60 channel AM-VSB video transmission over 30 kilometers of optical fiber using a Nd:YAG laser and external intensity modulation

A fiber-optic broadband video transmission system has been developed which has the ability to transmit more than 60 channels of high-quality full-motion NTSC video. The fiber-optic system is designed around a high-power diode-pumped solid-state Nd:YAG laser and a custom-built lithium niobate Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator. Transmission of video signals has been achieved for a total distance of up to 32 kilometers with a carrier-to-noise ratio better than 54 dB. The author discusses system design considerations, performance characteristics, and future improvements to the system. The composite triple beat distortion was measured to be approximately -58 dBc.<>