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What are your prefered fiber optic modules?

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uzzors2k

Sun Mar 27 2011, 03:18PM

Registered Member #95 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:57PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 1308

Raage! I thought I was being clever buying those cheap toslink modules, but now they're discontinued! I can't seem to find them anywhere, and even if I do I'll have to go through the same hassle next time I need them. Which modules do you guys use? The reason I chose toslink in the first place was because they were cheap, and could transmit/receive DC signals, so I'd like any replacements to do the same.

Steve Conner

Sun Mar 27 2011, 03:40PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Ironic, since many Toslink receivers don't actually work with DC. You have to specifically look for ones that do and read the fine print in the datasheets.

I use the HFBR-141x and 241x from Agilent nowadays.

They seem to work fine with the ST multimode patch cords sold for computer networking, which are actually cheaper than Toslink cables of the same length. The modules are more expensive, but by the time you include a 10 meter cord, the total cost is probably about the same.

Optek make what seem to be pin-compatible equivalents: the OPF141x and so on.

Wolfram

Sun Mar 27 2011, 04:18PM

Registered Member #33 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 01:31PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 971

What Steve said. I've had success with the HFBR-2412 and 1412. They can sometimes be had for cheap on eBay, but the Optek ones aren't even that expensive new

(price in Norwegian kr)

uzzors2k

Sun Mar 27 2011, 05:16PM

Registered Member #95 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:57PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 1308

Yeah, I should've gone with the high quality stuff from the start. I've found these on ebay for a steal, if anyone else is in need:

There's nothing wrong with them I hope?

Wolfram

Sun Mar 27 2011, 09:50PM

Registered Member #33 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 01:31PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 971

Wow, that is a steal indeed. I don't suppose there's anything wrong with those. And in even better news, both kinds are listed as transmitter, but one kind are transmitters and the other kind are receivers. They are meant for SC-terminated multimode fiber cables, which are also cheap on eBay. The receivers are of the analog output type, I only have experience with the TTL output ones, but using these might just be as simple as connecting up a schmitt trigger or a comparator on their output. The datasheet states that the output signal can be made into a digital one with simple circuitry, so it shouldn't be too hard.

James

Mon Mar 28 2011, 01:17AM

Registered Member #3610 Joined: Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:29AM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 506

Is there any reason you can't just use the ones salvaged from audio equipment? I have some SPDIF optical modules I pulled off a $5 USB sound card I modified for other purposes, transmitter and receiver. I was under the impression they were dirt cheap. I've seen old fiber network cards for very little in computer recycle shops too.

Goodchild

Mon Mar 28 2011, 06:28AM

Registered Member #2292 Joined: Fri Aug 14 2009, 05:33PM
Location: The Wild West AKA Arizona
Posts: 795

I'm going to have to agree with the HFBR-141x and 241x, ive been using them from about 2 years now and they just work great.

The only time I had trouble was when the primary lead got a little to close to the RX

I got a nice bright pear wight arc to the strike rail, just don't get your high power cables near them and all will be well. hehe

dude_500

Mon Mar 28 2011, 04:19PM

Registered Member #2288 Joined: Wed Aug 12 2009, 10:42PM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 179

I just recently set mine up for fiber using a standard toslink transmitter, and on the coil end a photo-transistor feeding into an op-amp with a fairly high gain feeding into a schmitt triggered buffer. Seems to work fine through MIDI serial speed, certainly fast enough to run just an interrupter on/off signal.

Steve Conner

Mon Mar 28 2011, 06:00PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Anders M. wrote ...

using these might just be as simple as connecting up a schmitt trigger or a comparator on their output. The datasheet states that the output signal can be made into a digital one with simple circuitry, so it shouldn't be too hard.

The one in my original "tesla guitar" setup was analog output. I converted it using a section of a LM339.

I've lost the schematic, but can redraw it if needed.

Dzejwor

Mon Mar 28 2011, 07:48PM

Registered Member #2750 Joined: Sun Mar 21 2010, 08:47PM
Location: Poland
Posts: 46

I always use HFBR1414T transmiter and HFBR2412TCZ receiver made by Avago or HP. I never had any problems with them but they are a bit expensive - this is a price what I pay for stability and proper operation. I tried to use toslink modules but they are wont work stable. After tests I looked back to datasheet of receiver and i found information that does not work stable with constant low or higigh optical signal or when input ferquency is under ~300Hz.

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