TIA Initiates New Standards Project on Electrical Characteristics of Reversible Balanced Voltage Digital Interface Circuits

TIA Invites Industry Participation in Development of New Technology Standards

Arlington VA (October 14, 2011) – The Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA) Engineering Committee for Multi-Media Access, Protocols and Interfaces has initiated a new standards development project on the electrical characteristics of reversible balanced voltage digital interface circuits.

The project, ANSI/TIA-PN-4963, is being developed by subcommittee of TIA's TR-30 Multi-Media Access, Protocols and Interfaces Engineering Committee's TR-30.2 Subcommittee for DTE-DCE Interfaces. TR-30.2 recently released the scope and justification for the project, which will be an enhanced version of the TIA-485-A standard, Electrical Characteristics of Balanced Voltage Digital Interface Circuits.

"TIA-485-A has served the industry for many years providing a balance electrical characteristic interface for many communications applications," said TR-30 Chair Fred Lucas of FAL Associates. "One of the problems encountered with the interface was the possibility that the balanced interface cable could be reversed resulting in an inoperative interface. This project was initiated to develop a new balanced interface which will self-correct for improper cabling as well as provide a modern version of TIA-485-A. The new electrical characteristic, to be call ANSI/TIA-4963, is expected to be approved in late 2012."

The new standard recognizes that generators and receivers are immune to the interchange of binary signals in multipoint interconnection of digital equipment. When implemented within the guidelines of the new standard, multiple generators and receivers may be attached to a common interconnecting cable. The generators and receivers operate with no errors if the balanced interconnecting cables are connected normally or with the differential signal wires reversed.

Users will be able to reference ANSI/TIA-4963 for the point-to-point interchange of binary signals between equipment and components at signaling rates up to 5 Mbps over a single differential transmission. Higher rates and different transmission line impedance are possible in optimal application.

To inquire about participating in TIA standards developing efforts, please contact Germaine Palangdao at +1.703.907.7497 or at gpalangdao@tiaonline.org.

Learn more about TIA standards development at tiaonline.org/standards/

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About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and networking. Since 1924, TIA has been enhancing the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org.

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TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, AttivaCorp, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical Company, Ericsson, Inc., GENBAND, Inc., Henkels & McCoy, Juniper Networks, ILS Technology, Intel Corporation, Intersect, Inc., LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, OneChip Photonics, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, TE Connectivity, Ulticom, Inc., Walker & Associates and WirefreeCom, Inc. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates.

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