Segmentation of HFC Systems.

By: Andy Lamarre, Dir. Eng. Trispec Communications Inc. SCTE, Senior member.

To: SCTE, Ontario group. Ottawa, 13th of May 2004

Why Segment the Network.

Increase Forward Bandwidth. Reduce Home Passed Ratios. Assure Video on Demand delivery. Faster and secure INTERNET delivery. Reduce NOISE and DISTORTION on the Forward path. Reduce NOISE and DISTORTION on the Return path. Prepare your HFC network for IP transport.

Lets have a look at some of todays available methodologies to:

Increase Bandwidth. Deliver better Signal quality. Reduce Homes Passed Ratio. Improve transmission specifications.

By replacing RF Amplifiers with better Diplex-Filters. 5 - 30 / 48 550 MHz

First diplex-filters available in the CATV industry and no longer practical today.

5 - 40 / 52 - 870 MHz
The Diplex-Filters most commonly used today.

5 - 42 / 54 870 MHz
Problems with these diplex-filters with signals carried below 54.0 MHz, signals for Sweep systems and Status Monitoring, etc.

5 65 / 85 - 870 MHz
Diplex-filters used in Europe, but could also be used in North America. These diplex-filters will cause you to lose 30 MHz on Forward Transmission, (ch:2 to ch: 6), but will increase the Return Path by 25 MHz. Requires CRTC approval in Canada.

By replacing existing RF Amplifiers: Push pull amplifiers;

Have a 48.5 dBmV maximum output level.

Power Doubling amplifiers;

Have a 51.5 dBmV maximum output level.

GaAs (Gallium Arsenide) amplifiers;

Have a 53.5 dBmV maximum output level.

Above specifications with 80 ANALOG Signals and 350 MHz of Digital Signal at 6.0 dB lower. Digital Higher output level guarantee better quality signal before DISTORTION appears. DISTORTION

By upgrading Forward 1310 nm optical transmitters. Available frequencies today:

750, 870 and 1000 MHz.

Available power:
4 dB reach (10 km) between TX and NODE. 5 dB reach (12.5 km) 6 dB reach (15 km) 8 dB reach (20 km) 10 dB reach (25 km) 12 dB reach (30 km) 14 dB reach (35 km) . . . . . .

Above measured with 0.4 dB loss per km.

Should always try to hit the NODE with 0.0 to + 2.0 dBm for best Carrier to Noise and Distortion specifications.

By upgrading to 1550 nm forward optical transmitters.

Available frequency 750, 870 and 1,000 MHz Single or Dual output transmitter. Output level between 7.0 to 8.0 dBm. Should always look for equipment with a 16 dB SBS control.
(Stimulated Brillouin Scattering)

Must be coupled with an EDFA, remembering the maximum power introduced in the fibre is + 16.0 dBm. NODE usually requires an input between - 2.0 to + 2.0 dBm, where 0.0 dBm should be the input target for a good DISTORTION and C/N level. With the proper use of EDFAs, the maximum length of a 1550 nm system can be around 130 km, between the optical TX and the last NODE. With optical couplers, one (1) 1550 nm optical transmitter is capable of feeding many NODES.

By Replacing 1310 nm optical Return transmitters.

Available frequencies: 5 to 200 MHz,
The RF portion will only pass the frequencies the RF Diplex Filters will allow. Filters

Available technologies today:

Fabry Perot (FB) Distributed Feedback (DFB) Power available: 0.4mW (-4.0 dBm) FB, 1.0mW (0.0 dBm) DFB, distance of 25 km. distance of 35 km.

2.0 mW ( 3.0 dBm) DFB, distance of 42.5 km.

Above @ 0.4 dB loss per km with 14.0 dBm input at RX.

Return Optical receivers are capable of an input.

Between +0.0 to -14.0 / -16.0 dBm.

Installing TDM return 1550 nm optical transmitter. Time Domain Multiplexing.

Available frequencies today: 5 to 200 MHz. TDM available technologies today:
Three (3) RF Return Input, Multiplexed @ 3.1 Gbps Four (4) RF Return Input, Multiplexed @ 4.2 Gbps Output level between 0.0 to + 8.0 dBm ITU Wavelength available with the use of DWDM.

TDM optical receivers are capable of:

Between +0.0 to -18.0 dBm input, giving a 26.0 dB link at a single 1550 nm ITU grid, without the use of EDFAs.

Possibility of using EDFAs.

With 16 and more ITU Wavelengths. Must use MUX and DEMUX. Must be careful to keep the level at +/- 2.0 dB between ITU Wavelengths. Remembering, EDFAs output will change with the addition and removal of ITU Wavelength.

An important note on 1550 nm EDFAs and multi Wavelengths. A 16.0 dBm EDFA with one wavelength will have its output reduced to:
13.0 dBm with two (2) ITU Wavelengths, 10.0 dBm with four (4) ITU Wavelengths, 7.0 dBm with eight (8) ITU Wavelengths, 4.0 dBm with sixteen (16) ITU Wavelengths.

EDFAs are available with: 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 dBm outputs.
With Multi ITU Wavelengths, it might be time to have a look at using EDFAs with AGC control, this will help give a constant output level.

By using better QAM technologies.

On the forward path:
Move from 64 QAM to 256 QAM transmission schemes. Have a look at 1,024 QAM, soon to be available.

On the return path:

With DOCSIS 1.0, use the maximum bandwidth of 3.2 MHz and go from QPSK to 16 QAM. With DOCSIS 2.0, use the full 6.4 MHz bandwidth. With DOCSIS 2.0, use 128 QAM at a 30.0 Mbps throughput.

Remember higher QAM levels will require a cleaner signal.

Todays HFC distribution section.

Coaxial system

H.E.
Fiber section

NODE

1500 To 2000 subs

By adding additional NODES in the original pocket, this will reduce INGRESS Noise in the return path and improve signal quality in the forward section.

H.E.
6 Fibres Required
NODE NODE NODE

More fibres will be required if additional NODE are installed.

By installing NODES with a Dual Optical RX and Dual Analog Return TX

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

H.E.

4 Fibres Required

By installing NODES with a Dual Optical RX and a Digital Return TX Operating at 3.1 Gbps with 3 Return sections.

5 to 40 MHz 50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz

H.E.
3 Fibres Required

5 to 40 MHz

If a 4th RF sections is required, select for lowest number of subs on two return path.

TDM Transmitter

By installing NODES with a Dual Optical RX and Digital Return TX Operating at 4.2 Gbps with 4 Return section.

5 to 40 MHz

5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz

50 to 870 MHz

H.E.
3 Fibres Required

5 to 40 MHz

5 to 40 MHz

TDM Transmitter

By installing NODES with Four Optical RXs and Four Analog Return TXs

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

50 to 870 MHz 5 to 40 MHz

H.E.
8 Fibres Required

By installing 1550 nm equipment, EDFAs and optical couplers.

NODE 2 NODE 3 NODE 4

14.0 IN 16 dB EDFA 16 km 4.0 dB 0.5 16.2 km 4.05 dB IN

11.0 0.8 9.8 km 2.45 dB IN

7.8 1.4 12 km 3.0 dB

NODE 5

NODE 1
11.0 0.8

Forward output for all NODES.

46 dBmV 45 " 44 " 43 " 42 " 41 " 40 " 39 " 38 " 37 " 35 " 34 "

18 km 4.5 dB

IN

50

300

450

550

750

870 MHz

16 dB EDFA 1550 TX

Reducing NOISE and INGRESS on the return path by using TDM technology. With one (1) fiber with five (5) NODES.
NODE 1
+8.0 dBm

NODE 2
+8.0 dBm 16.2 km 4.05 dB IN

NODE 3
+8.0 dBm

NODE 4
7.6 1.3 9.8 km 2.45 dB 5.8 IN 1.9 12 km 3.0 dB +8.0 dBm

11.0 IN 0.8

16 km 4.0 dB

NODE 5
22.1 +8.0 dBm 0.3 IN Output: 6 dBm IN 19.0 0.4 18.0 km 4.5 dB IN DEMUX Digital RX 13 dB EDFA

Test Point

1= -16.8 2= -15.0 3= -16.9 4= -17.0 5= -16-6 6= Spare Output: 1 Output: 2 Output: 3

OTDR
Actual return signal from each NODE

A bi-directional 1550 nm system, using EDFA and optical couplers.

NODE 2 NODE 3 NODE 4

NODE 5
16.2 km 4.05 dB 9.8 km 2.45 dB 12 km 3.0 dB

16 dB EDFA 16 km 4.0 dB

NODE 1

Return Test Point

18 km 4.5 dB

In this example, we have upgraded a 72 km HFC system, using 1550 nm equipments in both fibres which include 5 bi-directional NODES.

16 dB EDFA 1550 TX

One more consideration, to guarantee a clean return system, is by the installation of an INGRESS control system.

B A

4 5 1

Headend

1
2

3
6

= ClearPath
1-A

= Forward QPSK.
= INGRESS
7

3-A

Since INGRESS are sometimes very hard and long to find, an INGRESS CONTROL system is the best option to help you locate problem area and assure a clean return system. INGRESS control switches can reduce or remove unwanted return signals, leaving the rest of the System fully operational.

One more way to insure a good quality signal on the return path, is to equip your HFC system with a Return status monitoring system.

50-860 MHz

fiber optic

5 MHz

40 MHz

5 MHz

40 MHz

5-200 MHz
FSK modulation 52 MHz
5 MHz 40 5 MHz 40 MHz

Local or IP Connection

9580 SST

Alarm. Require attention. Normal

The system should be able to provide a Local or IP communications and should be able to call technicians and managers when INGRESS appears.

Our competition:
Express Vu and Star Choice. Digital Television Signal from satellite direct to the home. So far these systems are unidirectional, with no INTERNET service. Telephone companies. DSL, thru twisted pair, capable of 1.5 Gbps in both direction. Not fast enough to deliver good quality TV signal. Telephone companies. DSLAM technology, thru a twisted pair, capable of INTERNET service at 6 Mbps in both direction and Three (3) signals outputs, each delivering a different analog TV signal. LOOK TV. Digital Television Signal in one direction. Trying to deliver bi-directional INTERNET.

CONCLUSION:
With a well reengineered system, good maintenance and monitoring practices, a INGRESS free return system, youll be able to guarantee a full operating system at all times.

Return System Flatness.

Ingress Level.

Thank you for your

ATTENTION.
This presentation can be sent to you by e-mail @: alamarre@trispec.com