CATV Systems

Broadcast Media
Covers a wide spectrum of different
communication methods such as television,
radio, news, papers, magazines and any other
materials supplied by the media and press
General Types of TV Media
•Wireless TV Broadcast (CATV)
•Wired TV Broadcast (SMATV)
 Definition of Terms
•Cable Telivision (CATV)
A technological Service that refers to the
transmission or delivery of video and audio
signals and programming for a fee through: fiber
optics, coaxial cable and other technological
means
•Acronym that stands for Cable Telivision
- Originally known as a Community Antenna
TV
•A system for distributing television programs to
the subscribers via Radio Frequency (RF) signals
transmitted through coaxial cable or Hybrid
Fiber Coaxial (HFC) networks.
•Cable Telivision (CATV) Service Provider
Refer to any person, public or private, which
was granted license to operate with a Certificate
of Public Convenience (CPC), Certificate
Authority (CA) or Provisional Authority (PA) as
provided under existing laws, rules and
regulations, to install, operate and maintain a
CATV System/ Network and is actually providing
Cable Telivision (CATV) service to its subscribers.
 HISTORY
•Frank Jewett (1936)
-Coaxial Cable installed between New York
and Philadelphia
•Louis H. Cook (1937)
-Patent to send pictures over a wire
•CATV - Community Antenna Telivision (1948)
-Tap in to a coax cable connected to a large
antenna
•Cahrles Dolan HBO (1965-1972)
Used a satellite to make novel service
available to cable companies
Modern Era
•1987 - Majority of people get TV via cable
•1992 - Cable Communications Consumer
Protection and Completion act of 1992
•Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Telephone
companies allowed to get into act
Recent Activity
•Digital Upgrades
•High Definition TV
•Interactive Services
- Video on demand
- Subscription video on demand
- Interactive program guides
-Enhanced TV Series
- Digital video recorder
Standard CATV Systems
•Video Signals and programs are distributed by
Head Stations via cabled network.
•Technical limits and specifications:
-Each channel program occupies 6MHz band
-Total spectrum operates between 50-
750MHz
-Can accommodate up to 80 channels
-Every subscriber receives the same program
Coax Specifications
•Bandwidth (750Mhz)
•Some cable providers uses RG-11 which is
thicker and stiffer to get high definition. This
cable is capable of carrying delicate digital data
for miles without loss.
Business Considerations:
1. The CATV provider
2. The cable program supplier
3. The client economy
The Cable Operator (Provider)
•Responsible for providing cable television
service to the community.
•Packages a diverse set of program services and
chargers subscribers a fee accordingly
The Program Supplier
• Responsible for delivering program services to
the cable operator
•A program supplier can include both the
broadcast television network (ABS-CBN, GMA,
NBC etc.) as well as cable network suppliers
(CNN, MTV, ESPN etc.)
•Program suppliers break down into two major
categories: advertiser, pay supported services.
Cable TV Network:
1. Analog CATV Network
2. Digital CATV Network

Analog CATV Network

• In this network, operators obtain the
channels from different sources like satellite
TV and from CD/DVD VCR player in form of
AV signals and feed these signals to
modulators. Modulator provides RF
modulated signal at its output.
The RF output of all modulators is combined in
RF mixer and provide to an amplifier which
transmit this signal on a coaxial cable.

Disadvantages:
• Limited area
• If the expansion of the network is increased
the quality will be low
• Maintenance of quality
Digital CATV
In digital CATV, all setup is same like in Analog
CATV. The only difference is that the AV signal is
provided to the MPEG-Encoders which converts
these signals in MPEG-2 format.