가정용 광케이블: 광섬유가 구리선을 대체할 때
HDMI, USB, Thunderbolt용 능동 광케이블 — 언제 그리고 왜 구리선 대신 광섬유를 선택하는가.
## Why Optical?
Copper cables have distance limits (Thunderbolt 4: 2m passive, HDMI 2.1: ~5m). Optical cables solve this with light-based signal transmission.
## Available Now
| Cable Type | Max Length | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI 2.1 AOC | 100m | Home theater, projectors |
| Thunderbolt 4 AOC | 50m | Studio/office connectivity |
| USB4 AOC | 30m | Long-distance USB |
| 10G SFP+ DAC→fiber | 300m+ | Home networking |
## Pros and Cons
**Pros**: Much longer distances, immune to electromagnetic interference, lighter and thinner than thick copper
**Cons**: More expensive, some don't carry power (need separate power at each end), can't bend as sharply as copper, one-directional (some models)
## When to Choose Optical
- Projector more than 5m from source
- Running cables through walls or ceilings
- Environment with heavy EMI (near motors, industrial equipment)
- Future-proofing home networking with 10G+ fiber