Power Solutions: PoE Tips, Power-over-Cable, and Redundancy

As with most things technology, it won’t work without power! So that makes it one of the most important things for an AV system. It doesn’t matter if it’s cameras or a matrix switcher it all needs power and PoE is one of the simplest and most helpful power options on the market. 

Understanding Power Options in AV Systems

Most AV equipment can be powered in more than one way, the most common are going to be through a power adapter and through PoE. But there is also power over fiber or sometimes other connections. Each has their own advantage and mostly comes down to what you would like to accomplish in the installation. 

What Is Power over Ethernet (PoE)?

To put this simply, PoE is exactly what it says, this takes an ethernet cable and allows it to deliver both power and data to the device. That means less cable clutter with installs that are utilizing PoE capable devices. It’s an especially advantageous technology to leverage with IP video based cameras as they can also deliver video signals through the one cable and receive power as well. 

Common PoE standards include PoE, PoE+, and PoE++. Each provides different power levels, so it’s important to verify that your switch can supply enough power for your device.

PoE Tips for Beginners

It’s very important to confirm that your network switch actually supports the correct PoE standard for the devices you want to use it with. The next step would be to check the power budget of the switch, this becomes very necessary when using several devices on the same switch. Lastly, make sure to use quality cabling! 

Power over Cable (HDMI, SDI, and Fiber)

Depending on the AV equipment being used, it’s possible to deliver power over video or fiber connections. Fiber-based systems are very useful for large venues because they support super long cable runs and aren’t as prone to electrical interference. But, like always, verify power compatibility when using power-over-cable solutions because not all devices support this feature.

Using External Power Adapters

These are the most common and ubiquitous way to deliver power to AV setups. They’re very reliable and simplistic but they do require your device to be near a power outlet. 

If you’re using an external power adapter, take the time to check if the adapter matches the voltage and current requirements specified by the manufacturer. Try to avoid using third-party power supplies, unless they are specifically okayed by the manufacturer of the device.

Redundancy and Backup Power

Any live event coordinator can tell you that it’s important to have a plan if something goes wrong! So that means that having redundant power solutions can be a big help. This is doubly true in live events, broadcast environments, and critical installations.

Some ways to provide redundancy can include dual power inputs, backup power supplies (specifically uninterrupted ones). UPS (uninterrupted power supplies) are very valuable because they can keep your system running during short power outages and they also help to protect equipment from power surges.

Final Notes

These are just some things to consider when looking at how to setup your AV system. Power is very important, you can’t run the setup without it! Please refer to the manual for your specific BZBGEAR device to learn more about the ways you can power them and if you have further questions reach out to our technical support.