Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems [Paperback]

Jeffrey L. Thomas (Author), Francis M. Edgington (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0137439156 | ISBN-13: 978-0137439157 | Publication Date: November 26, 1998 | Edition: 1

74391-4 Make the transition to digital CATV: the complete, easy-to-read guide! Cable TV is rapidly moving from the familiar world of analog signals to a new digital world where yesterday's rules for optimizing performance no longer apply. If you install, upgrade, or maintain digital or mixed digital/analog systems, Digital Basics for Cable Television Systems is your complete guide to this new world. Friendly and authoritative, it's all you need to know to deliver digital services with maximum quality and reliability. * Simple fundamentals of digital signals and transport. * How digital signals differ from analog signals. * Complete coverage of digital testing and proof-of-performance. * Key digital measurement techniques, including the use of a spectrum analyzer. * Digital signal composition features, such as adaptive equalization, error correction, and compression. With this book's simple illustrations, definitions and examples, you'll find it easy to master key digital CATV concepts such as layering, modulation and multiplexing. You'll learn how to measure digital signal power and burst power, and the impact of distortion, noise and interference on digital signals. Digital Basics for Cable Television Systems is also a great reference, with a convenient glossary of digital terminology, a performance measurement map, a test equipment survey, exercises with answers, and much more. Whether you're a technician or an engineer, this book will help you maximize your digital system's performance - and your own.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

74391-4

Make the transition to digital CATV: the complete, easy-to-read guide!

Cable TV is rapidly moving from the familiar world of analog signals to a new digital world where yesterday's rules for optimizing performance no longer apply. If you install, upgrade, or maintain digital or mixed digital/analog systems, Digital Basics for Cable Television Systems is your complete guide to this new world. Friendly and authoritative, it's all you need to know to deliver digital services with maximum quality and reliability.

• Simple fundamentals of digital signals and transport.
• How digital signals differ from analog signals.
• Complete coverage of digital testing and proof-of-performance.
• Key digital measurement techniques, including the use of a spectrum analyzer.
• Digital signal composition features, such as adaptive equalization, error correction, and compression.

With this book's simple illustrations, definitions and examples, you'll find it easy to master key digital CATV concepts such as layering, modulation and multiplexing. You'll learn how to measure digital signal power and burst power, and the impact of distortion, noise and interference on digital signals.

Digital Basics for Cable Television Systems is also a great reference, with a convenient glossary of digital terminology, a performance measurement map, a test equipment survey, exercises with answers, and much more. Whether you're a technician or an engineer, this book will help you maximize your digital system's performance - and your own.

About the Author

JEFFREY L. THOMAS has worked for Hewlett-Packard for over 25 years on measurement equipment definition and application for the cable television industry. He currently writes application and training materials for use in several RF communications areas, including cellular radio. He is author of Cable Television Proof-of-Performance: A Practical Guide to Cable TV Compliance Measurements Using a Spectrum Analyzer.

FRANCIS EDGINGTON specializes in designing instrumentation for making cable television proof-of-performance measurements; defining parameters for new CATV digital test; and helping Hewlett-Packard cable television professionals make more accurate, useful measurements.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (November 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0137439156
• ISBN-13: 978-0137439157
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,994,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous resource for Analog and Digital Cable Test!, January 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems (Paperback)

Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems is an extremely valuable source for learning about how Analog and Digital data is created and tested. The differences between Analog and Digital channels is described using very basic concepts. Complex modulation and measurement considerations are explained in an easy-to-understand format, with terrific examples. The test set-up procedures definitely help anyone who needs to learn how to test Cable systems with Analog and/or Digital Channels.

Explanations of the interractions between existing Analog and new Digital channels are very clear and relate well to the Cable TV population.

Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems is a great reference tool for teaching engineers and technicians!! The Chapter quizzes and summaries really help the reader to organize their learning and prove to themselves that they grasp the concepts. The Glossary provides definitions of all of the industry terms.

I read and learned from every chapter! I recommend this book to anyone who works with Analog or Digital Broadcast Systems--it is a MUST!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great intro to the analog vs digital world, October 2, 2000

By 

orbops (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems (Paperback)

An excellent introductory book describing the characteristics of digital transmission. I picked up this book based on the review from the Boston, MA reader with the expectation that it would provide me with the basics of digital transmission theory.

The topics are organized in logical order with the basics of signal transmission, conversion from analog to digital data streams, digital modulation, error correction, power measurements, and interference sources.

What really impressed me was the simple to understand descriptions and drawings used to convey the underlying theory without getting the reader bogged down in engineering type equations.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in a general understanding of digital signal applicaitons. Even though the book is geared towards cable TV, it provided me with a strong foundation in digital communications!

5.0 out of 5 stars Unvaluable help in transiting to digital, October 20, 2001

By 

Marcelo A. Soto Quiroga (Maracay, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Digital Basics for Cable TV Systems (Paperback)

This book should be the reference for any engineer involved in todays transition into the digital TV world.
It goes to the guts of analog and digital signal processing and its complex interactions. It really helps us in setting up -and mantain healthy- our daily workplace: the citadin HFC network.
You can't expect less from an Hewlett-Packard book.