasten the Rear Module to the frame
back plane. Do not over tighten.
This completes the procedure for installing the RM-8300-B in an 8300 series frame.

2–4 • Installation DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)
Installing the DRA-8204
Use the following procedure to install the DRA-8204 in a DFR-8300 series frame:
1. Locate the Rear Module you installed in the procedure “Installing a Rear Module” on
page 2-3.
2. Ensure the Rear Module is the required one.
3. Hold the card by the edges and carefully align the card edges with the slots in the frame.
4. Fully insert the card into the frame until the rear connection plugs are properly seated on
the midplane and rear module.
5. Affix the supplied Rear Module label to the BNC area on the rear module.
This completes the procedure for installing the DRA-8204 in an DFR-8300 series frame.

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) Installation • 2–5
Cabling for the DRA-8204
This section provides instructions for connecting cables to the installed Rear Modules on the
DFR-8300 series frame backplane. Connect the input and output cables according to the
following diagram. The inputs are internally terminated in 75 ohms. It is not necessary to
terminate unused outputs.
Figure 2.2 Cable Connections for the DRA-8204
The flexible assignment of Input Channels to Output BNCs via jumper selection is discussed in the
section “Output Channel Configuration” on page 3-4.

2–6 • Installation DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)

DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05) User Controls • 3–1
User Controls
In This Chapter
This chapter provides a general overview of the user controls available on the DRA-8204.
This following topics are discussed:
• Card Overview
• Output Channel Configuration
• Control and Monitoring

3–2 • User Controls DRA-8204 User Manual (Iss. 05)
Card Overview
This section provides an overview of the DRA-8204 components. The DRA-8204 is a dual
channel Distribution Amplifier, and will only have components installed into the CHANNEL A
and Bsections of the card-edge. Channel C is not applicable to the DRA-8204.
Figure 3.1 DRA-8204 — Card-edge Controls
1. Card Control (JP1)
JP1 selects whether the Output Mute and Output Channel Configuration jumper settings are
respected or ignored by remote control settings. Using Figure 3.1, the card labeling, and the
following descriptions, select one of the following options on JP1:
•REMOTE — the local jumper settings are ignored and the card is configured remotely.
•LOCAL — the local jumper settings are respected and card is controlled locally. The
card controls and status can be read remotely but not changed (default setting).
2. Loss of Signal (JP2)
Using Figure 3.1, the card labeling, and the following descriptions, select one of the following
options on JP2 to enable or disable the Loss of Signal option:
•MUTE — a channel’s outputs will be muted if the input signal degrades to the point that
the input EQ can no longer guarantee error-free performance. When the red ERROR LED
is on, the outputs will be muted.
• If you have input channels set to any rate other than Auto mode, we recommend this
jumper position. The output of the card would then mute if an incorrect data rate is
applied to the input, or if the input signal became too weak for the input equalizer to
compensate for.
•NO MUTE — a channel’s outputs will work to the limits of the input stage (default
setting).
3. BNC 2 and 4 Configuration (JP3)
Using Figure 3.1, the card labeling, and the following descriptions, select one of the following
input channels on JP3 to output:
•A— BNCs will output the signal input on Channel A (default setting).
•B — BNCs will output the signal input on Channel B.
1) Card Control (JP1) 4) BNC 3 and 5 Configuration (JP4) 7) Channel B Rate Selection Button
2) Loss of Signal (JP2) 5) BNCs 6-10 Configuration (JP5) 8) Bootload Button
3) BNC 2 and 4 Configuration (JP3) 6) Channel A Rate Selection Button
Note — This setting applies to control of the jumpers only. Card-edge buttons and
switch settings can be configured remotely or locally in either setting
1 2
3
5
4
8
6
7