Developments in WTDM technology for high-capacity optical studio networks

Abstract

This paper reviews results achieved in high-capacity optical networking for television studios under RACE projects 1036 and 2001. A network based on wavelength- and time-division multiplexing (WTDM) has been demonstrated, which, using 16 wavelengths, provides a total capacity of 39.8 Gbit s-1. We summarize previously reported results obtained in the system test-bed, which demonstrate the distribution of uncompressed digital video signals ranging from PAL at 142 Mbit s-1 to HDTV at 1.15 Gbit s-1. The process of further developing this technology for a pilot installation has established that it will be applicable not only to central routeing within a television studio but also to resilient network provision and the interconnection of remote sites. We review how network resilience is achieved by multiple interconnected star architectures and outline how recent results with integrated star couplers suggest that these designs can be delivered at low cost. We report new experiments demonstrating an optically amplified network over a commercially installed 36-km link, thus confirming the feasibility of a long-reach routeing system. We also report results illustrating how lithium niobate devices can perform optical switching on the wavelength multiplex and thus offer potential advantages in system transparency and throughput. Our conclusion is that we have confirmed the feasibility of the WTDM concept and demonstrated its potential for wider application.