System and Method for Programmable Pre-Amplification of a Signal

1 . A method of communicating a data signal, comprising:

transmitting the data signal along a communications line;

splitting the transmitted data signal among one or more routers, each router configured to receive the data signal and forward the data signal along one or more output data paths;

receiving the data signal at a destination;

providing flat-band amplification to the received data signal via a selectable gain amplifier;

providing frequency dependent amplification to the received data signal via an equalizer; and

decoding the amplified received data signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier is selectable via a mechanical selecting mechanism, a register bank, or integration of a gain specific part.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier is automatically selected via a feedback loop.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

measuring a signal level of the received data signal at the destination;

comparing the signal level of the received data signal to an expected signal level; and

selecting the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier to be proportional to a difference between the expected signal level and the measured signal level of the received data signal.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier is selected based on a temperature measurement or a voltage measurement.

6 . A method of receiving a serial digital interface (SDI) signal at a launch swing independent receiver, comprising:

receiving an SDI signal transmitted at a launch swing below a prescribed launch swing standard;

detecting that the received SDI signal was transmitted at the launch swing below the prescribed launch swing standard;

providing flat-band amplification to the received SDI signal via a selectable gain flat-band amplifier;

providing frequency dependent amplification to the received SDI signal via an equalizer; and

decoding the amplified received SDI signal.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the prescribed launch swing standard is dictated by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the received SDI signal is detected as being transmitted at the launch swing below the prescribed launch swing standard when the received SDI signal is received in a narrower than expected voltage range.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the SDI signal is transmitted by a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standard compliant transmitter at a launch swing below a prescribed launch swing of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standard by a first known deficiency magnitude, a gain of the selectable gain amplifier being set based on the first known deficiency magnitude prior to receiving the SDI signal.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

measuring a signal level of the received SDI signal at the destination;

comparing the signal level of the received SDI signal to an expected signal level; and

refining the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier to be proportional to an difference between the expected signal level and the measured signal level of the received SDI signal.

11 . A system for communicating a data signal, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a data signal along a communications line;

one or more routers among which the transmitted data signal is split, each router configured to receive the data signal and forward the data signal along one or more output data paths;

a receiver configured to receive the data signal at a destination;

a selectable gain amplifier configured to provide flat-band amplification to the received data signal;

an equalizer configured to provide frequency dependent amplification to the received data signal; and

a decoder configured to decode the amplified received data signal.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier is selectable via a mechanical selecting mechanism, a register bank, or the integration of a gain specific part.

13 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a feedback loop for automatically selecting a gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier.

14 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

a signal level detector configured to measure a signal level of the received data signal at the destination, the signal level detector comprising:

a comparator configured to compare the signal level of the received data signal to an expected signal level and to select the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier to be proportional to an difference between the expected signal level and the measured signal level of the received data signal.

15 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a thermometer or a signal level detector, wherein the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier is selectable based on a temperature measurement from the thermometer or a voltage measurement from the signal level detector.

16 . A system for applying selectable pre-amplification to a serial digital interface (SDI) signal, comprising:

an launch swing independent SDI signal receiver configured to receive an SDI signal from a connected co-axial cable transmission line, the SDI signal receiver further including:

a transmission launch swing detector configured to detect whether the received SDI signal was transmitted at a launch swing below a prescribed launch swing standard;

a flat-band amplifier configured to amplify the received SDI signal according to a selectable gain upon detection that the received SDI signal was transmitted at the launch swing below the prescribed launch swing standard;

an equalizer configured to provide frequency dependent amplification to the received SDI signal; and

a decoder for decoding the amplified received SDI signal.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the prescribed launch swing standard is dictated by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the received SDI signal is detected as being transmitted at the launch swing below the prescribed launch swing standard by the transmission launch swing detector when the received SDI signal is received in a narrower than expected voltage range.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the SDI signal is transmitted by a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standard compliant transmitter at a launch swing below a prescribed launch swing of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standard by a first known deficiency magnitude, a gain of the selectable gain amplifier being set based on the first known deficiency magnitude prior to receiving the SDI signal.

20 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising:

a signal level detector configured to measure a signal level of the received SDI signal at the destination, the signal level detector comprising:

a comparator configured to compare the signal level of the received SDI signal to an expected signal level and to refine the gain associated with the selectable gain amplifier to be proportional to an difference between the expected signal level and the measured signal level of the received data signal.