Modulation in CATV

Modulation

Cable television signals are then mixed in accordance with the cable system's channel numbering scheme using a series of cable modulators (one for each channel), which is in turn fed into a frequency multiplexer or signal combiner. The mixed signals are sent into a broadband amplifier, then sent into the cable system by the trunk line and continuously re-amplified as needed.

Modulators essentially take an input signal and attach it to a specific frequency. For example in North America, NTSC standards dictate that CH2 is a 6 MHz wide channel with its luminance carrier at 55.25 MHz, so the modulator for channel 2 will impose the appropriate input signal on to the 55.25 MHz frequency to be received by any TV tuned to Channel 2.

Digital channels are modulated as well; however, instead of each channel being modulated on to a specific frequency, multiple digital channels are modulated on to one specific NTSC frequency. Using QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), a CATV operator can place usually up to eight channels on one specific frequency so channel 2 may actually be carrying channels 1 - 8 in a viewer's city. STBs (Set top boxes) orCableCards are required to receive these digital signals and are provided by the cable operator themselves.