Broadband Cable Access Networks

Chapter 2. Coaxial RF Technology

2.1. Introduction

Cable television's technical roots are the distribution of analog television signals to the antenna terminals of customers' receivers. The least expensive way to accomplish that was to avoid the need for in-home equipment by carrying each video stream on a different, standard television channel so that subscribers could use their existing TV sets to select and view programs. Although cable systems have evolved since then into sophisticated bidirectional, multiservice networks using combinations of linear fiber optics and coaxial cable for transmission, the essential characteristics of the “last-mile” distribution networks have remained unchanged. In particular, the final link is still a linear, ...