Sonore opticalRendu

[MagnusH]

Isn't comparing etherRegen to opticalRendu like comparing a DAC to an amplifier. EtherRegen is an ethernet switch, and opticalRendu is a digital to digital converter.

[fnsnyc]

12 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

You have one of these connected to a Roon Server?

 

Yes my Intel NUC is running Rock (Roon Server).

[vortecjr]

6 minutes ago, MagnusH said:

Isn't comparing etherRegen to opticalRendu like comparing a DAC to an amplifier. EtherRegen is an ethernet switch, and opticalRendu is a digital to digital converter.

Yes, his point is he can audition them. I know, I know, I know...what has this world come two when we are auditioning switches and the like:) 

[vortecjr]

14 minutes ago, fnsnyc said:

 

Yes my Intel NUC is running Rock (Roon Server).

Yes, you can connect your Roon Server to the opticalRendu just make sure you have Gigabit SFP modules.

[fnsnyc]

3 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

Yes, you can connect your Roon Server to the opticalRendu just make sure you have Gigabit SFP modules.

 

Great. So opticalRendu does not need to be connected to the internet right? I will need to setup a fixed IP address. (no DHCP)

[vortecjr]

Only if the you can assign it an IP address. The Small Green Computer sonicTransporter can do this.

[fnsnyc]

3 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

Only if the you can assign it an IP address. The Small Green Computer sonicTransporter can do this.

 

Can I assign a fixed IP address as 10.10.1.101 and no gateway on opticalRendu ?

[vortecjr]

No, you have to assign the IP address on the server. 

[matthias]

1 hour ago, MagnusH said:

Isn't comparing etherRegen to opticalRendu like comparing a DAC to an amplifier. EtherRegen is an ethernet switch, and opticalRendu is a digital to digital converter.

 

Who did compare ER to OR?

 

Matt

[jabbr]

16 hours ago, vortecjr said:

The etherRegen and the opticalModule are two different things. One is a converter and the other one is a switch so it’s not appropriate to compare them this way. 

 

The opticalModule is, in fact, a switch? No?

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, jabbr said:

 

The opticalModule is, in fact, a switch? No?

 

No, it is an FMC.

And the EtherREGEN is far more than a simple switch (but this is not the right forum to discuss it).

[asdf1000]

12 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

No, it is an FMC.

And the EtherREGEN is far more than a simple switch (but this is not the right forum to discuss it).

 

Lots of confusion on a few threads & forums. I thought from the name opticalModule that Sonore had developed their own SFP module.

 

opticalConverter or Sonore FMC would be instantly easier to understand hehe.

 

Although I think when photos are eventually released on the product page, pictures alongside the description always helps people understand what it is and how it connects to what.

[firedog]

Personally, I still find this somewhat confusing.

I'd suggest you place on your website some diagrams showing people how to implement these optical devices in their setups. Some people have FMCs, some don't. Some people have a  switch  with a SFP port, some people have a switch without an SFP port. Some people have no renderer at all yet.

 

I'm willing to bet there are numerous interested readers who don't understand what box(es) or cable(s) they need to buy in order use an opticalRendu.

[octaviars]

5 minutes ago, firedog said:

Personally, I still find this somewhat confusing.

 

Perhaps a look at this will sort some things out.

 

The optical module is a FMC and you will need two SFP modules in each end of a fibercables to connect it to a opticalRendu. 

 

I am shore when everything is ready @vortecjr will sell kits with all you need to get it together. 

 

As there are many different SFP modules to put in fmc, routers, switches it is not easy to say how one should connect everything as it depends on what hardware you choose so they work together. 

[firedog]

2 minutes ago, octaviars said:

 

Perhaps a look at this will sort some things out.

 

The optical module is a FMC and you will need two SFP modules in each end of a fibercables to connect it to a opticalRendu. 

 

I am shore when everything is ready @vortecjr will sell kits with all you need to get it together. 

 

As there are many different SFP modules to put in fmc, routers, switches it is not easy to say how one should connect everything as it depends on what hardware you choose so they work together. 

yes, but for instance what doesn't that show?:

An example would be an existing setup that is NAS>conventional (non optic switch/router)>standard network renderer (or rendu)>DAC.

 

Another thing that isn't clear (at least to me) from the above chart: what does "existing optical ethernet" mean? Just a switch with an SFP module? Or something else.

 

I'm really not trying to make this complicated. What some of you don't seem to get is that lots of people have zero experience with optical in any form and don't understand what's involved.  You can't assume everyone understands what an FMC or an SFP are and what needs to be connected to what.

[MagnusH]

They also sell a starter kit for $99 which I think would suite people that don't have bothered to learn all about ethernet, optical, SFP, etc. With that kit (and some simple manual) it should be pretty much plug-and-play.

But a simple explanation is that most people have ethernet as twisted pair cables (i.e. normal copper ethernet cables), and opticalRendu takes fiber as input, so you need a converter from copper-ethernet to fiber-ethernet, which is called FMC and can either be bought for $30 or so for a vanilla version, or from Sonore which is called opticalModule and which is a more audio-build device.

[octaviars]

1 hour ago, firedog said:

yes, but for instance what doesn't that show?:

 

I suppose that shows how you can convert your existinng system with for say a microRendu to have a opticalRendu instead with fiber connection.

 

1 hour ago, firedog said:

An example would be an existing setup that is NAS>conventional (non optic switch/router)>standard network renderer (or rendu)>DAC.

 

Then you would take the LAN cable that goes to your renderer and plug that in to a FMC (fibermediaconverter as a Sonore opticalmodule for example) plug and SFP (small form-factor pluggable) module into it ,run your fibercable to a second FMC (with the same sort of SFP module) and from that FMC you run a ethernet cable to your renderer.

 

But to me this is lots of stuff that can be implemented in a switch with SFP port and run the cable directly to a opticalRendu.

 

1 hour ago, firedog said:

Another thing that isn't clear (at least to me) from the above chart: what does "existing optical ethernet" mean? Just a switch with an SFP module? Or something else.

 

If you already have a fiber cable to your equipment comming from a switch with fiberoutput for example you can use that directly to an opticalrendu or a use a opticalmodule to get ordinary ethernet to a renderer.

 

1 hour ago, firedog said:

I'm really not trying to make this complicated. What some of you don't seem to get is that lots of people have zero experience with optical in any form and don't understand what's involved.  You can't assume everyone understands what an FMC or an SFP are and what needs to be connected to what.

 

I do get that all people dont know how to build a optical network and knows what an FMC or a SFP is but it aint that hard to find information on the internet what FMC or SFP means or wait untill the products a on the market to get the correct information from Sonore how to connect it.

 

Dont get me wrong here but it is hard to explain to all so everyone understands and it is all dependable on how "your" system is built how you can connect it in the best way with these new fiber products.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_form-factor_pluggable_transceiver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_media_converter

 

[jabbr]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

No, it is an FMC.

And the EtherREGEN is far more than a simple switch (but this is not the right forum to discuss it).

An FMC is, in fact, a very simple switch with 2 ports: one SFP and one RJ-45. 

[vortecjr]

44 minutes ago, jabbr said:

An FMC is, in fact, a very simple switch with 2 ports: one SFP and one RJ-45. 

I don't want to discuss the internal circuits right now.

[matthias]

1 hour ago, vortecjr said:

I don't want to discuss the internal circuits right now.

 

This is comprehensible, neither the opticalModule nor the etherRegen which both can be used with the opticalRendu are yet released.

 

Matt

[jabbr]

4 hours ago, vortecjr said:

I don't want to discuss the internal circuits right now.

Of course. I mean an FMC is conceptually a switch.

 

Using SGMII protocol and SERDES along with SFP modules, the media is converted perhaps from copper to optical, or singlemode to multimode and between various optional frequencies. The switch itself doesn’t contain any of this because the electronics/PHY are in the SFP module.

 

This is all conceptual and there are always specific implementation details which are your product. For me, conceptually, it all makes sense if everything is either a switch, router or endpoint. 

[vortecjr]

4 hours ago, matthias said:

 

This is comprehensible, neither the opticalModule nor the etherRegen which both can be used with the opticalRendu are yet released.

 

Matt

Correct. Since neither is available yet we are making available a starter kit which will get people up and running. If you watch Chris' video you will see the basic parts of the starter kit and how to connect them. If you already have optical Ethernet in the audio room you don't need the starter kit.   

[vortecjr]

10 hours ago, firedog said:

yes, but for instance what doesn't that show?:

An example would be an existing setup that is NAS>conventional (non optic switch/router)>standard network renderer (or rendu)>DAC.

 

Another thing that isn't clear (at least to me) from the above chart: what does "existing optical ethernet" mean? Just a switch with an SFP module? Or something else.

 

I'm really not trying to make this complicated. What some of you don't seem to get is that lots of people have zero experience with optical in any form and don't understand what's involved.  You can't assume everyone understands what an FMC or an SFP are and what needs to be connected to what.

If you have a NAS>conventional (non optic switch/router)>standard network renderer (or rendu)>DAC then you are done:) If you want to add optical without changing any of those parts then you need two opticalModules back to back to get the network optically isolated. The last leg to the micro/ultraRendu will be cable Ethernet because that is what the micro/ultraRendu support. I would prefer to replace your switch with one that supports optical and this way you only need one opticalModule with a micro/ultraRendu. 

 

Existing optical ethernet means you have optical networking capabilities already and you probable all ready know what to do from there.

[vortecjr]

13 hours ago, Em2016 said:

Lots of confusion on a few threads & forums.

I post a lot more information here so this is your best bet.

 

Keys things to know:

1. opticalRendu - optical cable input and USB-Audio output. coming soon.

2. opticalModule - optical Ethernet to cable Ethernet converter or cable Ethernet to optical Ethernet converter. coming shortly after #1 above. 

3. SFP - Small Form-Factor Pluggable transceiver. These SFPs plug into the network slot of the opticalRendu, opticalModule or your switch. We are providing these with our gear and the optical cable connects to it. 

4. Starter kit - Generic accessories bundled together to get you started with optical networking.

[cat6man]

On 1/11/2019 at 5:16 PM, vortecjr said:

There will be one SFP module provided with the opticalRendu and one SFP module provided with the starter kit. These will be available on both the Sonore and Small Green Computer website. Anyway, these two SFP modules are matching and work with the supplied cable and gear so no worries. 

 

When the opticalModule is made available it will also be supplies one SFP module with it.

 

The idea is make things as simple as possible, but it's very simple to use. My VP had no optical experience and he had his opticalRendu up and running with no support.

 

Based on my years in the tech industry, if a VP can set it up, it is REALLY simple to do!