HSSI is a common DTE interface for higher speed routers, servers, satellite earth station equipment. It uses multistranded copper cable and can operate at 52Mbit/s max, for distances up to 10 metres.

In Satellite earth stations, data warehouses where a large quantity of HIS-devices need interconnecting, the 10 metre restriction can become a major logistics problem.

So rather than having to locate ALL equipment within the same room or close area, by using a HSSI-ASI converter the connection distances can be extended to 150m using standard coaxial cable. Certainly separate rooms, even different buildings can now be used to locate equipment, and probably segment different types/manufacturer.

The HE1000 can be used in pairs to provide a point-to-point HSSI extension, or singly, typically in a satellite earth station where a HSSI router can be connected via an HE1000 to an ASI satellite modem up to 150 metre away.

The Metrodata HE1000 HSSI Extender provides a simple Plug & Play point to point HSSI extension function. The HE1000 offers the ability to extend a HSSI connection to 150 metres whilst operating at variable data rates up to 51.84Mbps.

Front: HE1000 HSSI Extender

Rear: HE1000 HSSI Extender

The HE1000 operates as a HSSI DCE, providing the transmit timing to an attached router. A simple dip-switch selection enables operation at either n*1Mb/s or standard network frequencies such as 34.368Mbps for example. The HE1000 provides a standards-compliant asynchronous serial interface (ASI) as the transmission medium.

ASI runs over standard coaxial cable terminated with BNC connectors. It provides a much more flexible and robust interconnect than HSSI. The ASI interface utilises an adaptive equaliser stage in the receive interface and can operate over 150 metres of good quality coaxial cable. The HE1000 ASI interface is fully compatible with the ASI interface presented on Satellite modems.

A primary design goal for the HE1000 was ease of use, and the HE1000 is truly Plug & Play, with almost no configuration necessary.

The HE1000 can easily be rackmounted in either a 1U two unit rackmount kit, 1U quad (4 x HE1000) box or in a 6U eighteen unit rackmount kit.