Pro-Bel Brings Expertise To New Small Router Range

As it has done with large and medium scale routers, Pro-Bel now brings its 30 years of experience to bear on the smaller scale router market with the launch at IBC 2007 of the Pyxis range.
Brand new from the ground-up, the specifications have bee established based on significant market evaluation both of what is required now and how that is likely to evolve in the future.
Pyxis is designed to complement the globally successful and highly flexible Sirius range, which begins at 64 x 64 , and the recently developed and launched large scale, 3Gbit/s-native Cygnus. The range of small, multi-format routers is designed to provide a highly flexible solution for small-to-medium sized applications. It has all the features that you would expect from Pro-Bel; excellent build quality, total reliability and value for money.
The range of cards is available in 1U or 3U frames, from 16 x 16 up to 72 x 72. The ability to mix and match signal types was fundamental in the design process. 3Gbit/s (1089), HD, SD/ASI are all available in 72 x 72, 34 x 34 and 17 x 17. AES and analogue audio comes in 288 x 288, 216 x 216, 144 x 144 and 72 x 72, which can be configures as mono or stereo. There are also wideband analogue video cards available as well as RS422 in 128, 64 and 32 ports. The SDI and analogue video cards are also suitable for routing a wide variety of telco signals including STM-I, STM-4, T4, E4, T3 and E3 as well as XVGA signals.
“Given the all-encompassing format approach that we have taken, there are a wide range of applications for the Pyxis family, from post houses to master control through cable operator headends and on into corporate conferencing. We have provided a far more flexible architecture than the industry has previously seen while remaining acutely aware of price pressures,” explained Alan Smith, Product Manager, Routers.
Both frame sizes come with an integral system controller, which is also available as a redundant option in the 3U chassis. This new internal control architecture provides a more flexible approach than previously possible. Users can interrogate the router to find out precisely what individual inputs and outputs are doing; operators can poll around each input to see what is connected and whether it is valid. From a control point of view Pyxis can also detect the signal type and standard. There is a range of control panel options and these allow control by third party systems as well as support for all existing Pro-Bel control panels and the Aurora control system. This makes Pyxis easy to integrate into any existing Pro-Bel set-up.
“With support for Pro-Bel’s overarching control and monitoring system MCM soon available, Pyxis is a prime example of the company’s ability to integrate the essential with the groundbreaking. We have listened to our customers and are more than happy that the resulting architecture is precisely what the industry needs,” concluded Adrian Scott, Chief Marketing Officer.
(SP)