The Pelco FT8101AMSTR can be used to transmit one channel of bidirectional data over a single fiber optic cable. Compared to metal-based cables (e.g. RCA, BNC, UTP), fiber optic links are far less susceptible to signal attenuation and are also immune to electromagnetic interference. The result is that fiber can be routed over much greater distances before needing amplification. Fiber is therefore the method of choice for demanding security applications needing the ability to send large amounts of data, over long distances, and in a secure manner.
In addition to compatibility with each other, the FT8101A transmitter and the FR8101A receiver are compatible with other fiber models. The FT8101A transmitter is backward compatible with the FR8101 receiver. The receiver is backward compatible with the FT8101 transmitter.