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Principles of Operation
Principles of Operation
Although you may have used DrayTek switches for regular networking applications
previously, the V1281 is different because it’s designed for switching A/V.
Sources and Outputs
Throughout this Quick Setup Guide and also within the V1281’s admin interface we will refer
to
sources
and
outputs
.
A
source
is any device which is providing a video or audio output – most commonly a
DVD/Blu-ray player, a satellite receiver or other set-top box or a CCTV system.
An
output
is what you’ll be watching or listening on, such as a TV, a projector or an
amplifier/receiver.
Also, in our setup guides and in the switch GUI we will generally colour code
sources in red
and
outputs in green
to aid with illustration and clarity.
If you are reading the printed version of this guide in Black & White,
you may prefer to download the colour PDF version from our web
site.
HDMI vs. Ethernet Cabling
Like any Ethernet switch, the V1281 has RJ-45 sockets on the front, not HDMI. Although
native HDMI switches do exist, cable lengths are limited and the cables themselves are more
costly and complex to wire up.
Using Ethernet means you use low cost CAT5e (or higher) cable which often already exists in
a location. If you use fibre optic cable, Ethernet can carry for many kilometers if needed;
the VigorSwitch can support up to 4 SFP fibre modules.
Using CAT5e also means that the V1281 is very scalable – you can add as many or few
sources or outputs as you need up to the maximum number of ports whereas with a native
HDMI switch, it will have a fixed number of ports, which you pay for whether you need them
or not. With the V1281 your AV signals can also share the network or networking
infrastructure with your data networking for PCs or other devices.
VigorSwitch V1281 User Guide
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