Real Time Ethernet and Synchronizing with Inhomogeneous Physical Layers: CAT5 and Unshielded Twisted Single Pair Cabling

Real time data transfer over Ethernet, with an inhomogeneous physical layer is studied. Within the Ethernet network 100Base-TX and BroadR Reach© physical layers are used. Synchronization of devices via Ethernet is investigated and synchronized transfer of video streams is shown. Purpose-built Ethernet-Physical Layer Adapters (E-PLAs) are applied. It is demonstrated that an Ethernet network with different physical layers may be used for real time data transfer with just a little trade-off in synchronization and transfer delay.