Communication Technology Update, 8th Edition
This insightful, yet concise resource puts readers in the center of IT development and its constant progress.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Communication Technology Update, 8th Edition
Chapter 3: Cable Television
Overview
Larry Collette, Ph.D.*
* Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communications and Journalism Studies, University of Denver (Denver, Colorado).
With cable television now in its seventh decade of existence, cable telecommunications companies find themselves facing challenges much greater than simply delivering multichannel video to subscriber households. As integral parts of an increasingly complex and evolving communications landscape, cable telecommunications companies must continue to upgrade their physical plant, offer new services, keep pace with heightened consumer expectations, and deal with competition appearing in its various forms. All of this is occurring amid a backdrop in which public policy concerns and industrial organizational changes are having profound influences on the marketplace.
This chapter examines the development of cable television, details its current status, and explores its potential future directions.
Background
The Technology
The five primary components of a traditional cable system are:
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The headend, where television signals are brought in from a variety of satellite and over- theair sources for distribution across the cable plant.
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The trunk cable brings these signals to the neighborhood, with broadband amplifiers arrayed about every 2,000 feet or so to boost signal strength.
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The distribution or feeder cable extends the signal from the trunk into the neighborhood, going past subscriber homes and providing service to feeder sections.
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The subscriber drop taps a signal off the feeder cable and routes it to the individual subscriber residence.
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The terminal equipment located in the subscriber s home. This can be a cable modem, a television set, or other equipment (Cicora,...
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