Extron Electronics is now shipping its FOX USB Extender, a fibre optic transmitter and receiver set capable of extending USB 2.0 signals over long distances.
Peripheral devices can be located up to 10km (6.25 miles) from the host computer. The extender is aimed at professional AV system designs that require KVM - Keyboard/Video/Mouse support, reducing the need for additional IP network drops, equipment, and software.
The transmitter enables uninterrupted communication between the host computer and USB device and the extender enables long haul transmission of USB 2.0, 1.1, and 1.0 compliant signals with data rates up to 480 Mbps.
Peripheral emulation is designed to ensure reliable communication whether or not a tie is made to a connected device.
Both the transmitter and receiver include front panel LED indicators for visual confirmation of system activity and the receiver provides an active four-port hub for simultaneous connection of multiple peripheral devices.
The FOX USB Extender can be used for simple point-to-point applications or in combination with FOX Series matrix switchers for support of signal distribution systems up to 1000x1000 and larger.
When used in conjunction with an Extron FOX Series HDMI, DVI, or VGA extender, the FOX USB Extender is capable of transmitting KVM signals long distances over a fibre optic infrastructure.