[AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can get a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles of junk? -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
We have a $1000 one from china. It works well enough. We have located every fault we ever needed to find with it. Jim Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone Original message From: Dev Date: 3/10/21 6:14 PM (GMT-06:00) To: AF@af.afmug.com Subject: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can get a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles of junk? -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
Is it better to get a new Chinese unit, or used JDSU, EXFO, Anritsu or similar? Are there any used models that are good quality and still would work well that someone can recommend? > On Mar 10, 2021, at 4:16 PM, Jim Bouse [Brazos WiFi] > wrote: > > We have a $1000 one from china. It works well enough. > > We have located every fault we ever needed to find with it. > > Jim > > > > Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone > > > > Original message > From: Dev > Date: 3/10/21 6:14 PM (GMT-06:00) > To: AF@af.afmug.com > Subject: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR > > I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can get > a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles of junk? > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > <http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com> > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > <http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com> -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
I used a cheap Chinese one for many years. Other than the battery didn't last it was fine for PTP and cable verification. I have taken a new job are willing to spend the money on a better one. I didn't really know what I was missing until I started looking. Positives: Remote access: Leave the OTDR in the Hut and remotely connect to it from my phone. Great for one man troubleshooting. I am testing Teamviewer. Also means I can have a monkey tech connect it to his phone hotspot and I can remote into from my desk. Live OTDR: being able to shoot with filtered 1625 even when the line is currently in use. Split Distribution splitter profiles: The network is using GPON with split distribution taps. This is where most of the light keeps going but you get a couple drop ports with like -20 output if you spec the splitter correctly. The EXFO one I am looking at can set customer splitter/tap profiles. IOLM: Before I really understood how smart IOLM,I didn't want to pay for it. It is very interesting how it works. It also still saves a sor file to look at later and do trace compares. Modular: This doesn't go for all of them but the ones I am looking at I can rent a specific card for a month if I have a need that it can't currently fill. Like RFC 6815 testing. PDF Reports: not really my thing but someone might find it important. Disadvantage: Cost, nickel and dime you for _every_ feature. Since I have to support a Dist Split network I really have no choice but to spend the money on a better one I get several of the features automatically but since I am already choosing to spend the money on the better one might as well spend the money to get all the features I really want. On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 7:14 PM Dev wrote: > I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can > get a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles > of junk? > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
I really don’t know. We have only used the cheap china one. Truthfully, we need it 3 or 4 times a year. It’s worth the price to just have it in the toolbox at $1k. Jim Bouse Owner - Brazos WiFi 979-999-7000 http://www.brazoswifi.com<http://www.brazoswifi.com/> From: AF On Behalf Of Dev Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 6:56 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group Subject: Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR Is it better to get a new Chinese unit, or used JDSU, EXFO, Anritsu or similar? Are there any used models that are good quality and still would work well that someone can recommend? On Mar 10, 2021, at 4:16 PM, Jim Bouse [Brazos WiFi] mailto:j...@brazoswifi.com>> wrote: We have a $1000 one from china. It works well enough. We have located every fault we ever needed to find with it. Jim Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone Original message From: Dev mailto:d...@logicalwebhost.com>> Date: 3/10/21 6:14 PM (GMT-06:00) To: AF@af.afmug.com<mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> Subject: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can get a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles of junk? -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com<mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com<mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
Our cheap China one seems to be OK. After the launch cable was purchased, it definitely works for where we tested it. We have not had to locate any damage. We use it as a VFL pretty frequently. Josh Luthman 24/7 Help Desk: 937-552-2340 Direct: 937-552-2343 1100 Wayne St Suite 1337 Troy, OH 45373 On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 7:18 PM Jim Bouse [Brazos WiFi] wrote: > We have a $1000 one from china. It works well enough. > > We have located every fault we ever needed to find with it. > > Jim > > > > Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable > smartphone > > > > Original message > From: Dev > Date: 3/10/21 6:14 PM (GMT-06:00) > To: AF@af.afmug.com > Subject: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR > > I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can > get a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles > of junk? > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
Re: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR
I’m wondering how often you’d really need CWDM wavelengths to traverse splitters, or whether you can mostly get by with 1310/1550? It would save a ton of money. > On Mar 11, 2021, at 6:15 AM, Josh Luthman wrote: > > Our cheap China one seems to be OK. After the launch cable was purchased, it > definitely works for where we tested it. We have not had to locate any > damage. > > We use it as a VFL pretty frequently. > > Josh Luthman > 24/7 Help Desk: 937-552-2340 > Direct: 937-552-2343 > 1100 Wayne St > Suite 1337 > Troy, OH 45373 > > > On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 7:18 PM Jim Bouse [Brazos WiFi] <mailto:j...@brazoswifi.com>> wrote: > We have a $1000 one from china. It works well enough. > > We have located every fault we ever needed to find with it. > > Jim > > > > Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, an AT&T 5G Evolution capable smartphone > > > > Original message > From: Dev mailto:d...@logicalwebhost.com>> > Date: 3/10/21 6:14 PM (GMT-06:00) > To: AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> > Subject: [AFMUG] good inexpensive OTDR > > I’m seeing prices for about $7600, seems like a lot. I’m guessing you can get > a cheap Chinese one somewhere, but are they workable or flaming piles of junk? > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > <http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com> > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com <mailto:AF@af.afmug.com> > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > <http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com> > -- > AF mailing list > AF@af.afmug.com > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list AF@af.afmug.com http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com