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Power over coax (PoC) is a method of sending DC power and high-frequency communication signals over a single coaxial cable. Instead of running a separate power cable to a camera or sensor, the same coax carries both. Bias-tee or filter circuitry at each end of the link keeps the two apart, so the power supply does not disturb the data and the data does not leak into the power line. PoC can remove the need for a second cable, but whether a given camera, recorder, or sensor works with it depends on the specific implementation, not on the label alone.
How PoC separates power from signal
A coaxial cable has a central conductor, a shield, and a controlled impedance. That makes it suitable for high-frequency signals, but it also means a DC supply and a data stream must be combined on the same conductor without interfering with each other. PoC solves this with two kinds of component placed at each end of the link.
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- The bias-T inductor path. An inductor (or a filter network built around one) passes DC to the device while presenting high impedance to the high-frequency signal, so the signal is not shunted away into the power source.
- The coupling capacitor on the signal path. A capacitor passes the high-frequency signal while blocking DC, so the supply voltage does not reach the data circuitry.
Texas Instruments’ design guidelines for the DS90UB953-Q1 (April 2018) describe the same arrangement: an inductor at each end delivers DC, and coupling capacitors block DC from the serializer/deserializer signal path. Murata’s technical explanation (28 May 2021) makes the same point about the inductor’s isolation role.
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- The power source sits on one end of the link. In Texas Instruments’ FPD-Link III example, that is the deserializer side, which feeds DC onto the coax through its bias-T inductor.
- DC travels the cable and reaches the far-end device (for example, a camera module), where an inductor passes it to the local supply rail.
- Video or other data is modulated onto the same conductor at high frequency. Coupling capacitors on each end pass it through while keeping it out of the power branch.
- In the FPD-Link III example, video returns from the camera over the same cable, using the signal path and bypassing the power branch.
What goes wrong with poor filtering
The filter components are the weak point of a PoC link. If the inductor or capacitor is poorly chosen, signal energy can get into the power line, or the communication signal can be attenuated before it reaches the receiver. Both failures show up as unstable video, dropped data, or noise on the supply, so filter selection is part of the link design rather than an afterthought. TDK’s July 2026 guidance on PoC filter inductors for automotive SerDes transmission makes the same point: the component has to match the signal speed and supply requirements of the system it is in.
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- 【PoE & IP OVER COAX CONVERTER】LINOVISION’s POE IP Over Coax converter can be used to upgrade analog system to IP surveillance system while using existing coaxial cable. Compatible with RG59, RG6, RG11 cables. Supports POE standards 802.3af (PoE) and 802.3at (PoE+). EOC Receiver MUST be powered by POE switch or POE injector while Transmitter should be connected with POE devices or NON-POE devices
- 【POE & IP OVER TWIST PAIR CONVERTER】 Each pair of EOC(Ethernet over Coax) Converter is equipped with 2 BNC to Twist Pair connectors, which enables POE over Twist Pair transmission. 100Mbps bandwidth over 330ft regular twist pair cables while 10Mbps over 1485ft for both POE or NON-POE devices. It’s ideal for the CCTV system in elevator cart.
- 【INDUSTRIAL DESIGN WITH BUILT-IN HEAT SINK】Industrial design, with built-in heat sink, ensure super reliability and hassle free transmission. Indoor use ONLY. Plug-and-play, configuration free, makes installation simplest. Small design (3.1"x2.0"x0.9") and light weight.
- 【POINT TO POINT CONNECTION ONLY】Act as MoCA (Multimedia over Coax) in point-to-point connection, transmit video/audio/data/control signal over coaxial cable, so as being used with twist pair. EOC Receiver should be powered by POE switch or POE injector while Transmitter should be connected with POE devices or NON-POE devices.
- 【PLUG-N-PLAY】The installation is very easy and no configuration or expertise is required. Just plug the EOC Receiver to an POE switch or POE injector, and then connect to EOC Transmitter via Coaxial cable or twist pair cable. IP camera or VoIP phone will then get POE power and data transmission from this EOC Transmitter
Where PoC is used
Automotive cameras and sensors
Automotive camera modules are often far from a direct power source, and running a separate power wire to each one adds weight and harness complexity. Texas Instruments’ design guide for automotive applications (Jerry Leung, August 2016) presents PoC as a way to reduce that weight. Leung writes: “Power over coax (PoC) provides a compact solution for automotive designers looking to reduce vehicle weight as manufacturers add more cameras and other sensors to fulfill automotive safety requirements.” The same guide frames its voltage examples as design observations for that context, not as a general PoC rule.
Industrial cameras
Murata identifies visual-inspection cameras and long cable runs along manufacturing lines as industrial uses. In these settings, running one coax instead of a camera cable plus a power cable can simplify routing. Murata’s article is a technical description of the approach; it does not establish a deployment rate for industrial PoC.
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- Direct replacement for cable TV amplifier power supplies rated for 12V up to 500mA (0.5A). Replaces most 12V Passive Return power supplies from various manufacturers.
- THIS IS NOT A CABLE TV BOOSTER. IT IS A POWER ADAPTER. USE OF THIS PRODUCT BY ITSELF WILL NOT HELP TV RECEPTION.
- Input Voltage 100-240VAC, Output 12VDC, 500mA max. Rated for INDOOR USE only. 6KV Surge protected.
- Dimensions: 2.95 x1.88 x 1.50 without connectors or mounting holes.
- High Efficiency Switched Mode operation, DoE Level VI rated.
Coax-based video surveillance
ETSI’s 2019 announcement of its specification for energy-efficient IP video surveillance (ETSI TS 105 176-2) describes an interoperable approach for IP data and power over coax-based surveillance infrastructure, in which cameras and other devices connect to a PoC switch. Separately, Dahua’s HDCVI Product Selection V3.0 (2020) documents HDCVI PoC camera and recorder families. These are vendor-specific product lines. Their compatibility, supported formats, and distance limits apply to Dahua’s own systems, not to every coax camera.
PoC is a method, not one universal standard
PoC describes how power and data share a cable. It does not define a single connector, voltage, or protocol that all equipment follows. TDK lists several SerDes (serializer/deserializer) families that support PoC:
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- GMSL
- FPD-Link
- ASA-ML
- MIPI A-PHY
- GVIF
- CLL-BD
Each family has its own signal speed, supply requirements, and filter needs. A camera advertised as “PoC” may use one of these interfaces, a vendor-specific surveillance scheme, or a different implementation altogether, so the label on its own does not establish that it will work with a given recorder, sensor, or cable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Figures in PoC sources and their scope
Several numbers appear in PoC literature. Each belongs to a particular source, date, and setting, and none should be read as a universal limit.
Rank #4
- Direct replacement for cable TV amplifier power supplies rated for 12V 200mA (0.2A), including MKD-3512200 and YL1200200.
- High Efficiency Switched Mode operation, DoE Level VI rated. Replaces most Passive Return amplifier coaxial power supplies from various manufacturers.
- Input Voltage 100-240VAC, Output 12VDC, 200mA max. Rated for INDOOR USE only. 6KV Surge protected.
- Dimensions: 2.6 x1.13 x 1.95 without connectors or mounting holes.
- THIS IS NOT A CABLE TV BOOSTER. IT IS A POWER ADAPTER. USE OF THIS PRODUCT BY ITSELF WILL NOT HELP TV RECEPTION.
| Figure | Source and date | What it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 3 V to 42 V vehicle-battery excursion; deserializer boosted to at least 9 V before transmission | Texas Instruments, August 2016 | Low and high battery excursions in an automotive design example. The 9 V boost is the example’s approach to coax voltage drop, not a general PoC voltage range. |
| Approximately 1.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps or more, and 1 W to 5 W | TDK, July 2026 | Filter demands for higher-capacity sensing devices in automotive SerDes links. It describes a trend in that note, not every PoC system. |
| Up to 200 m for AF cameras; up to 100 m for AT cameras | Dahua, HDCVI Product Selection V3.0, 2020 | Dahua’s HDCVI PoC camera system, as stated in its product catalog. Specific to that vendor’s products, not a general coax limit. |
No independent cross-market figure in these sources establishes how widely PoC is adopted or what performance it reaches across all systems. Treat the table’s numbers as examples from specific products and designs.
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- Named PoC implementation. Confirm which PoC scheme or SerDes family the camera, sensor, or recorder uses.
- Video or data format. Match the format the device outputs to what the recorder or receiver accepts.
- Power level. Check the supported supply voltage and current the far end draws, and whether the source can deliver it over the cable.
- Distance. Use the distance the manufacturer states for its own system, and note whether the figure is for a specific camera model.
- Filter components. For engineered links, select inductors and capacitors against the interface’s frequency range and supply needs, since poor choices cause signal loss or supply noise.
- Documentation match. Use the equipment’s own documentation for compatibility. A general description of PoC cannot confirm it.
Where a device is specified as part of a surveillance system, the vendor’s compatibility list and product selection guide are the authoritative source for what will work together.
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