Fiber optic cables: How they work

Bill uses a bucket of propylene glycol to show how a fiber optic cable works and how engineers send signal across oceans. More info at www.engineerguy.com. You can translate captions at www.engineerguy.com/translate

[@TheMxboy199]

I could listen to this guy talk about anything

[@AkshanshShrivastava]

haha

[@SKyrim190]

It is incredible how his information about anything make us see everything from what it is: an amazing achievment in engineering!

[@pikupixel5094]

I want to hear him talk about where babies come from

[@GIPvideos]

I have no clue what he's saying but his confidence helps me

[@elijahminiuk2058]

same

[@anomalousmaterial217]

My favorite engineer, Mark Hamill.

[@engineerguyvideo]

I actually get more notice for these than for the Star Wars movies nowadays.

[@bobbq8380]

He does kinda look like him lol

[@bobbq8380]

@@engineerguyvideo Either way is pretty cool sir!

[@adrianknelsen]

@@bobbq8380 he is him

[@ThFoil]

I was seriously looking for this comment just now.

[@Onserio.]

I had asked this question in my I.T class about 12 years ago. Finally got the answer at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="134">2:14</a>am. It is amazing.

[@Onserio.]

@Ricky Smith “I”

[@oreowithurea5018]

@@Onserio. who is I and who got the answer?

[@babethimperial8587]

Is there a radiation on fiber optic?

[@namansingla2975]

Are you sure coz I think it was 2:13 A.M Or maybe your brain took a whole minute to register the damn thing!

[@stuv1996]

@Ricky Smith Did you just Schrab this man?

[@SHDW-nf2ki]

engineerguy: I have a bucket TF2 Soldier: DEAR GOD

[@apollo1401]

I teleported bread! You told me too.. I have done nothing but teleport bread for 3 days!

[@i_teleported_bread7404]

*Zere's more...*

[@idkmyownnameplshelp9218]

Titanfall 2 or team fortress

[@i_teleported_bread7404]

@@idkmyownnameplshelp9218 Team Fortress 2

[@samir9735]

*NO*

[@Unpluggedx89]

I love the background music. It sounds like the tutorial level of a RPG.

[@omar3339]

It made me super nostalgic about the educational shows I used to watch as a kid, they used this kind of music too.

[@devdua2880]

What are you guys talking about its clash of clans music

[@stabgan]

@@devdua2880 lol

[@Farisn23]

@@devdua2880 lol reminded me of that too

[@accreditedbythenicemaninth6495]

I want a tutorial on a rocket propelled grenade with this background music.

[@frankytoad12]

Have to appreciate countless past engineers and scientists who have shaped our world and open the doors for further discovery and engineering. Channels like this are an inspiration and deserve at least as many views at youtube's reaction or prank channels.

[@rashoietolan3047]

Frank Harrison the mvps irl

[@anomalousmaterial217]

Beautiful words, my man. Beautiful.

[@rameshjha2264]

Narinder Singh kapany is the the scientist who created fiber optics. Credit should be given to a discovery with which we are able to come in this digital age and watch such youtube videos

[@memd777]

agreed... prank youtube channels should be banned, they are stupid fake and annoying, edit: and most importantly dumb

[@graydonmiller731]

@@rameshjha2264 just one of many engineers that led to its invention.

[@kernalkorn1514]

I love the animation where the binary approximations on the graph merge into a single line of binary code. It's a nice touch and it helped me see what's going on. Thank you Sir!

[@parissaizan3769]

Bill, I am a network engineer and studied and employed Asynchronous Transfer Mode for a city in Oregon. My most common challenge was refraction changes due to over-eager "diggers" and cable-installers on the poles. Sometimes, the glass fiber cable would develop and "fracture" or break. This was like a monkey wrench in the works and so I truly appreciate your discussion of refraction. I love the engineer's perspective and your clear and concise teaching method!!!

[@annieworroll4373]

Fiber seeking backhoes are a menace. I was on the help desk for a cable ISP when an entire state was taken out by one.

[@gauravkar4805]

Really underrated channel.

[@multiverse915]

GrV Kar true that

[@LAHegarty]

It has almost 3 million views, it can't be that underrated.

[@thomasjefferson3449]

LAHegarty people are too stupid to be interested

[@kojo0ttiz316]

Agree...

[@LAHegarty]

It's not underrated.

[@subtractivemusic]

Why are people disliking a purely informative video

[@EnProto]

+Simon WoodburyForget then why click the video?

[@daraiusboston5770]

+sub tractive why are you asking

[@dsandoval9396]

+sub tractive Because people want to turn away from the truth and go back to burning witch's on the steak...

[@Honey-hj6fv]

+sub tractive probably the australian government

[@truantray]

sub tractive Because intellects are liberals, and the whole point of the internet is to empower the opinions of the ignorant.

[@moss5356]

My name is welcome ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎

[@obraxis.]

🤔 🤔 **W E L C O M E**

[@randomisfoda]

i am a fish!

[@micka2839]

WHO’S COMING RIGHT NOW HUH ?! IF YOUR COMING LET ME SEE IT !

[@itsnei6711]

Why is this on my recommendations? nvm, I learned something new

[@HoodrichShinobi]

They just hate anything that is good. Those are equivalent to the people who hate trump for doing such great things to America.

[@darkseid856]

@@HoodrichShinobi what this has anything to with politics ?

[@Tortee2]

this guy explains perfectly, not stupid like explaining to a 4 year old, and not overly complicated like explaining to a college student

[@howardlam6181]

Yes, but about the modulation part, he should have said a simple example of encoding rather saying that's the way we do things. Because no, we don't really do it like that.

[@NN-sp9tu]

​@@howardlam6181 How is it actually done?

[@howardlam6181]

@@NN-sp9tu Well, first, the light is the carrier and we don't direct apply modulation on the carrier. You only mix the carrier with a modulated signal of much lower frequency. Then, there are many more types of modulations. Surely you have heard of frequency modulation for example. You give each frequency a code and you sample a certain period of time to figure the frequency out. And there are many more advanced techniques to mix different techniques together to squeeze out every possible bit of information capacity potential. See link for a picture how a mixed signal would look like. www.elprocus.com/pulse-amplitude-modulation/

[@JUMOWAx]

you mentioned 50k phone calls can be sent simultaneously. How come the signals don't irritate each other while being sent through the cable?

[@engineerguyvideo]

Excellent question ... google Wavelength-division multiplexing ... essential they use different colors of light.

[@JUMOWAx]

Crazy impressive, thank you. Still mind blowing how so many different signals find their way to their destinations

[@_Super_Hans_]

engineerguy Why have you stopped making videos

[@engineerguyvideo]

The birth of my second child has slowed me down ... that and some writing.

[@VERGIL572]

congratitulations :) and greetings from México.

[@alliebonesVODs]

Wow, I always imagined the transatlantic cable as being so much larger! I figured it was over a foot in diameter, and marveled at the sheer amount of material it would have taken, but that it's able to be so small yet durable and able to transmit to much information is even more marvelous!

[@AverageAlien]

I don't think you understand

[@thedominion6643]

​@@AverageAlien😅 idk where to start in correcting that comment

[@skyfeelan]

it seems that other guys are very gatekeepy, saying your comment is wrong but not wanting to correct it 1. the cable is indeed thick, thicker than that stereo cable, you can just google for the exact diameter (idk whether it's one foot or not since I use metric) 2. they use more than one cable, even between same region (such as NA and EU), both to increase bandwidth and also to be a backup in case one is broken

[@steventhury8366]

​@@skyfeelanThank-you for being you. 👍

[@demonman905]

His presentation is phenomenal. Educational, yet, despite not making a single joke or witty line, he makes it entertaining with his voice alone.

[@Kwahntum]

Wish I had watched these videos before all of my digital communications classes. The big picture overview explained in layman's terms are very helpful. Often professors speak as if they are talking to a room of experienced professionals making it very hard to follow. Thank you for the videos!

[@ashleyl3219]

they do

[@5uperM]

Yeah, and then they act surprised when their students don't understand the subject.

[@luckyeddy350]

That's why most engineers don't or can't work with passion. We don't have good engineering teachers.

[@MotionInMotion1975]

The sample with the bucket is awesome. Love your videos. Thanks!

[@NoirOctobre711]

Also did he make a joke about adding creamer to the propylene glycol?

[@engineerguyvideo]

No ... that give the laser something to reflect from

[@NoirOctobre711]

For a moment I thought you added coffee creamer, and I thought it was like a joke towards people drinking bleach. Thanks for elaborating. :)

[@sevsevie]

You knew why I came.

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

you better come right here, where I am

[@Chris_winthers]

Who's coming? Are you coming?

[@qunas101]

If you're coming right now, let me see it!

[@Its_notJesus96]

Why do I learn more on KZbin than at school?

[@RingRingRingBananaPhone]

Because you watch what you want and what interests you, instead of getting all types of info crammed into your head

[@Mythyc]

Banana Phone's answer is more accurate. The whole indoctrination thing, while real, does not have anything to do with this video, with learning, or even specifically with school, and does not explain why you learn more from a KZbin video than from some lecture at school. Congratz on being edgy, though.

[@darkseid856]

@@RingRingRingBananaPhone most accurate comment . I was confused by your dp for a second .

[@nell711]

@@commanderleo Stop letting us know you have no idea what he's talking about

[@user-or3tl6yq7o]

Because you are listening

[@shivamanand3908]

I've studied all this in just theory. It's really amazing to see these theoretical concepts applied in real world. I just wish I had a professor like him.

[@shivendrakumar7800]

My college teachers couldn't made me understand optical fiber in a full semester. you did it in just 5 mins.. hats off sir

[@citationneeded2093]

poo in loo

[@Hodenkobold44]

Hello everybody my name is Campfire

[@ipetmycats99]

This has the same energy as a 90's documentary

[@cosmicpuma1409]

Wow.... Incredible... The most incredible part is how you took such complex information and explained it in such a wonderful way. Thank you.

[@scottwarneronline4613]

How do they boost the signal within the cable?

[@engineerguyvideo]

In this early system (if I recall correctly) they converted the signal to an electricial signal and then used a conventional amplifer. In later system they used an amazing erbium based amplifer -- an EDFA -- that is an optical amplifer. It uses stimulated emission like a laser. The wikipedia article on "optical amplifer" explains the essential concept.

[@VoluntaristSociety]

+engineerguy So they have stations in the middle of the sea with amps? Cool.

[@bonnome2]

I had exactly the same question. Thanks for answering it!

[@kimonaspap5001]

Fucking Voodoo Magic Man!!!

[@MoonGuard13]

Fucking Voodoo Magic Man!!!

[@retring]

Marker & plier

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Fibre optic cable core

[@Chris_winthers]

Markle frier

[@LinkRammer]

Hello everybody my name is Portuguese

[@VoidFame]

I'm so happy to see information presented in this style. No distracting questions. No personal confusions. Just principle and design explained clearly and efficiently.

[@whowantstognawonhumanbones]

Hello everybody my name is market pliers

[@danielmiller2886]

Working for the phone company, we could use a flashlight to light up the other end of a fiber miles away so someone on the other end could confirm which fiber we were working with. I found fiber optic cable to be absolutely fascinating.

[@bruno-ks2dd]

hello everybody my name is markplier

[@firecode1252]

Hello everybody my name is Portuguese

[@bruno-ks2dd]

@@firecode1252 You are so Portugese

[@donniecatalano]

You have the rare ability to make these topics very interesting, with simple explanations and very enjoyable manners. Thank you.

[@aleksssss]

I literally just did a physics exam for this, and now you pop up. Thanks a lot, KZbin.

[@vvrssngkmurthy676]

Oooo ok

[@atolmasoff]

I thought he was Mark Hamill for a while there

[@epherium8177]

That's not Mark Hamill?

[@ichsandevandra]

so i'm not the only one.

[@fjphoto23]

Perhaps he could explain how the light saber works.

[@babayaga1767]

bart simpson

[@James-le8gd]

lol

[@NecrosVideos]

Bill I just wanna say I appreciate these videos of yours so much, I always come back to them.

[@closetdoorman]

if youre coming right now let me see it

[@diggerpete9334]

I just love your made easy to understand videos and professional quality.

[@speedy0ne757]

High speed internet access

[@alexanderheubel7366]

"I have a bucket..." "This... is a bucket" "Dear god" "There's more"

[@emilioovalle3070]

Noo

[@georgevasilopoulos5359]

Portuguese

[@Aaron.Reichert]

I already understood this for the most part, but this was a great explanation with awesome visual aids. Totally worth watching!

[@craigdotzert8120]

One of the best channels on KZbin, great job man!

[@chattha3272]

none has explained me analog to digital conversion better than this. Thank you the engineer guy.

[@LaObraDeMarteLODM]

WOW. I just searched how does Optic Fiber works and I clicked in this video and now I am a subscriber. Excellent channel. God Bless you man.

[@ramu992]

Popped up in recommendations after 8years.

[@mohamadalpha5935]

Me too lol

[@lc3433]

Yep, same here. Worth the watch though.

[@vasudevnaik6076]

Yes it showed up in recommendation out of nowhere, very informative video

[@TheWitchOvAgnesi]

Add me to the list, however my first video had to do with the Titanic and a while back I was doing research on it and other shipwrecks. But admittedly that was a year or so back, so maybe a coincidence. KZbin deep state at work?

[@KelvenLV]

make it 9

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

"In Tat-8 signal travels 50km before it needs to be amplified" I was SO hoping you would show us HOW the signal gets amplified in a cable on the ocean floor.

[@EXHellfire]

It might just be some basic amplification method like some crystal that magnifies the incoming light? I mean it would likely have to be implemented in the cable itself all along its length. I also wanted him to explain that part.

[@lucaspelegrino1]

Waiting

[@pedrovieira4227]

SAME

[@richardhz-oi8px]

Likely through the usage of powered repeaters.

[@jakubSwaps]

I'm guessing it might be some sort of lens that's gonna point all the rays back to the same angle they need to point in order to keep being reflected.

[@jayblackburn3553]

Video quality this good from 9 years ago? Unreal. Bravo❗️

[@randomitems645]

How did this make so much sense in such a small amount of time. 10/10 would learn again.

[@briansmobile1]

I'm blown away at the amount of work that has gone into these videos. I see evidence of absolutely fantastic preparations and post production work. I'm a professional KZbinr, father, volunteer, sole bread winner, and frankly I have as many hobbies as most Renaissance men. My channel is a one-man-band and it shows by comparison. Your ability to work with others and produce this body of work is fantastic!

[@rlckyrlcardo]

this is the most pretentious compliment i have ever read

[@stevethea5250]

@@rlckyrlcardo 🤣

[@LinasW]

No one should call himself a renaissance man. Its a given title, not self-proclaimed

[@mv.m.5339]

That is just absolutely jam-packed with information, all in a less than five minute video!

[@lucasjota2767]

Great video, even for 2020. The beautiful effect along with his voice saying "that's wonderful" gave me goosebumps.

[@takikunjumon1079]

the demonstration was actually mindblowing........

[@ImLucasStuff]

Hello everybody my name is welcome

[@ericmaher4756]

Best and most concise explanation I’ve heard. Even explained how audio can be coded in binary in the time it takes to say it. Wow!

[@davidbrunner7772]

4 years ago I watched this exact video as it was a link from my grade 12 physics class on optics. Discovered this channel today and only now realized I had actually discovered this guy 4 years ago. Gladly watching this again.

[@ParasharSangle]

i could like watch this channel the whole day!! where were you bill when i was a kid!!!???

[@klausgaming7365]

He was probably sending faxes, but you never left paper on the printer tray.

[@anuragtyagi1111]

It's amazing that they were explaining optical fibre 10 years back from now and Now we have this at our home as broadband connection. STEM is is amazing ❤️

[@dustindenham3830]

Third year engineering student here. Learned and talked about fiber optics in physics 2. I remember when my teacher asked the class if someone can think of an example of total internal reflection and I suggested fiber optics. This video blew my mind. Subscribed!

[@benschebella673]

That was such a concise explanation of converting soundwaves to binary, thankyou!

[@soraaoixxthebluesky]

I hate that "the more I learn, the more I don't know" feeling.

[@KiwiTravels]

This helped me for my test, bro!

[@SirrNicolas]

Videos that don't make me skip around or up the speed deserve my thumbs up

[@VenkmanJ]

I could listen to him all day. What a great guy!! I definitely got the information I needed. Thanks!

[@LuigiFan810]

Mark

[@LadyAnuB]

Aren't the best cables used today using a gradual change in the index of reflection along the radial direction of the cable such that internal reflection losses are minimized?

[@davidm3210]

Lovely illustration & explanation, he's quite gifted.

[@srinivasprasanth8703]

outstanding explanation and the way of demonstrating is excellent.

[@Sonderasf]

I don’t know why it’s in my recommendations either but I do know we both enjoyed our stay.

[@Jakium]

This guy made a video about how the algorithm works and it's mind-blowing!!! 🤯🤯🤯 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqqcpZ97hsxgp80

[@powderedwater4742]

i always wondered how so many calls go through one wire at the same time i looked up wavelength division multiplexing and it makes more sense now, but for the calls to appear in real time, doesn't that mean 1 bit alone would have to be transmitted 40k times in both directions in less then a second with each one being a different color before being able to move on to the second bit? if so thats amazing

[@mikimauseontheway]

such an amazing definition and animation, makes all clear..

[@diarm.hunter6822]

this channel deserves so much more exposure.. jesus

[@drillsergeant623]

I've placed hundreds of miles of fiber optic cable. Never really understanding how it worked. Now I'm watching this video while vaping on a electronic cigarette which uses propylene glycol. Things that make you say hmm. ✌️

[@lordbjesomar]

Drillsergeant 623 me to friend😀!

[@irarelyupload6930]

Vape nashe

[@angelgjr1999]

This is incredible technology. :)

[@falcoperegrinus82]

+Angel Gutierrez Go Bernie!

[@angelgjr1999]

falcoperegrinus82 Yes! #FEELTHEBERN

[@DalekTurtle]

+Angel Gutierrez WE SHALL OVERCOME

[@zacksmith3398]

Riperino

[@salaryunis2254]

Amazing explanation! from 2011 but still perfect to understand how fiber works, brilliant!

[@jimboelterdotcomm9153]

Perfect combination of technical details and entertaining presentation.

[@moonscar119]

need to know how they attached apmlification usints to the cables ever 50kilometers. basically a prepeater? how does it get power?

[@soumitraroyjoy1100]

How this guy happens to be so awesome ?

[@hiroyukihitoishiiashleywoo5950]

I like how you explain things, man.

[@diegofernandez4789]

Man, you´re so good at explaining things!

[@colinlane4977]

High-speed internet access.

[@zaidaiser1999]

Youre so Portuguese

[@TheEuroboss]

Hello everybody my name is markiplier. Markiplier.

[@firecode1252]

🇵🇹

[@skyhiker9669]

Always wondered about this. THANK YOU!

[@MuhammadAdeelbutt]

wow... just wow. You've explained this awesomely. Thank YOU!

[@Alvy.07]

As a self proclaimed KZbin engineer from the University of Interwebz, I approve this message.

[@c0rnh0li09]

Our teacher just showed us this two days ago and now it’s in my recommended 😂

[@engineerguyvideo]

We didn’t feel that you listen well enough in class.

[@jack-xf8tb]

@@engineerguyvideo why don’t you post videos anymore?

[@engineerguyvideo]

I will ... had two kids in the last five years ... you try living with a child between the ages of 2 and 3 and see what you can get done!

[@vinayakchawla2510]

@@engineerguyvideo can we please have some dad jokes then ?

[@jack-xf8tb]

@@engineerguyvideo haha fair enough, love the vids

[@baronvg]

I watch stuff like this and it really is awe inspiring. See, anything and everything can seem like magic but deep down, there’s always something that explains how & why something happens.

[@thebeast5215]

What an absolutely amazing video! I love how you explain things!!!

[@n12a241]

hello everyone my name is multiplier

[@joeym7291]

Portages

[@RECTmetal]

That was utterly fascinating.

[@timmyjones1921]

You did a superb job Engineering Guy ' Thank You .

[@eidoran5653]

So what you’re saying is I can be a “light bender”

[@haleyweatherall5090]

Really underrated channel.

[@BienoxGaming2022]

Hello everybody my name is Portuguese, Portuguse, Porkagaze, Pokraaze, Potaze, Pot, Azze, Ass

[@Kostas_Ountsis]

I am a theology student with an interest in engineering and all things computers in general. You literally explained in 5 mins my biggest question that no professor sat down to help me understand.

[@agelualofa]

I love your work, honestly beautiful

[@arashipower]

Could you make a video telling about the Brazilian Priest Father Landell de Moura, who become a first who transmitted the human voice using a system transmitting with electric waves using a light beam in 1890?

[@anujpanchal6314]

Anyone got this in recommendation in 2019? 🤗

[@brookecytyz]

Maaaaaaan... 8 years old

[@fbiagentmiyakohoshino8223]

Anuj Panchal e

[@Anonymous-nj6of]

Ok boomer

[@EkaDeva]

2020 tbh

[@Jakium]

This guy made a video about how the algorithm works and it's mind-blowing!!! 🤯🤯🤯 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqqcpZ97hsxgp80