Coaxial cable distribution plant performance simulation for interactive multimedia TV

Coaxial cable distribution plant can be upgraded to hybrid fiber/coax networks to provide interactive multimedia TV. This paper explores the capabilities of such an upgraded coaxial cable distribution plant. A new method for calculating the exact channel response of a tree-and-branch coaxial cable distribution system is presented that uses detailed coaxial cable, passive components, active components, and distribution plant topology models. With this channel response, simulations are run that calculate the transmission performance in the upstream and downstream directions in the presence of flat background noise and ingress noise. It is shown that the channel response of the coax distribution plant limits the upstream bit-rate. The cable and component models developed in this paper could be used to make improved coaxial cable distribution plant and transmission system design and planning tools.