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from the how-many-nanoseconds-is-50-meters? dept.
Cosemi Launches USB 3.1 Gen 2 Hybrid Active Optical Cable: Up to 50 Meters of USB
Cosemi has introduced the industry's first USB 3.1 Gen 2 hybrid active optical cables (hAOC), which enable USB connectivity over distances upwards of 50 meters. The cables will be available with various connectors and therefore will be able to address various applications.
As you might guess from the name, Cosemi's USB 3.1 Gen 2 hybrid active optical cables use fiber optics for data transfers, which is further paired with copper wires for control and power. The data portion of the cable is fully USB SuperSpeed+ capable, meaning it can transfer 10Gbps in each direction. [Notably], since hAOCs can power themselves, unlike other solutions they do not need any extension boxes or repeaters, making them simpler and more reliable. Using fiber for the data channel also means that the cables are more resistant against EM and RF interference, which is particularly important for medical applications.
The manufacturer plans to offer hAOCs with various types of connectors, including USB Type-A to USB Type-A, USB Type-A to USB Type-C, as well as USB Type-C to USB Type-C, with A-to-C cables being the first type out the door. And while the cables are best geared for high bandwidth applications, like copper USB 3.1 Gen 2 cables, the hybrid active optical cables are backwards compatible with the USB 2.0 spec.
I'd buy one for $5.
(Score: 2) by TrentDavey on Wednesday February 13 2019, @04:38PM (1 child)
When I worked making optical combiners/splitters (you can't just screw two or three cables together under a shared screw terminal) as a demo I saw fiber tied in a tight knot and still perform fine. And this was single mode, very small core fiber.
(Score: 3, Informative) by bob_super on Wednesday February 13 2019, @06:16PM
Under 5cm bend diameter (1 inch bend radius for the challenged), off-the-shelf fiber will not like you and losses will happen exponentially as the radius shrinks (light leaks, plus core damage). Sure, you can make a knot, but that fiber won't ever work the same. Reliability depends on your optical budget and optical return loss requirements.
Some specialty fibers can bend much tighter safely, but you wouldn't use those for multi-km links. Last I checked, they were also expensive.
Tradeoffs...