AVPro Edge 1M 40G QSFP+ Breakout Cable

AVPro Edge 1M 40G QSFP+ Passive Breakout Cable

The AVPro Edge 1M 40G QSFP+ Breakout Cable is a passive direct-attach copper cable that splits a single 40G QSFP+ port into four independent 10G SFP+ channels. At 1 meter in length, it is purpose-built for high-density switch interconnects in SDVoE and AV-over-IP infrastructures where rack space is limited and cable runs are short. Because no active components or external power are required, this passive design delivers reliable, deterministic throughput with minimal signal degradation at the port level.

Description

In AV-over-IP deployments built on 40G spine-and-leaf switching architectures, the QSFP+ breakout cable is a fundamental interconnect tool. Rather than dedicating a full 40G port to a single uplink, integrators can use this cable to fan out one QSFP+ port into four 10G SFP+ connections — each capable of carrying uncompressed 4K SDVoE streams or aggregated encoder/decoder traffic. The passive copper construction keeps latency and cost low while maintaining the 40G aggregate bandwidth needed for demanding multi-stream environments.

Key Features

• Splits one 40G QSFP+ port into four independent 10G SFP+ channels
• Passive copper construction — no active components, no additional power draw
• 1-meter length optimized for same-rack or adjacent-rack interconnects
• Supports all major QSFP+ switches used in SDVoE and AV-over-IP deployments
• Deterministic, low-latency signal path with no encoding overhead
• Cost-effective alternative to four individual 10G SFP+ fiber runs

Typical Applications

• Connecting 40G spine switches to 10G leaf switches in SDVoE fabric networks
• Aggregating multiple AV-over-IP encoder or decoder ports under a single 40G uplink
• High-density meeting rooms, command centers, and broadcast control rooms
• University and enterprise AV distribution racks where port density is a priority
• Short-reach interconnects between co-located switches in the same rack bay

Technical Specifications

Competitor Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between this breakout cable and an active optical cable (AOC)?

This cable uses passive copper conductors and requires no power or optical transceivers. An AOC uses fiber optics with integrated active laser components, allowing longer cable runs but at higher cost and power draw. For same-rack or adjacent-rack distances under 1 meter, passive DAC is the preferred choice.

Will this cable work with any QSFP+ switch, or only AVPro Edge switches?

The cable is compatible with any switch or device that accepts standard QSFP+ (40G) ports per IEEE 802.3ba. It is commonly used with Cisco, Aruba, Juniper, and other mainstream 40G switches in addition to AVPro Edge infrastructure.

Does the 40G QSFP+ breakout cable require any software configuration?

On most managed switches, breakout mode must be enabled on the QSFP+ port via the switch CLI or management interface. Each of the four resulting 10G SFP+ channels then appears as an independent port. No special drivers or firmware are required on the cable itself.

Is this cable suitable for SDVoE 4K 60Hz uncompressed video?

Yes. Each 10G lane provides sufficient bandwidth for one channel of uncompressed 4K 60Hz SDVoE video. With four lanes available, a single 40G port can support up to four simultaneous SDVoE streams when properly configured.