ARINC 818, titled Avionics Digital Video Bus (ADVB), is the standard for cockpit video that has gained wide acceptance in both the commercial and military cockpits including the Boeing 787, the A350XWB, the A400M, the KC- 46A and many others. Initially conceived of for cockpit displays, ARINC 818 is now propagating into high-speed sensors, such as infrared and optical cameras due to its high-bandwidth and high reliability. The ARINC 818 specification that was initially release in the 2006 and has recently undergone a major update that will enhance its applicability as a high speed sensor interface. The ARINC 818-2 specification was published in December 2013. The revisions to the specification include: video switching, stereo and 3-D provisions, color sequential implementations, regions of interest, data-only transmissions, multi-channel implementations, bi-directional communication, higher link rates to 32Gbps, synchronization signals, options for high-speed coax interfaces and optical interface details. The additions to the specification are especially appealing for high-bandwidth, multi sensor systems that have issues with throughput bottlenecks and SWaP concerns. ARINC 818 is implemented on either copper or fiber optic high speed physical layers, and allows for time multiplexing multiple sensors onto a single link. This paper discusses each of the new capabilities in the ARINC 818-2 specification and the benefits for ISR and countermeasures implementations, several examples are provided.
CoaXPress is a new standard for high-speed video over coax cabling developed for the machine vision industry.
CoaXPress includes both a physical layer and a video protocol. The physical layer has desirable features for aerospace
and defense applications: it allows 3Gbps (up to 6Gbps) communication, includes 21Mbps return path allowing for
bidirectional communication, and provides up to 13W of power, all over a single coax connection. ARINC 818, titled
"Avionics Digital Video Bus" is a protocol standard developed specifically for high speed, mission critical aerospace
video systems. ARINC 818 is being widely adopted for new military and commercial display and sensor applications.
The ARINC 818 protocol combined with the CoaXPress physical layer provide desirable characteristics for many
aerospace systems.
This paper presents the results of a technology demonstration program to marry the physical layer from CoaXPress with
the ARINC 818 protocol. ARINC 818 is a protocol, not a physical layer. Typically, ARINC 818 is implemented over
fiber or copper for speeds of 1 to 2Gbps, but beyond 2Gbps, it has been implemented exclusively over fiber optic links.
In many rugged applications, a copper interface is still desired, by implementing ARINC 818 over the CoaXPress
physical layer, it provides a path to 3 and 6 Gbps copper interfaces for ARINC 818.
Results of the successful technology demonstration dubbed ARINC 818 Express are presented showing 3Gbps
communication while powering a remote module over a single coax cable. The paper concludes with suggested next
steps for bring this technology to production readiness.
ARINC 818 is defined as a point-to-point video link that is used to drive cockpit displays both in military and
commercial aerospace applications. In addition to the ARINC 818 video link to a display, a command and control
link such as MIL-STD-1553 is often needed to carry bezel button or other configuration and control data. Although
ARINC 818 was envisioned as a video link, its high speed, low latency and high reliability make it ideal to carry
both video and data. A bi-directional implementation of ARINC 818 provides ample bandwidth and messaging
capability to eliminate the MIL-STD-1553 or ARINC 429 data interface with a single fiber or fiber pair. This paper
examines the architecture and messaging structure required to include an ARINC 818 return path so that a separate
data path is eliminated.
A bi-directional ARINC 818 architecture is developed that maintains the 100% quality of service required for the
video path and includes sufficient bandwidth to replace the low speed, copper data interface. Details are provided to
on how to utilize networking capabilities inherent in ARINC 818 to easily enable bi-directional command and
control.
ARINC 818 Avionics Digital Video Bus (ADVB) is a new digital video interface and protocol standard developed
especially for high bandwidth uncompressed digital video. The first draft of this standard, released in January of
2007, has been advanced by ARINC and the aerospace community to meet the acute needs of commercial aviation
for higher performance digital video. This paper analyzes ARINC 818 for use in military display systems found in
avionics, helicopters, and ground vehicles. The flexibility of ARINC 818 for the diverse resolutions, grayscales,
pixel formats, and frame rates of military displays is analyzed as well as the suitability of ARINC 818 to support
requirements for military video systems including bandwidth, latency, and reliability. Implementation issues
relevant to military displays are presented.
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