Belden Takes Home Emmy® Award for Hybrid Electrical & Fiber Camera Cable and Connectors

Since 1949, the Technology & Engineering Emmy® Awards have recognized talented and innovative leaders and companies making the world of television possible.

Belden is being honored for its significant impact on the broadcast industry and vital role in standardizing SMPTE cables. As video transitioned from analog to digital, copper camera cable couldn’t transmit digital signals across long distances. The industry needed a way to move digital video over long distances using fiber while also providing power to cameras.

“Belden had excellent knowledge of broadcast technology and Mohawk—a Belden brand—had a superb team of fiber experts,” explains Belden Vice President of Global Research and Development Martin Van Der Burgt, who sat on the SMPTE standards committee and served as lead design engineer. “We came together to make this idea work.”

The result: the development and commercialization of the first SMPTE cables to meet North American standards. Commercially available since 1999, Belden SMPTE cables are still used today for various indoor and outdoor broadcast applications. The hybrid electrical and fiber-optic camera cable and connectors were standardized as SMPTE 304M/311M. This innovation accelerated adoption of digital video and allowed networks to confidently invest in digital camera equipment.

“NATAS is delighted to recognize Belden’s continued contributions to the television industry,” says Robert P. Seidel, chairman, NATAS Technology & Engineering Achievement Committee. “The company is to be commended for its innovation and leadership in the market.”

“Belden was there to help create industry standards as we followed the path from analog to digital,” says Van Der Burgt. “Our SMPTE cable has performed through technology changes and is an integral part of broadcast television. Now the industry is moving to the next path, which is ultra-high definition—and Belden is ready to support that transition as well.”

Holding true to its reputation for constant technology innovation, Belden introduced a new solution to support the shift to ultra-high definition (UHD) for 4K video. Belden’s 4K UHD Coax Cable for 12G-SDI supports 4K or UHD content without an overhaul to IP or fiber. It maintains a 12 GHz bandwidth and maximizes 4K/UHD transmission distance over a single link, decreasing bulk associated with dual-link and quad-link configurations. Now manufacturers can integrate 12G-SDI ports into equipment to support traditional coax or upgrades to IP or fiber to support 4K/UHD broadcasting.

“You can have the best products in the world,” says Van Der Burgt, “but if you don’t have the right people who understand technical issues and why certain approaches are better, then they won’t become industry standard. The enormity of a cable and connector winning an Emmy Award is phenomenal and incredibly special.”

Rose Lockwood, Belden’s broadcast global accounts director, was instrumental in working with broadcast networks to facilitate the transition from analog cable to digital cable.

To learn more about Belden’s continued innovation in the broadcast market, visit www.belden.com/markets/broadcast.
   

Resolving signal transmission needs with IP- and legacy-based solutions that enable a smooth migration to convergence requires a universal approach for enterprise environments. Only Belden’s innovative enterprise connectivity solutions take this universal approach. Belden’s extensive portfolio spans LAN, data centers, building automation and security and access control to keep information running smoothly. Outstanding global service and support capabilities and application-specific warranty programs complete Belden’s unique offering.

About Belden

Belden Inc., a global leader in high-quality, end-to-end signal transmission solutions, delivers a comprehensive product portfolio designed to meet the mission-critical network infrastructure needs of industrial, enterprise and broadcast markets. With innovative solutions targeted at reliable and secure transmission of rapidly growing amounts of data, audio and video needed for today’s applications, Belden is at the center of the global transformation to a connected world. Founded in 1902, the company is headquartered in St. Louis and has manufacturing capabilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit us at www.belden.com; follow us on Twitter @BeldenInc.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Williams

Marketing Communications Manager

(317) 815-2402

Lisa.Williams@Belden.com

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