NAB Show: MultiDyne to Demo New Bulk Fiber Transport System

MultiDyne HoneyBadger
(Image credit: MultiDyne)

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—At the 2023 NAB Show, MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems has announced that it will be showing a new bulk fiber transport platform that brings several classic MultiDyne strengths together into one common platform with exceptional signal density for HD, 3G (quad-link 4K) and 12G (single-link 4K) productions.

The new HoneyBadger platform is ideal for stadiums, arenas, campus and venue-wide signal extension, metropolitan intra-facility connections and classic point-to-point links between trucks, control rooms and studios, MultiDyne reported. 

Offering an expansive feature set for production-based fiber transport, HoneyBadger provides support for eight camera feeds and SDI return channels — both expandable through HoneyBadger’s modularity. 

With HoneyBadger, there are no limits for local signal connectivity and extension, MultiDyne said, thanks to its high I/O density and two independent 1Gb local-area network (LAN) extensions. 

Users can also extend four partyline intercom channels (wet or dry), eight bi-directional line level analog audio outputs and eight mic-pre inputs with phantom power over two cost-efficient single-mode fibers, which allows customers to manage all long-distance bulk fiber transport needs from one box. That also includes analog tri-level or bi-level genlock outputs, legacy GPIO/serial control signals and more, the company said. 

“HoneyBadger doesn’t care about the size of your university campus or the expanse of your remote sports production coverage,” said Jesse Foster, vice president of products and western sales, MultiDyne. “Everything the content producer needs for multi-camera or multi-announcer productions converges within the HoneyBadger design, which is essentially an active broadcast junction box that is easy to transport, manage and maintain. It is a field fiber solution for a new generation of content producers faced with a broader array of formats, signals and connectors than ever while seeking to bridge the gap between fiber and IP.”

A typical HoneyBadger application for live production will employ a 5RU remote unit for media contribution and transport and a 4RU unit at the receiving location. They both provide standard connectivity for full-size BNCs for video, XLRs for audio, and terminable Phoenix connectors for serial data and GPIO control signals, Foster explained. 

Foster adds that the HoneyBadger is designed to install into an actual JBT junction box that venues and other users can build into the architecture of a facility or building and is usually a stainless-steel, wall-mounted enclosure. “HoneyBadger was built with streamlined architectures and quick, simple connectivity in mind. In addition to our field-based systems, we see opportunities for venues to purchase and install these as all-in-one  signal transport solutions that technicians can access and plug into for hassle-free, quick-launch productions," Foster said. 

MultiDyne will demonstrate HoneyBadger at NAB Show 2023 in Booth C4730. 

George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.