Broadcast digital video delivered over WDM passive optical networks

A robust broadcast digital video upgrade for high-performance WDM passive optical networks is demonstrated. The video format is derived from a commercially available direct satellite TV service. We broadcast 81 high-quality digital video channels and 29 audio channels, while simultaneously demonstrating error-free bidirectional transmission over two types of WDM PONs: the first is an entry-level system, which uses low-cost broad-band LED sources; the second ("RITE-Net") is a high-performance network, which shares a single 1.5-μm tunable laser source among all subscribers to provide virtual point-to-point connectivity. The broadcast upgrade is implemented by adding a directly modulated 1.3-μm uncooled LED transmitter at the central office and an ac-coupled receiver at each subscriber's optical network unit. The outside fiber plant remains unaltered.