Sometimes those audio/video signals need a little help. Extron Electronics just announced the FOX RS 104, a four-port RS-232 inserter for long-haul transmission of control signals to remote source and destination equipment over fiber-optic cabling.

That seems like a bit of a mouthful, but this one box is packing in an awful lot of power. Each port provides a bi-directional fiber-optic connection to an Extron FOX Series transmitter and receiver for the insertion and extraction of control data, all while maintaining a continuous pass-through link for video and audio.

Extron says that the FOX RS 104 is ideal for applications with a centralized control system that requires the long-haul transmission of AV and control signals over fiber-optic cabling.

“Fiber optic AV systems often require that RS-232 data from a centralized control system be sent to a remote source or display,” says Casey Hall, Extron’s VP of sales and marketing. “The FOX RS 104 brings a new level of flexibility to the FOX Series by allowing a centrally located control processor to communicate with remote devices over the fiber-optic infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate control system wiring.”

Available in multi-mode and single-mode models, the FOX RS 104 is compatible with the entire line of FOX Series extenders, distribution amplifiers, switchers, and matrix switchers.