Thor Broadcast F-EDFA-33-1X16 FTTx Headend Optical Amplifier | 33 dBm, 16 Outputs | 1550 nm CATV over Fiber

Optical Amplification for FTTx

In fiber to the home and fiber to the building networks the RF television signal rides the 1550 nm band while GPON data uses 1310 and 1490 nm. Getting that RF carrier to hundreds of premises takes more optical power than one transmitter provides. The Thor F-EDFA-33-1X16 is an erbium-doped fiber amplifier that boosts the 1550 nm signal and splits it across sixteen output ports, so many buildings or homes can be fed from one headend.

Gain, Noise and Stability

The amplifier works across an operating wavelength range of 1540 to 1563 nm and accepts input power between -10 and +10 dBm, which gives the designer room to place it after a transmitter or part way along a route. Noise figure is typically 4.5 to 5.5 dB at 0 dBm input. Polarization dependent loss is 0.3 dB and polarization dependent gain 0.4 dB, with input to output isolation of 30 dB and pump power leakage held at -30 dBm.

Ports, Connectors and Monitoring

This model delivers 33 dBm, or 2000 mW, in total across 16 ports at about 19.0 dBm each, with port-to-port variation within 0.5 dB. Outputs are terminated in SC/APC or LC/APC, and Thor stresses that the optical port should be connected using angle-polished connectors; fiber finished in flat PC connectors needs a PC to SC/APC jumper. Output power monitoring and an adjustable output range are offered as options, with echo loss of 55 dB on APC.

Power, Management and Climate

The chassis accepts 90 to 265 V AC, nominally 220 V, or -48 V DC between 30 and 72 V, and draws about 50 W. Management runs over an RS232 serial interface and an RJ45 SNMP network management port, so output levels and alarms can be polled from a headend monitoring system. Working temperature spans -5 to 65 degrees C with storage from -40 to 80 degrees C, and switching time is quoted at 8.0 ms.

Related Models and Specifying

Thor lists F-EDFA-33-2X16, F-EDFA-33-1X32 with 32 ports at 15.5 dBm each, F-EDFA-33-2X32 and the higher-output F-EDFA-34-1X16 at 34 dBm with 20.0 dBm per port. Because FTTH designs are tailored to each site, from a single MDU to a whole city, subscriber count, split ratio and fiber layout determine which code fits. Configurations in this family are quoted per project rather than sold from a fixed list.